Notes From The Nat

First, to John: I have no idea who will be named the GM, but my best guess would have to be Andy Dunn, who is the ‘consultant’ to the team.  On the C’s staff page it doesn’t list him, even though he’s been the man running the show over the last few months.  We shall see…

Now, onto why Billy Beane has lost his mind completely. 

Today the A’s announced they’d traded fan favourite OF Nick Swisher to the White Sox for three prospects.  I’ll give Beane this - they’re top prospects but in all honesty this trade is worth nothing. 

Oakland picks up LHP Gio Gonzalez, RHP Fautino De Los Santos and OF Ryan Sweeney.

Gonzalez lead Minor League Baseball in strikeouts this season, and the former Compensation Round pick was named to the Southern League All-Star team after playing for AA Birmingham in 2007.

Fautino De Los Santos was the South Atlantic League’s (A) Most Outstanding Major League Prospect and named to the midseason and post-season All-Star team while pitching for Kannapolis.  He pitched for the World Team at this season’s Futures Game, as a MILB sophomore and went 10-5 with an ERA of 2.65 all season.  Fautino also managed to strikeout 214 batters in just over 170 innings.

The OF Sweeney was the White Sox #1 prospect going into ‘07, and has played a total of 44 games in the major leagues, combining for an average of .213, while having 17 hits in 80 at-bats.  He has hit a dinger and two doubles in that time.  In thhe minors, he’s hit .289 over five seasons, sending 33 balls out of the park, and 239 RBI.

While the three guys have impressed in the Minors, can they really help Oakland in the Majors?  Oakland is giving up Swisher, who has hit .251 in the American League (in four years), sending 80 balls out of the park which is Oakland’s franchise record for most HR’s hit by a switch-hitter.  Swisher only spent two years in the minors before making the Majors, and started his minor league career with the Canadians in ‘02.  He lasted only 13 games and went up to Visalia to close out his first pro season.

The A’s are severely relying on their prospects for ‘08, with only five veterans starting out of the whole 9-man system (forgetting the pitchers).  Mark Ellis, Bobby Crosby, Eric Chavez, Jack Cust and Mark Kotsay being the five guys, and four out of those five have had major injuries over the last two seasons.  While Oakland will be loaded in AA and AAA this season, can their prospects’ success result in major league success?  Only time will tell.