Billy Koch traded to Oakland

[Vsahajpal]

for Eric Hinske and Justin Miller

[Soxheads]

What level of the minor leagues are those two at?

[Vsahajpal]

Triple A.

Hinske's a good prospect, Miller's a solid pitcher as well.

[NUCatsFan]

Originally posted by Vsahajpal
for Eric Hinske and Justin Miller

So that three way trade is going through.

[Chisox_cali]

Originally posted by NUCatsFan


So that three way trade is going through.

No. The Threw Way Trade was going to have LA getting Koch and the A's getting Sheffield. I guess that fell through

[Soxheads]

Originally posted by Chisox_cali


No. The Threw Way Trade was going to have LA getting Koch and the A's getting Sheffield. I guess that fell through

Couldn't that still work?

[Jerry_Manuel]

Originally posted by Soxheads
Couldn't that still work?

Yes it could. The A's needed a closer and now with Koch in the fold they have one.

[kermittheefrog]

Originally posted by Jerry_Manuel


Yes it could. The A's needed a closer and now with Koch in the fold they have one.

I don't think there is any way we'll see that deal until Jason Giambi is somewhere. Sure they say he's as good as a Yankee but it's been too long w/o an official signing or confirmation to say he's definitely out of Oakland. I was a bit suspect of the whole thing myself, just the whole lack of confirmation on it lead me to be skeptical. Now I'm not syaing he won't be Yankee just the hoopla of two days ago was a little suspect.

[FarWestChicago]

Originally posted by kermittheefrog


I don't think there is any way we'll see that deal until Jason Giambi is somewhere. Sure they say he's as good as a Yankee but it's been too long w/o an official signing or confirmation to say he's definitely out of Oakland. I was a bit suspect of the whole thing myself, just the whole lack of confirmation on it lead me to be skeptical. Now I'm not syaing he won't be Yankee just the hoopla of two days ago was a little suspect.

If the two losers who own the A's were interested at all in keeping him, the could make a move. But, they never wanted his salary on the books. They want to make a killing when they sell. And they have been shopping the A's around to everybody for several months. The whole no trade clause fiasco in spring training was just that. They did not want to keep him. Billy Beane is amazing. How he does his job when his bosses do everything possible to undermine him is a mystery.

[bringbackrobin]

This was a hell of a trade for the A's, remember that they originally got Hinske for Miguel Cairo (whom they originally signed as a minor-league free agent). Justin Miller is a good prospect, but he's behind some other guys on the depth chart. So think of this trade as Cairo and Miller for Billy Koch. One nobody and one decent pitching prospect for one good pitcher. Who wouldn't take that?

And it will be an increadible move if Beane can turn Koch into Gary Sheffield. Sheffield might be the most underrated player in baseball, and plugging him into the lineup would replace most of Giambi's production. Imagine what a lineup like this would do to the American league:

2b German/Menechino
3b Chavez
LF Sheffield
RF J. Dye
SS Tejada
1B Jeremy Giambi
DH Saenz/Valdez (two ex-Sox)/Piatt
CF T. Long
C Ramon Hernandez

This is a lineup that cold score 950 runs, especially if Beane could upgrade the DH slot.

[duke of dorwood]

Definattly an upgrade tO Koch from Izzy. They are tough, even without the lumbering ox

[NUCatsFan]

Originally posted by bringbackrobin
And it will be an increadible move if Beane can turn Koch into Gary Sheffield. Sheffield might be the most underrated player in baseball, and plugging him into the lineup would replace most of Giambi's production. Imagine what a lineup like this would do to the American league:

According to the papers here, and everything I've heard, the trade would be along the lines of Koch and Dye for Sheffield (and someone else, I'm sure).

[bringbackrobin]

true, but the reports I saw also had the A's getting Prokopec and Trombley from the Dodgers. I'll bet that if they only wanted Sheffield, they could get him for Koch and a prospect (Adam Piatt?), considering the amount of money the Dodgers would save.

[Mathew]

I'd ship Koch for Sheffield and maybe even just Prokopec. I see Blue Jays games every day and am surrounded by Jays fans. Billy Botch loved to meltdown. I can't believe people will defend Billy Botch and grill Foulke for consistancy. It leads to an interesting question
Botch 2.3 mil
Foulke 4-6 mil (or more)


Is Keith Foulke 2 to 3 times better? As his pay may indicate?

[Paulwny]

Originally posted by Chisox_cali


No. The Threw Way Trade was going to have LA getting Koch and the A's getting Sheffield. I guess that fell through

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseba...ll%2Dheadlines