A's Trying on New White Sox

[DBAHO]

Interesting read;

 

Welcome to White Sox West.

 

That's how many of the A's must feel this spring because the clubhouse at the team's Papago Park complex is teeming with former Chicago prospects. It's not just the high-profile players from the Nick Swisher deal, left-hander Gio Gonzalez and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.

 

There are two minor-league free agents, lefty Ryan Wing and infielder Casey Rogowski, who came through the White Sox's system. There are relievers taken from Chicago in the past two Rule-5 draft, Jay Marshall and Fernando Hernandez. Even the Dan Haren trade with Arizona netted Oakland two former Chicago players, outfielder Aaron Cunningham and first baseman Chris Carter.

 

"It's the White Sox in green and gold - that's just what it is," Gonzalez said. "Everyone seems to be here."

 

"Maybe I started something," joked reliever Marshall, who was on the A's all last season. "I knew nobody last year, but Ferny Hernandez was saying he knew so many people when he got here, he didn't have to just sit in his locker."

 

Why the White Sox? Are they exceptionally deep in minor-league talent, especially for a team like Oakland that was looking to beef up its system? Do the two clubs evaluate talent in a similar way, making for a good match?

 

That might account for some of the crossover appeal, but more likely, the opposite is true.

 

"If anything, they value different things than we do," A's director of player personnel Billy Owens said. "Maybe these guys fit our statistical profile better, so we're more able to acquire them. But I think it's more coincidence than anything."

 

"The White Sox value power arms a lot," Wing said. "The A's are a little more results-oriented. It's not that Chicago isn't a great organization, it is, but they just look for different things."

 

Another factor is that Oakland general manager Billy Beane and White Sox GM Kenny Williams are friends dating back to their playing days. Few others would have been able to pry Swisher away from the A's, but Williams knew exactly what he'd have to offer to get the deal done with a minimum of fuss.

 

"We have a great relationship, and that helps a trade partnership," Beane said. "And yeah, we like some of their players and we like the job they do over there."

 

Williams said, "Billy and I are willing to mix it up, find the right fits. And right now, they're rebuilding and we're in win-now mode. A lot of what we're looking for is different. It was reversed at one time; I remember sending Ray Durham there. But we're looking for 2008, not necessarily for 2009, 2010."

 

The White Sox believe they can contend in the AL Central and, with a veteran heavy roster, Chicago isn't looking to give a lot of youngsters regular playing time. As Beane noted, the A's can be a little more patient as they build for the future.

 

"Chicago is trying to get older guys so they can go back to the World Series," Sweeney said. "They got rid of some of us minor-league guys so they can do that."

 

"I guess we're not good enough for the White Sox," Gonzalez said with a grin. "But this is the right place to be in - a young group of guys, all coming in together and all coming up together."

 

Gonzalez has been traded twice by Williams, who sent him to Philadelphia in the Jim Thome trade, then reacquired him last year in exchange for Freddy Garcia.

 

"Kenny told me when I came back that he wasn't going to lose me again," Gonzalez said. "Well, there goes that."

 

Williams chuckled ruefully when told of Gonzalez's reaction, saying, "I feel awful about that. I told Billy when we were talking, 'I can't trade this kid again,' and that held things up for a while, because I didn't want to have that conversation with Gio. But he's a talented kid, and he's going to pitch in the big leagues and pitch very well."

 

Cunningham pointed out that the A's-White Sox connection extends to several players not in big league camp, such as pitcher Fautino de los Santos, who was in the Swisher deal, and lefty Nick Walker, who signed as a free agent with Oakland last summer. Cunningham went from the White Sox to the Diamondbacks to the A's, so, he said, "It's so cool - I know everybody because they brought both my teams over."

 

The White Sox products have impressed the A's staff all week, especially Gonzalez and Cunningham, while Sweeney has a terrific shot at a spot on the Opening Day roster.

 

So does Hernandez, the Rule-5 draftee. After all, Oakland held onto Marshall all of last year when not in a rebuilding phase; now, the A's have even more leeway to try to hang onto a good prospect.

 

"We thought he'd be gone by the time we drafted, we rated him that high," Beane said. "And we can be patient."

 

" 'Wow,' is all I can say," Hernandez said. "This a team with a lot of young guys who are going to be good, and it's great to get a shot here. I think that's how all of us feel."

 

White Sox to Green

Chris Carter, infielder

 

Aaron Cunningham, outfielder

 

Fernando Hernandez, pitcher

 

Gio Gonzalez, pitcher

 

Casey Rogowski, infielder

 

Ryan Sweeney, outfielder

 

Ryan Wing, pitcher

[Metz]

Sweeney ... "Chicago is trying to get older guys so they can go back to the World Series," Sweeney said. "They got rid of some of us minor-league guys so they can do that."

 

wtf .. he makes it seem like we went out and traded them for 35 year olds .. but in reality everyone that is "in green" we gave up for people under 30 -- Swisher, Richar, Quentin

 

nice job tho

[Reddy]

Sweeney ... "Chicago is trying to get older guys so they can go back to the World Series," Sweeney said. "They got rid of some of us minor-league guys so they can do that."

 

wtf .. he makes it seem like we went out and traded them for 35 year olds .. but in reality everyone that is "in green" we gave up for people under 30 -- Swisher, Richar, Quentin

 

nice job tho

 

i think he just meant older than them... which is correct.

[2OutRally]

"I guess we're not good enough for the White Sox," Gonzalez said with a grin. "But this is the right place to be in - a young group of guys, all coming in together and all coming up together."

 

"Kenny told me when I came back that he wasn't going to lose me again," Gonzalez said. "Well, there goes that."

Aw, that broke my heart.

[Balta1701]

Aw, that broke my heart.

If Kenny actually told him that, he should have spent the last year living out of a suitcase, because that's almost a guarantee that he was going to be moved.

[NorthSideSox72]

I was kind of upset to see the organization lose Hernandez, I thought he was worth protecting (more so than a few others on the 40). And Wing could have been re-signed to a minor league deal - and he looked like he was really recovering nicely from his injury (and has loads of talent). Trading Gio and Sweeney I understood, and we got a good deal. But just letting Hernandez and Wing go for no apparently good reason seemed pretty short-sighted to me.

 

[Whitewashed in '05]

They've got a lot of our top prospects and I will keep an eye on them.

 

Many people here don't like Gio much, but he's been probably my favorite prospect since he was drafted (sox prospect). I have a feeling he's gonna be a good pitcher. No major injuries so far because of his frame, a good fastball with movement, nice hammer, and is developing a good change and throws with the left hand.

 

I still think Sweeney's going to turn out to be a solid OFer.

[SoxAce]

If Kenny actually told him that, he should have spent the last year living out of a suitcase, because that's almost a guarantee that he was going to be moved.

 

KW should have never said that s*** to him in the first place.

[witesoxfan]

They've got a lot of our top prospects and I will keep an eye on them.

 

Many people here don't like Gio much, but he's been probably my favorite prospect since he was drafted (sox prospect). I have a feeling he's gonna be a good pitcher. No major injuries so far because of his frame, a good fastball with movement, nice hammer, and is developing a good change and throws with the left hand.

 

I still think Sweeney's going to turn out to be a solid OFer.

 

I think Gio is going to be very good in that ballpark.

[easyw]

Does anyone have a guess where FDLS will start the season? Probably AA? If not, if he goes to high A does that mean he'll be with Kane County?

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Ya, when all it would have taken was a minor league deal, i too am upset we didnt hang onto Wing. Ya, he doesnt have the upside he once did but he appears to finally be healthy again and might have become a valuable piece out of the pen.