Nick Swisher to White Sox

[MrMadison]

Look Ken, Baseball Talk! Happy Now?

Rebuilding A's continue dealing -- Swisher to White Sox

Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics made their second major trade in three weeks, sending outfielder and fan favorite Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for three minor leaguers on Thursday.

Nick Swisher
Swisher

Right Field
Oakland Athletics

Profile
2007 Season Stats GM    HR    RBI    R    OBP    AVG
150    22    78    84    .381    .262

The A's -- who dealt ace Dan Haren to Arizona on Dec. 14 -- received left-hander Gio Gonzalez, right-hander Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane acknowledged last month that the A's are rebuilding and said he expects the club to take its lumps next season after the A's missed the playoffs in 2007. They reached the AL Championship Series in 2006, but Oakland (76-86) had its streak of winning seasons end at eight and went 9-17 in September.

The 27-year-old Swisher, a switch-hitter and a favorite in the clubhouse because of his high-energy, playful nature, had been one of the few constants for Oakland in recent seasons -- playing in the outfield and at first base while the team dealt with injuries at most every position.

He batted .262 with 22 homers and 78 RBIs in 150 games in 2007, his third full big league season. He also drew 100 walks, ranking him sixth in the AL, for a career-best .381 on-base percentage.

His 80 home runs were a franchise record by a switch-hitter, and Swisher also recorded career highs for batting average, walks and doubles (36).

The A's will have three more established minor leaguers to add to their farm system.

Gonzalez, 22, pitched for Double-A Birmingham last year and led minor league baseball with 185 strikeouts. He went 9-7 with a 3.18 ERA in 27 starts and was selected to the Southern League midseason and postseason All-Star teams. The White Sox acquired Gonzalez as a compensation pick -- the 38th selection overall of the 2004 amateur draft.

The 21-year-old De Los Santos went 9-4 with a 2.40 ERA in 15 starts and six relief appearances for Class A Kannapolis in 2007. He was picked as the South Atlantic League's top prospect and was also a midseason and postseason All-Star.

In addition, he made five starts for Class-A Winston-Salem and had a combined record of 10-5 record with a 2.65 ERA.

Sweeney, a 22-year-old left hitter, was among Chicago's top prospects going into last season, when he batted .270 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 105 games for Triple-A Charlotte. He also hit .200 with a home run and five RBIs in 15 games for the White Sox.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

thoughts?

[CALSGR8]

So much for being the franchise player! 

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Swisher isn't a bad player to have.  Is he worth two minor league All-Star pitchers and a top prospect?  He's gotta produce to be so.

Wasn't Swisher also the poster-boy player for Moneyball?

[2k6nats]

They've made two major trades in three weeks, and I don't like either of them for the A's.  Haren is arguably the best pitcher in the AL, and to trade him for anything less than major-league level prospects is terrible.  I don't mind the Swisher deal as much, but I don't think you can ever trade your best bat (especially at 27), ever.

[tomterp]

They've made two major trades in three weeks, and I don't like either of them for the A's.  Haren is arguably the best pitcher in the AL, and to trade him for anything less than major-league level prospects is terrible.  I don't mind the Swisher deal as much, but I don't think you can ever trade your best bat (especially at 27), ever.

A's don't expect to compete this year.  THey're aiming for 2009 and 2010, when they'll be in a new park and will at that time be looking to generate some fan interest (sound familiar?).  While Swisher makes them a better team in 2008, the other guys are good prospects who will probably help them more in the future.  I'm not as up on the Haran deal, but the Swisher deal looks like a winner for the A's. 

And the White Sox are candid in saying they want to win NOW.  I just don't share their optimism for 2008, but for sure Swisher helps.

[PANatsFan]

Swisher isn't a bad player to have.  Is he worth two minor league All-Star pitchers and a top prospect?  He's gotta produce to be so.

Wasn't Swisher also the poster-boy player for Moneyball?

Swisher was drafted during the Moneyball draft, but actually was the exception to the Moneyball rules, he was a classic "good makeup" guy. Most of the guys drafted under the Moneyball rules actually washed out. I think Teahen is the best.