Kuzul

Dear Santa,

I don’t want too much for Christmas. There are just a few things I would love to see. I don’t even care about the presents underneath my Christmas tree.

I just want you to do a few things for the Oakland Athletics.

Please make the following wishes come true. If you can’t make all of these happen, Santa, then for your convenience, I have ordered them from least realistic to most realistic.

A Big-Name Slugger

After trading away five All-Stars since July, including big names like Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson, A’s fans need some assurance. They could use a big name to keep the hope alive that Oakland won’t fall deep into the cellar of the AL West.

Perhaps a shortstop?

Troy Tulowitzki would be fun to watch in green and gold, no doubt about it. And if he can stay healthy, he’d easily come close to (or jump past) Donaldson’s production.

The A’s like versatile players, and there are few more versatile in Major League Baseball than Ben Zobrist.

Look, some of us aren’t even picky.

Of course, that’s assuming the Cuban bat you bring us is of the power-hitting variety.

Mr. Kringle, I know this request is unlikely. But having a guy like Tulowitzki or Zobrist would mean a lot to this fanbase. It’d give us a sign that not all is lost. Simply put, it’d be exciting.

Increased Production from Second Base

Santa, I’m unsure if you are an A’s fan, let alone a baseball fan, but Oakland recently allowed Alberto Callaspo to sign elsewhere and released Nick Punto. That leaves Eric Sogard as the starting second baseman with Andy Parrino behind him (assuming Marcus Semien plays shortstop).

In 2014, Sogard appeared in 117 games, finishing with a batting average of .223 and an on-base percentage of .298. It wasn’t the best season for the king of the “#nerdpower” movement, and we’d like to see that change.

They didn’t provide specifics, but some A’s fans want that particular spot upgraded.

A few fellow fans and I would like you to simply gift Sogard a career year instead of bringing in outside, more expensive competition. Because why not have one of “our guys” succeed?

At the Least, Health for All

Mr. Claus, if there’s just one thing you can give the A’s in 2015, we humbly request good health for all.

There are a few nights before Christmas left, and many of us are stirring at the thought of what’s next. Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care. We can’t wait for you, St. Nicholas, to get here. You know we’ll be dreaming—dreaming of a green Christmas—just like the ones we used to know.

Hopefully, the 2015 season is somewhere between this:

And this:

And if it is, baseball season will be the most wonderful time of the year—just the way it always is.

Sincerely,

Oakland A’s fans

PS: Seriously, please don’t let the A’s lose 100 games.

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It is still only December, but the 2015 baseball season is rapidly approaching as pitchers and catchers will be reporting to camp in less than two months.

That gives the Texas Rangers plenty of time to make any changes necessary to be successful in 2015. First-year manager Jeff Bannister will have his work cut out for him to restore a club that lost 95 games last season. It also looks like he will head into next year with most of the same guys who were a part of the franchise’s worst season in 11 years.

It is still unknown how successful this team can be with a healthy roster. Players like Prince Fielder, Martin Perez, Derek Holland and Matt Harrison all missed significant time on the disabled list with different injuries. Handfuls of other players missed most of the 2014 season or large stints during the campaign. The injuries really exposed the lack of depth in the organization, which general manager Jon Daniels began addressing last season when he traded Joakim Soria to the Detroit Tigers.

Texas received two of Detroit’s top pitching prospects in the exchange.

Pitching is still an area that needs significant improvement, especially in the rotation. That is one of two changes the Rangers need to make before spring training commences in February, and it will start with pitching.

Profar Must Move to Third Base/DH

Yes, Jurickson Profar must move to the hot corner occupied by one of the best in Major League Baseball.

If Profar is able to come back and prove that he has been worth the wait, then that is what he must do. He is currently rejecting surgery in order to play in the upcoming season according to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com. He will begin the year in the minors but will most likely make a quick comeback to Arlington. It should give him some time to work out at third and develop some decent fundamentals at the position.

If the Rangers decide to keep him at short or second, which is highly likely, then his return should be in the DH spot. Most of his value lies in his swing, so keeping him off the diamond would not be a bad option.

Why does this need to happen? Because Rougned Odor isn’t going anywhere, and jobs around the horn are hard to come by in Arlington.

Adrian Beltre, the current third baseman for the club, will be 36 years old in early April and is entering his 18^th season as a big leaguer. Even though he still has one of the best arms in the game, it’s safe to say he has lost a step or two defensively.

In fact, according to Fan Graphs, Beltre’s UZR/150 has dropped dramatically since joining the Rangers 2011. That year, his rating was 16.9 but was followed by a 14.2 in 2012, -1.4 in 2013 and rose back to a positive 5.3 last year.

Giving Profar a shot at third would still allow Beltre to hit as the DH. If Profar lives up to the hype while playing every day, it could give this lineup a boost in the run-scoring department.

Trade for or Sign a Free-Agent Starting Pitcher

Although the Rangers are doing themselves a favor by staying quiet this offseason, it would still benefit the club to trade for a starting pitcher.

The Rangers were able to get Ross Detwiler from the Washington Nationals during the 2014 winter meetings. However, he spent the entire 2014 season in the bullpen for the team and has struggled for the majority of his career in both the pen and the rotation.

Detwiler, no matter what the stats say, still gives Texas a solid flex option on its staff. But that doesn’t solve any problems within the rotation, which currently has Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Colby Lewis occupying spots. One spot could be taken care of with an internal candidate, but the spot available in the front end of the rotation must be found elsewhere.

Max Scherzer and James Shields are most likely not on the team’s radar, but other viable pitchers still remain on the open market. The Rangers have been in contact with multiple teams with the availability of some of their players, including the New York Mets and San Diego Padres according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.

Martin Perez and Matt Harrison are the reasons Texas can’t go into next season with multiple young arms in the rotation. Bother lefties will most likely be out until at least July, and the youngsters who took over for them in 2014 struggled mightily.

If the club is looking to contend after a two-year hiatus from the playoffs, its pitching staff must be improved.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren.

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The list of potential fits to fill the Seattle Mariners‘ hole in right field seems to be shrinking by the day.

Melky Cabrera, likely Seattle’s top target, agreed to a three-year deal with the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score.

In addition, Alex Rios signed with the Kansas City Royals on Monday, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, which takes one more target off the board.

That leaves a very thin remaining free-agent market for outfielders. General manager Jack Zduriencik said that Seattle may have to “get creative” to address the team’s last weakness, via Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN.

The Mariners could elect to stay in-house or even try to convert Brad Miller into an outfielder. They also may swing an unexpected trade, with names like Seth Smith and Gerardo Parra popping up recently as possible fits, per Paul Casella of MLB.com. 

Even with the best outfielders already signed, a couple of free agents and players known to be available for trade could be options for the Mariners in right field.

Nori Aoki

With Cabrera gone, Aoki is probably the best free-agent outfielder left. The Mariners would prefer a right-handed hitter, but Aoki has a reverse platoon split for his career and would be a good fit to bat second in Seattle’s lineup.

Aoki is coming off a .285/.349/.360 season and has posted 6.2 WAR in his three-year major league career. He makes excellent contact and consistently posts strong OBP numbers without striking out much.

That’s nothing spectacular, but it’s far better than anything on Seattle’s current roster. If the Mariners landed Aoki, it would be hard to identify a major weakness on the team heading into 2015.

Aoki‘s cost might be inflated due to the thin remaining free-agent class—and he is a so-so defensive player. Still, Aoki would be a serviceable option during Seattle’s current window of competition.

Colby Rasmus

Rasmus is a very talented player who hasn’t risen into stardom due to inconsistency and injuries. When Rasmus has put it all together, the results have been excellent—including a 4.8 WAR season in 2013 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

But Rasmus has struggled more often than he has succeed in his career. He is coming off a .225/.287.448 campaign and has missed 102 games over the last two years.

Defensive metrics have not been kind to Rasmus in his career, and he has an awful platoon split against righties. A move to right field would boost his defensive value, but he doesn’t really fit with Seattle otherwise.

Whichever team signs Rasmus will be getting an intriguing addition with upside—and he’s not going to cost much. For a contending team like the Mariners that needs a reliable everyday player, he should be a last-resort option.

Justin Upton

After trading Jason Heyward earlier in the offseason, it became clear that the Atlanta Braves would be willing to move Upton in the last year of his contract. The Mariners would make sense as a potential landing spot.

Upton would certainly improve the team for 2015 and solidify Seattle’s chances at World Series contention. While Upton has never come close to matching his 6.1 WAR campaign in 2011, he is coming off his best season since and owns a 121 wRC+ for his career.

The problem is the cost to land Upton, as the Braves want a bigger return than they got for Heyward, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Atlanta is probably looking for either Taijuan Walker or James Paxton in a potential Upton deal.

Zduriencik is not going to trade five years of Paxton or six of Walker for one year of Upton. There’s a price where Upton makes sense, but the Braves would have to reduce the asking cost first.

Shane Victorino / Allen Craig

The Boston Red Sox did some work to free up a logjam by trading Yoenis Cespedes to the Detroit Tigers last week, per CJ Nitkowski of Fox Sports 1.

There are still too many outfielders on Boston’s roster, so either Victorino or Craig could be on the way out before the season.

As a one-year rental, Victorino shouldn’t cost anything more than a reliever, and he put up a 5.6 WAR season as recently as 2013. There’s obviously a concern about a 34-year-old who played just 30 games last season due to a back injury, but Victorino is likely still a more reliable option than Rasmus.

Craig is coming off a miserable -1.4 WAR season, so he won’t warrant a large return. He also has three years of team control and posted no worse than a 134 wRC+ with the St. Louis Cardinals between 2011 and 2013.

Both players have some upside and both could backfire in a major way. The Mariners would have to add a reliable fourth outfielder as insurance, but it might be worth it to send over a fringy prospect or a reliever like Yoervis Medina with their current situation.

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The Los Angeles Angels have upgraded their already-potent offense by acquiring outfielder Matt Joyce from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for relief pitcher Kevin Jepsen. 

Details of the trade were confirmed by the Angels on Twitter:

The move does serve two purposes for the Angels. In addition to giving them more depth on the bench, the defending American League West champions have a solid insurance policy in the event that Josh Hamilton gets hurt. Joyce has been durable since 2011, playing at least 140 games in three of the last four years.

Jonah Keri of Grantland likes the deal for both sides, as it gives the Angels’ right-handed heavy lineup a solid left-handed weapon and the Rays get another power arm in their already-potent bullpen:

Even though Joyce’s OPS has declined in each of the last four years, from a high of .837 in 2010 to .732 last year, he’s only had an on-base percentage under .341 once during that span and is an affordable option in his third year of arbitration. 

Jepsen is coming off his best season with the Angels. The 30-year-old right-hander appeared in 74 games covering 65 innings, posting a 2.63 ERA, 75 strikeouts and 45 hits allowed in 2014. He’s entering his second year of arbitration.   

This is one of those smaller deals that makes sense for both sides. The Angels, while they have a full outfield, are always going to need another body because of how erratic Hamilton has been. Joyce can also fill in at DH as part of a platoon with C.J. Cron. 

Since the Rays don’t have the money to go after a top starting pitcher, they can follow the Kansas City blueprint to success and build a power bullpen that can shorten games to six innings. 

Stats via Baseball-Reference.com

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

Follow @adamwells1985

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The Oakland A’s went into the winter meetings looking like they might contend again in 2015. They came out of the meetings three All-Stars lighter.

Now what?

Last we heard from general manager Billy Beane, he told the media he now plans to spend some of the cash saved in the Brandon Moss, Josh Donaldson and Jeff Samardzija trades. Here’s what Beane said in quotes captured by John Hickey of Mercury News:

We’ve collected young players, and we’re going to try to redeploy the extra payroll. We are trying to walk the delicate balance, getting younger and trying to be as good as we can as quickly as possible. We’ve never been an organization that says, ‘Hey, we’re going to punt for the next five years and get a top-10 draft pick. That’s not in our DNA.

But here’s the most interesting quote from the Hickey article: “We are not done. There are a few things we’d still like to do. We have a laundry list of things we’d like to get done.”

Not an item or two—a laundry list.

What is on that list is anyone’s guess, though. Most saw the Samardzija trade coming. The act of trading Brandon Moss didn’t shock too many. Josh Donaldson joining the Toronto Blue Jays was a most unexpected move.

From the given to the unforeseen, Beane‘s touched on both sides of the spectrum this offseason in terms of moves made.

At this point it’s clear Beane shed some money where it was easy to do so. That seems to be the offseason plan on an annual basis. If we take his words as truth without deception, we can assume the plan moving forward is to remain in competition in the near future.

But does that mean 2015?

Ten teams go to playoffs. As one of them, the A’s lost in their first postseason game, and that was with Moss, Donaldson, Samardzija, Jed Lowrie, Luke Gregerson and Jon Lester. All six are gone now and should their replacements take Oakland further than the All-Stars did, then Beane should be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame immediately.

Let’s assume the replacements will not do that, though.

The other nine teams in the 2014 postseason should compete again in 2015. Another four teams just missed and three more were fairly close. Throw in the Miami Marlins, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs who think they can compete and the Boston Red Sox who should return to the fray and we’re now talking 20 of 30 teams legitimately threatening to take one of 10 spots.

That’s not including Oakland.

Perhaps in this wild free agency full of crazy-big contracts, heavy spending and Oprah Winfrey-style trades (“You make a trade, you make a trade, everyone makes a trade”), the A’s are smart to take a seat for a year.

Typically the MO is selling off anyone who is aged, talented or will make big money for as many prospects as possible, no matter what level they play in.

This offseason, Beane acquired guys right on the edge between Triple-A and Major League Baseball. That has to be by design.

It doesn’t appear as if this offseason is a complete dismantling. Beane seems to have also confirmed it isn’t. At this point, however, it’d take an insane amount of Moneyball magic to jump the Los Angeles Angels for the AL West, or the Kansas City Royals, White Sox, Blue Jays, etc. for a Wild Card spot.

The offseason plan should continue down the path already laid out.

Beane and company should fill any remaining holes, without committing too much money, with guys who can simply gain experience this year in hopes of proving themselves or turning the corner. Management should also continue to stockpile pieces that can either contribute sooner rather than later or be swapped in, say, the 2016 offseason as a part of a larger master plan.

Stick with the team, A’s fans.

It may feel like Beane just sold the house for a one-room apartment. He’s done that before, a few times. Instead, think of it like this: After doing everything he can to his mid-size home, he’s sold it at peak value and purchased a slightly smaller home, but it’s no condo.

Hopefully now he makes a handful of minor, cheap moves that turn out to be amazing upgrades—and then Beane adds a room here and a story there with the saved cash to finally have the biggest home on the block.

Sit out 2015 and try to recreate 2012-like magic—that’s my theory. But what do fans think?

I asked them on Twitter.

“JosephThomasD” agrees, thinking Beane will make typical Beane moves—moves with low risk and high reward.

That’s the Beane way after all.

“DillzPicklez” sounds like he’s on board with my assessment:

“Josh_Muller85” said the act of retooling is OK, but questioned the returns:

Most believe Beane‘s words about retooling over rebuilding and see light at the end of the relatively short tunnel, even if that tunnel passes through next season without a stop. The A’s will likely continue picking up typical Moneyball players who project low but produce high and perhaps surprise in 2015 but realistically hit it hard in ’16.

Let’s hope those returns are ready by then.

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Free-agent infielder Jed Lowrie has signed a three-year contract with the Houston Astros after spending the last two seasons with the Oakland Athletics.    

The Astros’ official Twitter account passed along the official report:

Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports noted more contract details:

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports provided the yearly breakdown of the deal:

Drellich also passed along what position Lowrie will be playing moving forward:

Lowrie sounded optimistic about the direction his new team is headed, via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com:

Lowrie has enjoyed solid production over the last two years after spending 2012 with the Astros. The 30-year-old hit just .249/.321/.355 last season but had 15 home runs and a career-high 75 RBI the previous year, which speaks to his upside.   

Richard Justice of MLB.com shared his thoughts on the move while also providing a comment from general manager Jeff Luhnow:

Last season, Lowrie took issue with his former and now current club. Former Astros pitcher Paul Clemens was ejected in April after plunking Lowrie in the seventh inning of a game.

Following that game, the infielder called the incident “flat-out embarrassing.” The hit by pitch reportedly resulted from his decision to bunt in the seventh inning of a previous game.

However, the two main culprits from those antics, including former manager Bo Porter, are no longer with the team, as McTaggart notes:

In Houston, Lowrie may serve as a stopgap with Carlos Correa potentially taking over in the future. Correa suffered a season-ending injury last year but is still the Astros’ top prospect, according to Baseball America.

Lowrie has familiarity with the Astros and joins a team that has already made several moves this offseason. Houston may be in the difficult AL West but is slowly adding talent to emerge as contenders in the division.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.

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Not every move is pulled off, not every need filled at the MLB Winter Meetings.

For as much hype as the gathering produces, and rightfully so this year, there are teams that go in with plenty of expectations but simply leave with the same roster with which they arrived. It leaves fans disappointed that their guys were not part of the hoopla, but it does not mean said team is done maneuvering.

The Seattle Mariners are such a team.

“I don’t feel hurried or rushed here,” general manager Jack Zduriencik told Bob Dutton of the Tacoma New Tribune on Thursday before leaving the meetings. “You shouldn’t view this as ‘If you don’t come away with your club in place on Dec. 12, wow, it’s not going to work.’ That isn’t the case.”

Not when there is now serious interest in outfielder Melky Cabrera, a guy who makes a whole lot of sense for the Mariners. The team needs a right-handed hitter, preferably one who can play right field. Cabrera, a switch-hitter, can productively fulfill both desires. Over his last four seasons, Cabrera has hit .309/.351/.458 with a .809 OPS and 124 OPS-plus. His only down season came in an injury-plagued 2013 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cabrera is said to be asking for a five-year deal. A report from ESPN Deportes’ Enrique Rojas has the Mariners offering three. Finally, it appears that if the Mariners really want to close the deal, they could offer a fourth year to get it done, according to Rojas and other reports.

Speculation has the Mariners somewhere in the $40-42 million range on a three-year deal, which could mean a higher average annual value than the $60 million for five years that Cabrera reportedly wants. So it would make sense for Cabrera to jump at a four-year contract at around $50 million.

There is some risk in waiting this thing out, though. As the December days drip off, teams with similar needs as Seattle can get desperate and hop into the fray cannonball-style. At least two other teams—the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles—need an outfield bat and are eyeing Cabrera to fill the void. While neither team is willing to meet the years/price right this instant, passing time and no better options could change minds.

royals still hoping for melky to fill OF hole. if not, aoki, rasmus, rios on radar.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 11, 2014

If Mariners aren’t going 4 yrs on Melky Cabrera, the #Orioles would consider him on a 2-3 year deal, according to source. Ain’t going 4 tho.

— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) December 12, 2014

While those clubs are currently hesitant on Cabrera’s wants, he does make as much sense for them as he does for the Mariners. The Royals are looking for a right fielder and had an unimpressive offense last season, and they are in danger of being a worse team than they were last season when they made it to the World Series. The Orioles lost some pop when Nelson Cruz went to Seattle and Nick Markakis jetted for Atlanta and have a hole in their outfield.

The Royals have financial constraints, but the Orioles can spend and have some tradable pieces, as do the Mariners. That is why both teams were linked to former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and Braves left fielder Justin Upton.

It made some sense for the Mariners to be interested in Kemp, and maybe they should have stayed in talks with the Dodgers. After all, a package centered around catcher Yasmani Grandal is much less of a return for Kemp than anyone expected.

Upton makes less sense since the Braves are said to be asking for a similar bounty as the Dodgers asked Seattle for Kemp. Plus, the M’s would be guaranteed only one year of Upton, who is most likely going to test free agency after the 2015 season.

If the Mariners are looking for a guy who can do more than simply track a fly ball, then Cabrera is the best option on the market. He would also fit nicely into their clubhouse being friends with Robinson Cano and Cruz, and Cano has already bent his ear about heading up to the Pacific Northwest to join a team on the rise.

Cano said he’s spoken briefly to Melky Cabrera about signing with the Mariners. And told him how much he and Cruz could help the team

— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) December 12, 2014

Seeing as how the Mariners have already gone in on Felix Hernandez, Cano and Kyle Seager, plus giving 34-year-old designated hitter Cruz $57 million over four years, going to a fourth year for the 31-year-old Cabrera is not a stretch. His bat has also played in a cavernous ballpark in the past when he hit .346/.390/.516 with a .906 OPS for the San Francisco Giants in 2012—yes, he was popped for a positive PED test, but he was still quite productive the year before and last season as well. Playing in Safeco Field would not be a deterrent for Cabrera.

It is understandable that the Mariners have slow-played this negotiation to this point. Losing Cabrera has not been an imminent danger, and balking at a fifth year is wise.

But the clock is ticking and suitors are lurking, albeit on the fringes. The Mariners are clearly serious about contending in the American League West next season, and it looks like they have the pieces to do so. Jumping a little farther to secure Cabrera should be their play, and it should come soon.

Anthony Witrado covers Major League Baseball for Bleacher Report. He spent the previous three seasons as the national baseball columnist at Sporting News, and four years before that as the Brewers beat writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Follow Anthony on Twitter @awitrado and talk baseball here.

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The Oakland Athletics have had an interesting offseason to say the least—one extremely difficult to grade.

If you look at it from the perspective that the A’s were contenders and are retooling to remain as contenders in 2015, then the grade is an F. They downgraded at third base, traded their starting first baseman and one of their top starting pitchers and did not sign a proven shortstop.

If they couldn’t get it done with Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss, Jeff Samardzija and Jon Lester (not to mention Yoenis Cespedes before him), then they’re not going to get it done with Brett Lawrie, Ike Davis, Jarrod Parker, A.J. Griffin and Craig Gentry.

Grading this offseason based on the long-term effects is a crapshoot.

Prospect experts and analysts can certainly try, but the truth is, there are too many variables—too many things can happen that throw projections off.

For instance, take the Moss for Joe Wendle trade.

Moss could go downhill rapidly, in talent or in health, while Wendle overachieves and becomes the next Mark Ellis. That’d be an A+ trade for the A’s. Or Wendle could be a bust, while Moss consistently hits 25 home runs and drives in 75 runs for the next three seasons.

There’s no way to tell. You can only guess.

That said, let’s grade this offseason based on general manager Billy Beane‘s notion that the team is retooling.

First, let’s define “retooling.”

Rebuilding is a process that takes a minimum of three years, typically, and can last a decade (looking at you, Houston). Rebuilding is a commitment to a massive overhaul—a fire sale or two—to stockpile hoards of prospects.

The A’s aren’t doing that.

Though Beane himself has never clarified his exact definition of retooling, one can guess it simply means the A’s will sit 2015 out, nab a handful of nearly ready prospects without carrying out a complete fire sale and try to pull off a shocker (like 2012) again in 2016.

We’re throwing out the high (years and years away) and the low (2015) and grading this offseason based on its effects on the 2016 and ’17 seasons.

Now, let’s grade each move individually, then come up with a cumulative grade with “retooling” for 2016-17 in mind.

Signing Billy Butler

Beane acted swiftly and signed free-agent power hitter Billy Butler. The move would have provided a solid cleanup hitter and full-time DH who can feast on left-handed hitting—something the A’s lacked in 2014—to hit behind Moss and Donaldson.

Butler, hypothetically, could make up for some of the power lost when Oakland traded Cespedes to the Boston Red Sox.

In the short term, this would have been a solid move.

However, after trading Donaldson and Moss away, signing Butler is a bit of a head-scratcher for 2015.

Still, there are two ways to view this signing in a positive light.

First, Butler is signed to three years, so he could very well be around still in 2016-17. When the A’s are ready to compete again, Butler remains at DH and is hopefully still hitting for power. At the least, he’s providing veteran leadership and teaching the younger guys what he knows about the game, pitchers’ tendencies and hitting tips.

Or, he’s traded halfway through 2015 and nets one more fringe player who can contribute in ’16 or ’17.

Either way, there’s value there, it’s just in the long term, not in the short term.

Grade: B

Trading Josh Donaldson

After completing the Butler signing, Beane simply needed to find a shortstop, decide who will play left field and potentially upgrade second base.

Instead he shocked the Oakland contingent by trading away the team’s best player, Josh Donaldson. In the extremely short term, it makes no sense trading your superstar if you intend to compete.

That said, the trade wasn’t all that awful.

Oakland had an A+ third baseman and a below-average farm system. Now it has a B+ third baseman and a slightly above-average farm system (before the other trades occurred). The A’s upgraded their prospects while avoiding a huge hit on the major league level.

In 2015, it will hurt not having Donaldson.

But Lawrie is no slouch. He’ll be 25 to start 2015, is locked up until 2018 and will be much cheaper than Donaldson. Meanwhile, the A’s also get a top-tier shortstop prospect and two pitchers who could contribute in Oakland in 2015.

Might these pitchers be the next Jarrod Parker and Tommy Milone, two guys who arrived in Oakland as possibilities to contribute and ultimately earned starting spots immediately?

Grade: B+

Trading Brandon Moss

Beane‘s next move is easily the worst of the offseason.

On Dec. 8, Beane traded Brandon Moss to the Cleveland Indians for Joe Wendle—a Double-A prospect.

One guy. A fringe prospect.

The Miami Marlins were rumored to be interested in Moss. They eventually gave their No. 1 prospect to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dee Gordon, which makes it even more confusing that Oakland shed Moss for so little.

Scouts are mixed on Wendle, though.

Jake Seiner of MiLB.com wrote, “MLB.com’s Pipeline touts Wendle‘s hitting ability as his ‘lone standout tool.'”

Hitting is undoubtedly important, but of five tools, only the one seems to stand out, and that’s a concern. So if Wendle fails at that, he fails period. Also going against him, Wendle is 24 and has never played above Double-A.

Let’s hope Wendle absolutely crushes pitching at all levels. That, or he betters his other tools.

Clearly, this move was solely about shedding the $7.1 million arbitration case Moss was expected to win.

Grade: D+

Trading Jeff Samardzija

Next up, Beane traded starting pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa to the Chicago White Sox for Marcus Semien and three other prospects.

Here’s Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle on analysis of each player coming to Oakland in 140 characters or less:

Grading this on the short term only, it’s not a good trade for 2015. The A’s needed a shortstop or an upgrade at second base. In a trade with the White Sox, one could only hope Oakland would net Alexei Ramirez (and in the long term, the hope was Tim Anderson).

It’s Semien instead.

He may or may not fill the shortstop hole. He may or may not be an upgrade over Andy Parrino and Eric Sogard. No one knows at this point, because he’s still essentially unproven.

But this is where the “in Billy we trust” mantra comes in.

Beane must have targeted Semien for a reason. He must see something in Semien that he doesn’t see in one of his incumbents. So if Semien starts and is efficient, all at 24 years old and for $500,000 and not arbitration-eligible until 2018, then this move will look genius.

And Beane got three other guys on top of that, all for a guy (Samardzija) who would have only been in Oakland one more season before leaving as a free agent anyway.

Grade: A-

Recap and Final Grade

Beane says the team will retool, and he signs Butler, trades Donaldson, trades Moss and trades Samardzija. In return, he gets Lawrie, Semien and a half-dozen prospects.

Beane traded the starting first baseman (an All-Star), the starting third baseman (an All-Star) and one of his starting pitchers (an All-Star). He filled his shortstop hole with an unproven player. He also never replaced the power-hitting left fielder he lost at the 2014 trade deadline.

For 2015, the grade is an F.

For 2016, the grade is a C+.

It’s a safe grade, for sure. It means the A’s didn’t blow it. But on the surface, they didn’t openly fleece teams, at least, not that we can see.

The grade could certainly go higher, though, as soon as 2017.

Once upon a time, the A’s traded star pitcher Rich Harden for a couple of prospects not many had heard of. One was a catcher who was not the feature piece and spent years in the minors, blocked by so many options ahead of him. That guy converted to third base out of desperation (on the team’s part).

That guy is Donaldson.

The C+ grade also assumes Beane is done making moves. The 2015 offseason isn’t over yet, though. If he’s retooling, then 2015 could just be Part I of a two-part series that includes next year’s offseason, too. Count on it.

None of the guys Beane acquired will make the 2015 team better than the 2014 team. But maybe—just maybe—the 2016 team will be even better than the 2012 team, if you know what I mean.

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All remains fairly quiet for the Texas Rangers this offseason, as the 2014 winter meetings have now come and gone.

The club re-signed veteran right-hander Colby Lewis and made a trade with the Washington Nationals for Ross Detwiler, per Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan (h/t MLB Trade Rumors). General manager Jon Daniels said pitching was a priority this offseason, and he has certainly made his rounds trying to acquire it.

For a team that lost 95 games last season, however, the Rangers have yet to improve. Lewis was a part of last season’s pitching staff that had the second-worst ERA in all of baseball. He himself had a hefty ERA of 5.18 during his 29 starts. Detwiler wasn’t much better, posting an ERA of at least 4.00 for the second consecutive season.

Other than that, Texas has yet to show it is willing to spend in order to compete for a playoff spot in 2015. Whether it is prospects or money, the team seems content with the players it currently has on the roster two months before spring training.

It should be, and so should the fans.

The club is getting a C for its work, or lack thereof, so far this offseason. The Rangers didn’t get anything higher strictly because they haven’t improved their pitching staff but merely added depth. But since they haven’t shipped off any big-name prospects or opened up the checkbook for any high-profile free agents, Daniels still gets a passing grade.

Nobody has forgotten the historic amount of injuries that plagued the Rangers in 2014. They used more pitchers and players altogether than any other team in history. It isn’t the only reason the franchise lost more than 90 games for the first time since 2003, but it did play a factor.

With an improved pitching staff, a healthy roster and players playing to their capabilities, this team can contend for a playoff spot.

Staying quiet this offseason will be good for the players in Arlington. There will be competition out in left field, with players like Mitch Moreland, Ryan Rua and Jake Smolinski all duking it out for the position. It also provides competition for the designated hitter spot.

The club is in need of another catcher and upgrades to the rotation and bullpen. And currently, young studs like Joey Gallo, Jorge Alfaro and Alex Gonzalez are still with the organization.

It may not be the offseason many fans were looking for, but Daniels has done well waiting for the right deal to come along. There is still plenty of time for this team to improve on the pitching side and possibly add power to the right side of the plate.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren.

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This has to stop.

Hearts are broken, and that is certainly understandable. But the screaming has to stop. Now.

Billy Beane is not a villain. He is not a moron. He is not attempting to piss off anyone who has ever cheered for the Oakland Athletics.

And most importantly, he is not trying to lose. To think that is his goal is not only ridiculous but also completely ignorant.

Beane, general manager of the Oakland A’s, has traded four All-Star players in the last five months. The Yoenis Cespedes trade last summer was to make the A’s better immediately, as Beane believed his club was good enough then to win a World Series with an ace pitcher. After a postseason exit, Josh Donaldson, Jeff Samardzija and Brandon Moss were dealt to make Oakland better in the long run.

Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan broke the Moss deal on Monday, and the Samardzija trade was announced by the A’s just 24 hours later.

But you do have to hand it to Billy Beane for not being scared. Few other clubs would have cut their losses this quick after failed try.

— Phil Rogers (@philgrogers) December 9, 2014

These trades have people—many of them intelligent human beings and some of them Oakland players—baffled and/or livid. But the moves show that Beane is looking out for the team’s future.

“If you wait too long, you cost yourself a number of years,” Beane told the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Susan Slusser.

Beane was referring to years of being a competitive team and his failure to retool after the team went to the American League Championship Series in 2006. After that playoff run, the A’s missed the postseason the next five seasons.

He learned from that mistake. After the 2007 season, he traded 27-year-old Nick Swisher and acquired Gio Gonzalez. In 2008, he traded 26-year-old Rich Harden, who had a 2.34 ERA at the time. That trade brought in Donaldson. Then, after the 2011 season, Beane moved Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey, all of whom were All-Stars, and he was pounded by a media contingent that then predicted the A’s would finish last in 2012.

The A’s went on to win the division the following two seasons and have made the postseason in the three years since that trade.

“Billy is about as good as it gets as far as being able to handle that balance, keeping us competitive currently and looking down the road for the future,” A’s manager Bob Melvin told Slusser.

Melvin gets it. These latest moves are proactive. They aren’t a way to simply dump salary and pocket the savings. This is replacing the carpet before anyone realizes it needs to be replaced—a metaphor owner Lew Wolff likes to use when describing Beane’s methods of operation.

People can gripe about the young players the A’s got in return for Donaldson, Moss and Samardzija if they want. Those debates happen in most trades. But also understand that Oakland still thinks it can compete in 2015. The pitching is still good, even without Lester and Samardzija.

Beane is not done working here. He is not tanking for 2015. He is attempting to compete in a pretty good division with different personnel.

“We still have an awesome pitching staff,” All-Star closer Sean Doolittle said, per Slusser. “And it’s still early. Who knows what other moves we make?

“It’s such a cop-out [to say we are rebuilding]. Look at 2012.”

The A’s won 88 games last year, and Donaldson was one of the best players in the league. But the team wasn’t good enough to get beyond the Wild Card Game, and Donaldson is 29 years old—his value will never be higher than it was when Beane traded him.

Remember, this is an era of better PED testing. We aren’t going to see hitters get better after 30. We also weren’t going to see the A’s drastically improve by standing pat with a team that lost the division to the Los Angeles Angels by 10 games last season.

“They weren’t necessarily going to fall apart tomorrow, but they weren’t going to get any better,” Athletics Nation’s Alex Hall said on The Phil Naessens Show. “Billy Beane wants to be getting better. He doesn’t want to be getting worse.

“This was the definition of selling high.”

And that is how the A’s compete on a relatively consistent basis despite having a payroll that hasn’t ranked higher than 26th in the last three seasons and has an average ranking of 24th out of 30 teams in the last 10.

This is how the A’s survive, and it’s worked time and time again for Beane. He has earned the benefit of the doubt because his track record for keeping his roster competitive with limited resources is stellar. If he had money to work with, he would not have to do these kinds of things. But he doesn’t, so he does. If by now people cannot understand why he works this way and why it is necessary, then they may never get it.

Beane is a competent baseball executive and understands his situation better than anyone else and how to manage it. He is not done making deals. Oakland’s offseason is nowhere near finished.

So before saying Beane is tanking for 2015, let’s actually see something close to a finished product.

Anthony Witrado covers Major League Baseball for Bleacher Report. He spent the previous three seasons as the national baseball columnist at Sporting News and four years before that as the Brewers beat writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Follow Anthony on Twitter @awitrado and talk baseball here.

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