Athletics Nation

Ben Copeland...Place Holder?

Seems like a bad idea. Why bother drafting him and paying the money to do so in that case

i don't know, i was kidding?

i just really don’t get why you’d pick him when you could pick skelton. like, it really makes no sense to me whatsoever, unless Rajai days are numbered…but then that doesn’t make sense bc we should have just outrighted him then. so ya i dont know.

Maybe Beane's buying a football team

Ben Copeland…Place Kicker?

maybe Ben plays soccer?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txathleticsbowen&prov=st&type=lgns

Bowen re-signs with A's...

That is all.

Dr Pez - December 12, 2008 reply

if powell was at all healtthy

and the injuries that ended his 07/08 seasons that backup catcher job would be his

When i saw Powell in Sacramento I was suprised at how overweight he was.

Think of Joe Blanton and add 30 pounds.

miggyk2 - December 12, 2008 reply

His weight fluctuates a lot.

One season I saw him in the spring and I wondered why so many people were harping on his weight. He was in pretty good shape. I saw him again in September and I would guess he weighed 260-270 pounds. The following spring, his weight was down again. While he has a fair amount of ability, it’s not easy for a team to invest in a guy with his health and fitness issues.

Monday Fan - December 12, 2008 reply

One would assume that his weight would probably go up when he hurt his legs and couldn't work out.

but man,

that just proves he’s got some sort of problem. Not everyone gains 30 lbs anytime they get a leg injury. I can’t understand Pro Athletes with weight issues.

I'm not his doctor and I don't know the specifics. Do you? Perhaps swimming wasn't an option?

But he’s a big dude. Big dudes tend to get bigger when they can’t work out or exercise. Blowing out a knee isn’t exactly something that’s easy to come back from, and I’m sure there was X amount of time where ALL physical activity was restricted.

Right

but still, I’m thinking a dietary concern is a component of his problem.

I don't doubt that.

Actually, I wonder how much influence the organization actually has when it comes down to that sort of thing.

I wonder if they can say “Look dude, you’re gaining weight and we’re paying for you to go to a dietician and get yourself into better shape” or if they just have to tell him he needs to get his weight under control.

I suspect it's genetic

The stories of his dad are, apparently, legendary among the scouts in the area.

that's unfortunate...

and something to consider when drafting or evaluating him…

eh it's pretty rare to have signifcantly slow metabolism due to genetics

i’d guess its’ more of a lifestyle thing

you know

I haven’t read any studies,

but i do believe that there’s probably a significant genetic component.

Agreed

Weight is heavily, heavily influenced by genetics. Not in the sense that there is a “fat gene”— it’s far more complicated than that. There’s an evolutionary tradeoff between storing calories and using them up, even at the primeval savanna hunter/gatherer level where food is scarce— you have to expend energy to find food, and if you store all your food instead of burning off a reasonable percentage of it, you won’t be a very successful hunter/gatherer.

i see what you're getting at

and i think you’re right in that humans have evolved to ‘pack it in’ when they can, so to speak. so in that sense, yes it’s genetic. however, body weight tends to stay in equilibrium with adequate exercise followed by a balanced diet. the body actually regulates calories in versus calories out quite well when exercised.

the human body has evolved with exercise as a necessity. it is only in the last 100 years or so that we have engineered our way out of that (cars, electronics, other labor-saving devices). it actually regulates itself quite well when it has some amount of stress (exercise) placed upon it. exercise can actually supress appetite since raised body temperature has a supressing effect. it also burns calories (of course), decreases post prandial lipids, and causes the body to use more fat as the primary source of energy. basically, it forces to the body to store less of the energy consumed as fat. if powell is injured and just sitting on the couch, of COURSE he’s going to gain weight (assuming he’s not restricting his diet). i think ANYONE would gain weight eating like they used to when the exercised, even though they are not.

thus

making Samoans a great match for the NFL

oakinboston - December 12, 2008 reply

Yeah, although I'm not aware of any particular geographical reason

why they tend to be heavy (by comparison to, say, Andes Indians who have large chests— pretty obvious why they’re shaped that way). Probably just a combination of the founder effect (random genetic warping resulting from an area being settled by only a small number of people) and sexual selection.

ya it would be interesting to know

i guess my point is that the majority of the US population that is overweight is probably due more to lifestyle than genetics. you can’t tell me that the recent increase in obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, etc etc is due more to genetics than simply the advent of the modern car. however, it is plausible that i could be due to genetics. i definitely wouldn’t put money on it, but since i don’t know him or have his medical records, i can’t deny that it’s a possibility either

i think anyone tends to get bigger when they dont' work out or exercise

but eat like they are still working out or exercising (if that makes sense). a lot of athletes go through it, especially lifelong athletes like I’m sure Powell has been. i was purely joking when i said he should learn how to swim. swimming in itself is actually not a good weight loss exercise since the temperature of the water tends to alleviate raised body temperatures, and that generated heat is the cause for supressed hunger from other workouts (like running). also, swimming is in the middle group of endurance/calorie burning exercises in that it takes significant skill to be able to burn a lot of calories. I doubt powell would be able to swim enough to keep the weight off in just a few months time (unless he was previously a swimmer). however, i kind of agree with ohmangoAs in that he IS getting paid a lot of money for his physical ability and skills, so he should do whatever it takes to keep them pristine at all times. but you are right, i’m not his doctor nor do i personally know him, so your guess is as good as mine.

WaddellCanseco - December 12, 2008 reply

I wouldn't

Maybe a few pounds but not the kind of weight Powell has put on and taken off at least a couple of times.

Monday Fan - December 13, 2008 reply

The timing of this suggests

that they had Bowen’s contract all ready to go, but were waiting for the Rule 5 draft. Maybe Skelton was the A’s second choice if someone ahead of us had taken Copeland?

iglew - December 12, 2008 reply

Why would anyone ahead of us take Copeland?

The same reason we would take him,

i.e., …. um, I don’t know, but we did.

iglew - December 12, 2008 reply

Poetic Interlude imminent

CHAD GAUDIN!!!!!!!!!!!

According to the MLB Winter Meetings Blog, they cooked up a list of possible guys not given arbitration.

That list includes one of our own favorites: Chad Gaudin

I say we pick up Chad ASAP. we all know he has a bit of health issues from time to time, but he is a quality pitcher, and I think he was really getting used to the starter roll.

I think he would be a terrific pick up in terms of a fan favorite. I recall the HUGE threads that bemoaned the loss of Gaudin. We all knew Harden was gone, but losing Gaudin too was the shocker that really killed us.

Get this guy back in the fold! We will need 5-6 starters available anyways to start the year. Plus a bunch of our stellar prospects will not be ready in April to jump to the bigs.

ru155 - December 12, 2008 reply

+10

MMunoz33 - December 12, 2008 reply

5-6 starters?

Duke
Gallagher
Eveland
Braden
Gio
Outman

Gaudin would be nice, but he’s had yet another year of not being in the rotation.

I like all those guys to varying extents

But I can’t say I’m confident in what to expect from more than two of them. I wouldn’t mind having Gaudin as starter insurance.

thejd44 - December 12, 2008 reply

Sure, but I dunno what he'd cost and I'd rather have Randy Johnson.

I can't imagine Guadin would cost more than a million

But I’d also rather have Randy Johnson.

thejd44 - December 12, 2008 reply

Nontenders generally sign for very cheap

Well under 1MM, unless there’s exceptions.

WaddellCanseco - December 12, 2008 reply

I'd think Gaudin would prefer to go somewhere he could start. O's? Nats? Braves?

he wasnt a fan of his role

last season, so maybe he might not be open to coming back…i see kevin correia kind of similar to gaudin’s role

designatedforassignment - December 12, 2008 reply

this

Plus, how long will it be till

AN loses the goDan fetish? I mean, after the harden trade, people literally were saying they were more disappointed to lose Gaudin than they were about Harden. Dude’s not as good as we think he is. One excellent 1/2 season does not a good pitcher make.

For all we know, he just got lucky that half season, and had 8 home games, 2 road.

He pitched really well in 06

Just out of the pen. ( He started in sac that year and was really good.) And his era for oakland last year was in the mid 3s. I think safe to say he is a good pitcher and not lucky.

skalordes - December 12, 2008 reply

Tip of the cap to Beane on the "protect or no?" decision, for sure

It’s possible that all three of those guys fall into that category of guys that DePodesta says are actually better protected by NOT being put on the 40-man— someone would put a waiver claim on them, but they’re too iffy to take in Rule 5.

chris burke non tendered

long time beane favorite, plays multiple positions

tried to get him for byrnes a few yrs ago

Must be the 583 OPS he sported last year...

How could he NOT be a favorite?

BaltimoreAN - December 12, 2008 reply

Ooo! Does he profile as a 4th OF? Can he do lots of thing barely competently, and none of them well?

Well, you have to have a contingency plan.

What if Copeland, Davis, Denorfia, Murton, Buck, and Cunningham ALL GET HURT AT THE SAME TIME?

Clearly, the "Marco Scutaro, starting outfielder" episode deeply scarred Beane's psyche

eh that or Cust in LF

actually, given the a's history the past couple years

that’s not an unreasonable contingency

Josh Deletchi - December 12, 2008 reply

at least he's consistent

exactly 27 walks in each of the last 3 years. that counts for something right?

chipper1001 - December 12, 2008 reply

I have a feeling Ed Wade's Astros get him.

A certain playoff incident comes to mind. It’s probably the only good thing Chris Burke has done in his entire MLB career.

It's always funny when you have those "boy, no winners there" scenarios

Eric Byrnes is apparently being discussed in trade talks for Julio Lugo, which tells you how far his stock’s dropped…

Burnett to Yankees...

Recession? What’s that?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8932446/Sources:-Yanks,-Burnett-reach-5-year,-$82.5M-deal

Dr Pez - December 12, 2008 reply

Burnett ---------> Yankees

I’d say something mean, but I won’t. Well, there goes a Teixeira suitor bye bye.

5yr/82.5MM

2 players getting 1/4 BILLION dollars between them.

Insanity.

i was talking to my friend about this

he’s a dodgers fan, and he’s pretty pleased, as it means the yanks won’t sign Lowe and screw the Dodgers with a sandwich pick rather than a first rounder.

I see this effecting the A’s in two ways:

1. Yanks are our of the Texeira sweepstakes, surely? let’s hope he goes to Boston (or Nats or Orioles) in a lesser of two evils type scenario
2. The Yanks are presumably out of the Holliday sweepstakes next year (not that they’d have huge interest in him, presumably, aside from, yknow, him being good and all). If the Red Sox got Texeira, presumably they would be too (similar caveats).

or am i oversimplifying things?

alea iacta est - December 12, 2008 reply

JP must be pissed right now.

No first round pick for AJ.

notsellingjeans - December 12, 2008 reply

let's hope

he doesn’t take out his anger by deciding he really does want furcal afterall…

alea iacta est - December 12, 2008 reply

Yanks aren't out of the Holliday sweepstakes

Next year they have $26 million in left fielders alone coming off the books (Matsui and Damon).

I think they’ll be a likely suitor – especially if they don’t invest in an elite this offseason.

The Yankees are about to gain an additional $200M a year in revenue in their new stadium. They should be players for the top tier of FAs, every year.

I left out the word "offensive player"

I think they’ll be a likely Holliday suitor – especially if they don’t invest in an elite offensive player this offseason.

notsellingjeans - December 12, 2008 reply

And Nady.

boooo

piss on my parade, huh.

i guess it’s time to work on the kidnapping plan, then.

alea iacta est - December 12, 2008 reply

If the Red Sox get Teixeira, I have a feeling they extend Bay.

No way will they keep Teixeira and Holliday and Ortiz and Drew. They probably can afford it, but I strongly, strongly doubt they do it.

I wouldn’t count them out of the Holliday sweepstakes though. Unless they sign Teixeira, they won’t be out of the Holliday sweepstakes, and even then, no. The Yankees will be the biggest competitiors for Holliday, especially if they don’t make the playoffs again.

WaddellCanseco - December 12, 2008 reply

I think they'd either go for Holliday or use Reddick. I'm not seeing a bright future for Bay.

the yanks could still go for lowe

according to MLBTradeRumors.com, so yes that would suck for the dodgers. the yankees are going to be genuinely scary again. the past few years, they haven’t had the best of rotations (well, for a team that has a 200 mil payroll, at least). but now that pavano is off the books and they aren’t running out kei igawa or whoever else slop they thought would be a good idea, they are bound to be back in the playoffs. i hate the yankees.

The Yankees getting these guys is bad ...

the Red Sox getting them is worse.

Vacafan - December 12, 2008 reply

agreed

seriously

I freaking hate those smurfing Yankees. Enough already.

batgirl - December 12, 2008 reply

i'm hating the red sox almost as much as the yankees nowadays.

the sox really are like 90% yankee when it comes down to it. they have a ridiculous payroll and ridiculous players. the only few differences is that they have a better GM, a less annoying owner, and less championships. but please, their fans are just as bad as some of the yankees fans.

worse

i find, in the bay area at least

the Red Sox fans are way more irritating than the Yanks fans that I know.

especially with their faux blue collar schtick. and i find that the Yanks fans seem to care a little about baseball beyond the Yankees, at least.

but that’s just my personal experience of things

alea iacta est - December 12, 2008 reply

that's also been my experience

The Yankees are planning to sign Lowe.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txcubsgaudin&prov=st&type=lgns

Interesting

A pitcher with a high groundball rate doesn’t seem like a good fit for the Yankees, considering their subpar infield defense.

Monday Fan - December 13, 2008 reply

Gaudin re-signs with Cubs...

Dr Pez - December 12, 2008 reply

Bummer

Holy Toledo! - December 12, 2008 reply

How much did we pay this guy?

Neel played for Oakland from 1992 to 1994 and also played in Japan and Korea before purchasing a resort island in the Republic of Vanuatu, where he has lived since 2000. The small chain of islands is located about 1,000 miles east of Australia.

Link here.

Masaryk - December 12, 2008 reply

Geez, what an idiot

If you own an island in the South Pacific, you don’t neglect your children—you exploit them as cheap labor!

You can neglect your children when you own your own island

‘Cause unless you’re a total idiot, no extradition!

grover - December 12, 2008 reply

but he WAS an idiot

Got arrested coming off the plane at LAX…

I’m thinking, if the state’s been after me for eight years for child support, I probably won’t fly to that country anytime soon……

gigglingone - December 12, 2008 reply

Hot Headed Dream Team

Would just love to see Lou and Milton on the same team……
Just picture those flare ups!

Link here

Masaryk - December 12, 2008 reply

and in other (very) peripherally A's related news

the “forgotten man” of the Haren trade — Conor Robertson, just got traded to the Mets for Scott Shoenweis

and -- hey Petaluma A's fans!

Tampa Bay non-tendered Johnny Gomes today

the Red Sox signed Marcus McBeth...remember him?

speaking of ex-A's

i miss Billy McMillon

Yes, but more as an outfielder than a pitcher.

Monday Fan - December 13, 2008 reply

Why would the Mets trade their best LOOGY for an AAAA reliever

when their biggest division rival just added a lefty bat in Raul Ibanez. Well, they have Feliciano though to be the LOOGY.

Show’s .594 OPS against lefties could come in handy….. But, LOOGYs can be found on the scrap heap.

Like this guy

wiggington non tendered

though he’ll want casey blake type money

Maybe he'll WANT it... he won't get it...

if we still needed a 2b or an OF

I might consider him since he would be a slightly above average hitter (esp for 2b) and and slightly above average (well maybe average) fielder as well. oh well, i’d have to say unicorns are better.

notsellingjeans - December 12, 2008 reply

wigginton is not an average second baseman

he is a decidedly below-average infielder, in general.

Nontenders won't get Casey Blake type money.

although they both have very similar, equally bad, defense.

I think Wiggy is a Twin.

saito

obviously he has injury issue or he woukdnt be let go over 3mill, but he’s a dominant reliever

he was the highest ranking Relief pitcher in baseball on elias rankings

Angels make 8 year offer to Teixeira.

LA IS A HORRIBLE HORRIBLE PLACE DON'T SIGN THERE.

Sign somewhere in the NL please. I wonder if the Giants could be interested… Sabean likes free agents…Too bad Teixeira isn’t over 30…

I think unless the Sux top the offer the Angels land him

ugh

I think the Suxxxx can top that offer.