Athletics Nation - For Oakland Athletics Fans (via Mowser)

BIG NEWS! PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT TO SPRING TRAINING TODAY! BASEBALL IS BACK!... I just had no time to write this week. But yay for baseball finally returning.

By now, you probably know Yoenis Cespedes, the newest Oakland A.

You know the power. You know the arm. You know the mystique.

But do you know the video? In case you haven't, here's another look at Yoenis Cespedes: The Showcase.

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus breaks it down, if you don't have 20 minutes on hand (but trust me, It's worth it).

Part II: Let's Watch Yoenis Play Baseball!
At the 2:19 mark, following a wipe from an aerial photo of the earth highlighting Cespedes's hometown of Granma, Cuba, we finally see the player, in an ultra-slow-mo shot of a home run hit in the World Baseball Classic against Japan. Then it's a mammoth opposite field bomb against Australia, with multiple replays, followed by shaky shots of blasts from games in his homeland, including one we need a Tater Trot Tracker on, as he admires the blast for what feels like a week. It's impressive stuff to be sure, but that's just what catches your eye. It's what catches your ear that is amazing. Playing in the background of every violent smash and during each tape measure home run is Christopher Cross's 1980 Grammy Record of the Year, "Sailing." We see Cespedes's record-setting home run swing not once, not twice, but three times, and slowed down in time with Cross's memorizing piano solo. The bizarre juxtaposition of trying to excite potential teams with a player's incredible bat speed and leverage with the musical equivalent of sleepy time tea is the first of what will be a series of bizarre editorial choices made by Mercedes's production team.

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Impact Bats and The Need For Them Now

by DanHennessey31 on Feb 16, 2012 9:00 AM PST

FILE - In this March 16, 2009 file photo, Cuba's Yoenis Cespedes watches his third hit of the game as he drives in his fourth run of the game in the seventh inning against Mexico, during a World Baseball Classic game at PETCO Park in San Diego. Cespedes and the Oakland Athletics have agreed to a $36 million, four-year contract. Agent Adam Katz confirmed Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 the outfielder had reached agreement on a deal, with details still to be finalized. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)

The A's can find young pitching. You may have noticed this over the last dozen years. First, there was Hudson, Zito, and Mulder. They were complemented by Ted Lilly and Cory Lidle for a couple of seasons. Rich Harden showed all the talent in the world, but couldn't stay on the field. Joe Blanton came up through the minors and Dan Haren was acquired from the Cardinals. We watched Greg Smith and Dana Eveland get a chance to prove they were quality major league starters (they weren't). Then the next wave hit, featuring Dallas Braden, Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, and Gio Gonzalez, but also included Josh Outman, Vin Mazzaro, and Tyson Ross. Even Brandon McCarthy, who seems like he's been around forever, is only 28.

Since Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, and Eric Chavez arrived though, the A's have not landed a single impact bat. Their best hitters over the last decade include Josh Willingham (one season), Jack Cust (two seasons), Daric Barton (one season), Frank Thomas (one season), and Jermaine Dye (one season). The closest thing to a home grown position player "star" is Nick Swisher.

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Oakland Athletics Fantasy Players To Watch

by baseballgirl on Feb 15, 2012 11:54 AM PST

Hilariously, the SB Nation baseball blogs were asked to write about potential fantasy players for their organization. I read the description, and laughed out loud. I mean, I'm not the most experienced fantasy baseball player out there, but are you sure you want to draft the Oakland Athletics? Somehow I can't quite see us mentioned in the big fantasy preview drafts. At all.

So I turned to Oaktown Power, who does play a considerable amount of fantasy baseball, and after he stopped laughing, he said that without a doubt, the highest drafted fantasy player on the A's would be Jemile Weeks.

However, If you want the most intriguing member of the A's on draft day, that honor will go to Yoenis Cespedes. Where will he be drafted? If you had to project him, what would that look like?

If you want the deeper sleeper who may break out, he would go with Jarrod Parker.

And that's your fantasy news. You heard it here first.

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A Graphic Look at the A's Outfield Log Jam

by David Fung on Feb 14, 2012 11:00 AM PST in News

What a crazy offseason? What became apparent after yesterday is that aside from Billy Beane stock piling young arms, also does the same for outfield options. With 8 outfielders on the roster (9 if you count Brandon Allen), what combination of this will be the most effective for the A's?

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A Cesped-y Rebuild?

by Nico on Feb 13, 2012 8:15 PM PST

News that the A's have signed Yoenis Cespedes to a 4 year, $36M deal has Oakland fans legitimately excited. It's also another move that smacks of confidence that the team will get the go ahead to build a new stadium soon, though Lew Wolff recently acknowledged that in regards to San Jose, "soon" probably meant for the 2016 season. So how does Cespedes, a 26-year old OFer under contract through 2015, fit in with the hopes of building a new stadium to move into for the 2016 campaign?

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Oakland A's, Yoenis Cespedes Reportedly Agree to Deal

by DanHennessey31 on Feb 13, 2012 9:27 AM PST

I first saw it on Twitter as a "trending topic," so I have no idea who to credit for the news, but I've seen it several places from excellent sources. The A's have agreed to a four year, $36 million dollar deal with Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes.

I'm no prospect maven and I know next to nothing about Cuban baseball, but Baseball Prospectus's Kevin Goldstein rated Cespedes as the 20th best "prospect" in baseball, if you can consider a 26-year old a prospect, which would give the A's 7 guys in his Top 101.

Here's Cespy's Wikipedia page for those who want more information, and more analysis will follow in the coming days. I don't know if he has a nickname already, but I started with Cespy, and I expect significant contributions in the comments.

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"Agree To Disagree," 2012 Model: Tom Milone

by Nico on Feb 13, 2012 7:00 AM PST

As Tom Milone throws a fastball, three scouts put down their radar guns and get out a calendar instead.

As soon as the A's dealt Trevor Cahill, they set their sights on acquiring Tom Milone. Not because Milone will be a good pitcher, mind you, but rather because the A's always need to have at least one highly controversial figure on AN -- a polarizing player whose "true ability" no one can agree on -- and with Jack Cust already gone, and now Cahill gone, there was a void to fill. Enter Milone.

Here are some objective facts about Milone followed, after the jump, by some observations I will add to the analysis and overall conversation of "What should we expect? How good can this guy be? How good will this guy be?"

Milone was a 10th round draft pick. Milone turns 25 on Thursday. Milone's fastball, in his 2011 big league stint with Washington, averaged 87.8 MPH. Milone's K/9IP rate at AAA last year was 9.4 and his K/BB ratio was 9.7. Milone's K/9IP rate in his minor league career is 8.1 and his K/BB ratio is 5.5. Milone's repertoire is a fastball, changeup, cutter and curve.

What does it all mean? I sure don't have all the answers, but I may have a few useful pieces to add to the puzzle.

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Community Prospect List #4

by Zonis on Feb 12, 2012 4:49 PM PST

Community Prospect List:

#1: Jarrod Parker, RHP

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#2: Michael Choice, CF

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#3: AJ Cole, SP

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There are about 11 or so weeks until Opening Day, so we will be doing one voting thread per week until the season starts. So get ready, set and VOTE!

The Poll Option won the vote last week, so we will be going with that from now on. Please no ballot stuffing, though ;)

Please add suggestions below for players to be added to next week's poll. If you agree with a suggestion, please comment and rec it to make it more visible.

Happy voting!