It’s official. Mike Sweeney’s days with the Kansas City Royals are over. On Sunday, he agreed to a Minor League contract with the Oakland A’s.
Sweeney said he’d report to the A’s Major League camp on Wednesday with pitchers and catchers.
“They want me to play first base and DH and be a veteran presence for the younger guys,” Sweeney said from his San Diego home. “I’m excited about the opportunity and it’s close to home.”
He's pretty finished really but it's not like Oakland is paying him anything to see how he does.
It looks like Piazza could have kept his job if he used to play a position besides catcher where he could possibly fill in a role as a backup from time to time.
The A's have such a logjam at 1b/dh now. It may not be before the season starts but I'd imagine someone has to be moved and I'd imagine that someone is Dan Johsnon,or Sweeney gets delt at the deadline if he stays healthy. I still think Barton will be the A's opening day 1B and Cust will get the nod at DH. With the way the A's were injury plagued last year maybe Beane is just taking an insurance policy to insure he'll have bodies on the field.
J35J wrote:Good luck to Sweeney...hopefully he can manage another year or two of healthy ball.....not likely but I'd like to see it!
I know this sounds really mean and spiteful, but I hope he never plays another game. The few times I have met him either at the K or up in Omaha during a rehab stint the guy is a complete class act, you couldn't find a nicer more genuine person who loves to play baseball. But I will never get over the funk that his contract put the Royals organization through for the last half dozen seasons. And it is not even his fault really, but he will always serve as the poster boy in my mind of the dangers of putting that much of your payroll into a DH.
SlightlyStoopid wrote:The A's have such a logjam at 1b/dh now. It may not be before the season starts but I'd imagine someone has to be moved and I'd imagine that someone is Dan Johsnon,or Sweeney gets delt at the deadline if he stays healthy. I still think Barton will be the A's opening day 1B and Cust will get the nod at DH. With the way the A's were injury plagued last year maybe Beane is just taking an insurance policy to insure he'll have bodies on the field.
I thought that Cust was going to play in left field, that way both Johnson and Barton could see valid AB's? It seems to especially make sense since Oakland's only potential starting outfielders are Jack Cust, Travis Buck and Carlos Gonzalez, and I don't see Gonzalez making the opening day roster.
2B-Mark Ellis 1B-Daric Barton/ Mike Sweeney 3B-Eric Chavez LF-Jack Cust DH-Dan Johnson SS-Bobby Crosby C-Kurt Suzuki CF-Ryan Sweeney/ Carlos Gonzalez RF-Travis Buck
MasterX1918 wrote:I thought that Cust was going to play in left field, that way both Johnson and Barton could see valid AB's? It seems to especially make sense since Oakland's only potential starting outfielders are Jack Cust, Travis Buck and Carlos Gonzalez, and I don't see Gonzalez making the opening day roster.
2B-Mark Ellis 1B-Daric Barton/ Mike Sweeney 3B-Eric Chavez LF-Jack Cust DH-Dan Johnson SS-Bobby Crosby C-Kurt Suzuki CF-Ryan Sweeney/ Carlos Gonzalez RF-Travis Buck
seems to make the most sense
You may be right but you can probably throw Denorfia into the outfield mix this year as well which gives it more depth. Cust in the outfield just scares me.
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by bigh0rt » Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:40 pm 
