The A's need to rebuild their offense, and if that means trading closer Andrew Bailey to get a bat, they should do it.
A’s fans probably think I’m crazy for suggesting something so radical.
Why trade the 2009 Rookie of the Year, who doesn’t become a free agent until after the 2014 season?
The reason you seriously consider trading Bailey now is because his value is high and you need to rebuild an offense that is losing its entire outfield and got very little production from the corner infield positions.
A report by ESPN’s Buster Olney suggests the A’s have had conversations with the Cincinnati Reds about Bailey. The Reds need a closer and they have a number of impact prospects blocked at the major league level.
Olney’s report was confirmed by his colleague, Jim Bowden, and Bowden took the report even further by saying “A’s source confirms their interest in Alonso,” referring to Yonder Alonso, a slugging first baseman for the Reds. Alonso is blocked in Cincy by 2010 MVP Joey Votto.
The Reds love Alonso’s bat so much, they experimented by putting him in left field, but it didn’t take long to see that he was uncomfortable.
In 88 at-bats in 2011, Alonso didn’t disappoint. He smacked five home runs, drove in 15 runs, hit .330 and racked up a .398 on-base percentage. He is exactly what the A’s need.
This has to be a no-brainer, slam dunk for Billy Beane. You can develop another closer, but as he’s come to discover over the last few seasons, a productive, everyday first baseman is hard to find.
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