Posts Tagged ‘Mark Mulder’

Justin Duchscherer, A’s star pitcher…but is he an All Star? Posted by Jason Farmer in Oakland Athletics June 19th, 2008

The Oakland A’s are known for the pitchers they develop. In the past, the A’s have drafted (or traded for) and developed some of the top young pitchers in baseball. Among those are Tim Hudson (All Star and 20 game winner), Mark Mulder (All Star and 20 game winner), Barry Zito (All Star, 20 game winner, CY Young winner), Danny Haren (All Star), Rich Harden, and Joe Blanton.

Of those starters, the only one not drafted by the A’s was Danny Haren. Haren was acquired in a trade with the St Louis Cardinals in exchange for Mulder. That deal turned into another one of Billy Beane’s mastererful fleecings. Read more

Mark Mulder to Danny Haren to Greg Smith? Posted by Jason Farmer in Oakland Athletics April 10th, 2008

I’ll give you a Wade Boggs and a Mike Greenwell for you Curt Young and Dave Stewart!

Remember when you were a kid and you would trade baseball cards? You would trade for your favorite players and hope they were with the team for a long time.

Well, we are long past the days of George Brett, Tony Gwynn, and Cal Ripken Jr. There is no loyalty in baseball anymore. Players are dealt or leave teams all the time. Today’s ball players have become way too greedy and the owners are just as bad. Forget about playing a child’s game for fun and out of love. Today it’s about making as much money (millions upon millions) as possible.

For a fan of the Oakland Athletics, we have become accustomed to seeing players come up, develop into stars and either shipped out before having to be paid an astronomical some or leaving via free agency.

This past off-season alone saw the A’s trade away two of their biggest stars and one of the bigger fan favorites; Macro Scutaro, Nick Swisher, and Danny Haren. Who the A’s did NOT trade however, was Joe Blanton, even though there were several rumors going on about him.

Starting for the A’s on Tuesday night against the Blue Jays is Greg Smith, one of the players acquired in the Danny Haren deal. Smith will be making his major league debut tonight. Also in the starting lineup will be rookie Daric Barton.

Barton came to the A’s (along with Danny Haren and Kiko Calero) in the trade with the Cardinals for Mark Mulder. As you already know, Haren brought the A’s Smith (and five other players) this past off season. Barton and Calero are still with the A’s….for now.

When the A’s traded Mark Mulder, they traded away a 20 game winner. What they got in return was not only an All Star, but an All Star game starting pitcher. Now the A’s have traded away the All Star and got a ton of prospects back in return. Only time will tell if they can develop and show the promise that they hold.

Tonight, Smith will be trying to give the A’s their second win of the series against the Blue Jays. He has a chance to show some of that promise. While Barton will look to keep adding to his team leading six runs scored.

Smith was brought up from AAA Sacramento when Justin Duchscherer was placed on the DL. If Smith does well, he could possibly earn a spot in the rotation. If not, he could be sent back down after the start.

Bring on the Blue Jays for game two and let’s see what the rookies can do.