Mike Sweeney Signs With A’s
by Ken Arneson
2008-02-10 16:29

Having resolved all of their potential arbitration cases earlier this month, the A’s have now moved into full-scale Geezer Acquisition Mode. Today, Oakland signed the formerly awesome 1B-DH Mike Sweeney to a minor league contract, a couple days after reeling in the formerly awesome reliever Keith Foulke.

Sweeney has been plagued by injuries (a perfect fit, then?) for years. He was a great player from 1999-2002, and a good one from 2003-2005, but hasn’t done much in the last two years, playing a combined 124 games. He’s probably best known to A’s fans for hitting a three-run homer the A’s 20th consecutive victory in 2002, setting up Scott Hatteberg’s dramatics.

Is there room for Sweeney on the roster? Perhaps it’s a sign that someone like Dan Johnson will soon be packing his bags for another team, to make room for Sweeney. You’d think that between Johnson, Daric Barton, and Jack Cust that most of the 1B-DH at-bats have been spoken for. But the incumbents are all left-handed batters, so perhaps adding a right-handed bat on the bench like Sweeney would have its uses, in the same vein as adding Emil Brown’s right-handed bat to the outfield mix. The sad part about all the A’s free agent dabblings this winter is that the A’s were so hurting for right-handed bats, that they took to signing discards from the Kansas City Royals for help.

Comments: 5
1.   grandcosmo
2008-02-10 18:52

1.  Options.

Beane's just collecting options so as long as they are not being counted on I have no problem with signings like Sweeney.

2.   factoryten
2008-02-10 20:50

2.  Well its a minor league contract, so it won't really hurt the A's. They can keep him in Sacramento so when Cust or Barton hurt themselves, they have a semi-decent back-up.

3.   Scott Long
2008-02-10 22:39

3.  Can't see Sweeney wanting to hang in Triple A for long. I think Sweeney could be a quality platoon DH/pinch hitter, especially considering how cheap he is. I also thought Foulke was worth taking a runner on. Just not sure the A's are the team that should have done it, since they seem to be building a contending team for a couple years from now. I guess grandcosmo's options point is as good of analysis as any.

4.   Jason Wojciechowski
2008-02-11 11:51

4.  I'd like to see Johnson cut loose, meaning Sweeney would be the #3 guy and main pinch-hitter, with maybe Wes Bankston as the fourth (i.e. AAA) 1B/DH.

5.   3rd gen yankee fan
2008-02-11 21:45

5.  It's like Old Timer's Day, every day.

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