Filed under: Athletics, Mariners, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove
The beginning of spring training is rapidly approaching, but the Oakland A's are apparently still working on building their 2011 roster. According to the Contra Costa Times, the A's have asked the Mariners about infielder Chone Figgins in a swap that would reportedly include A's starting third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and perhaps one of the A's young pitchers. Figgins had one of the worst years of his career after signing a four-year, $64 million contract with the Mariners last offseason. He hit just .259/.340/.304 with the Mariners and struggled quite a bit defensively after Seattle made the curious decision to move him to second base so that their own second baseman, Jose Lopez, could play third.
Of course, Kouzmanoff wasn't much better. He had a bit more pop than Figgins (he hit 16 homers with a .396 SLG), but his OBP was also below .300. He does have a slick glove at third base, but then so did Figgins when he played there with the Angels in 2009. He's due $4.75 million after avoiding arbitration with the A's last week and while that seems like a lot for a player that produced like he did in 2010, well, it's still only about half of what Figgins is going to make.
Basically, the A's would be hoping that Figgins could get his career back on track after getting out of the hitter's black hole that is Safeco Field, and the Mariners wouldn't have to pay the rest of Figgins' enormous contract. Win/win situation, I guess?
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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/01/28/report-as-mariners-discussing-chone-figgins-trade/
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