I Know It's A Week Late But....."A's Acquire Ginter"

I know this review is a week late, but with the flurry of trading activities--mostly involving the A's--I decided this trade would come after the deals for Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson.....

On December 15, 2004 the Oakland A’s, unsure about the return of Mark Ellis after missing the entire 2004 season due to injury, acquired 28 year-old Keith Ginter from the Milwaukee Brewers to play Ellis’s old position, second base.

In exchange for Ginter, the A’s gave the Brewers mid-season call-up RHP Justin Lehr (27 years old), and minor league OF Nelson Cruz (24 years old).

Here is a look at each of the involved player’s statistics.

For Lehr, and Cruz statistics presented will be un-traslated as translated statistics were unavailable. For Ginter, translated statistics will be presented.

A’s receive:

Keith Ginter

2004: .257/.330/.472, .274 EqA (un-translated statistics of 19 HR, 100/37 K/BB)

Career: .256/.344/.447, .273 EqA (career K/BB of 205/92=2.23/1)

Brewers receive:

Justin Lehr

2004 (AAA Sacramento): 37.1 IP, 2.65 ERA, 8.9 H/9—0.2 HR/9—2.4 BB/9—9.6 K/9

2004 (Oakland A’s): 32.2 IP, 5.23 ERA, 9.6 H/9—0.8 HR/9—3.9 BB/9—4.4 K/9

Minor League Career (568.0 IP): 4.23 ERA, 10.1 H/9—0.7 HR/9—2.8 BB/9—7.1 K/9

Nelson Cruz

2004 (A Modesto, AA Midland, AAA Sacramento): .326/.389/.562, 25 HR, 149/51 (2.92/1)

K/BB, 16/7 (69%) SB/CS

Minor League Career: .310/.373/.502, 340/120 ( 2.84/1) K/BB, 71/8 (90%) SB/CS

Before making the final judgment as to who got the better end of the deal, here is a look at the financial side of the trade:

Ginter is signed through 2006. In 2005 he will make only $450,000, in 06’ he will make $1.03 million. His total salary for those two seasons is $1.47 million. There are many incentives in his contract though, that could make it worth around $2.875 million.

Both Lehr and Cruz will both be making their minor-league salaries with the Brewers until seven years pass from the date they were first called up.

Since Lehr was called up last season, he is guaranteed his minor-league salary until at least 2010. Cruz has yet to be called up.

While saving a negligible amount of money, the Brewers received help, albeit unproven and unsteady help in Lehr, for their diminished bullpen which lost set-up man Luis Vizcaino, and All-Star closer Dan Kolb through trades earlier in the off-season.

Lehr had a great 2004 in AAA Sacramento, but faltered in his stint with the A’s, all while putting up mediocre numbers throughout his minor league career.

The Brewers also received a great prospect in Cruz, who can steal bases and has put up great numbers throughout his minor league career. He is expected to start the season in the Brewers AA club, the Huntsville Stars.

The A’s, who essentially just tack Ginter’s salary onto their payroll since they only gave up minor league players in the deal, receive a player who has shown the ability to be a very good infielder. Throughout Ginter’s past two seasons’ with the Brewers, he was a backup at 2B, SS, and 3B, and as one can see, put up very good numbers when he played. Ginter totaled 386 and 358 AB’s in 2003, and 2004 respectively.

As a matter of a fact, Ginter’s career numbers are better than both Marco Scutaro, and Mark Ellis’s career numbers—the players Ginter will be vying with for a starting second base position.

**Ellis, and Scutaro’s translated career statistics:

Ellis: .263/.342/.390, .259 EqA

Scutaro: .263/.302/.393, .241 EqA

I believe the A’s got the better end of this trade.

Even though the A’s gave up a great prospect in Cruz, Lehr has not had a very good minor-league career and faltered in his only stint in the major leagues thus far.

In Ginter, the A’s receive a player who is still young, will cost little money, and has put up very good numbers when he has played in the Major leagues.

I believe the Brewers made this trade out of necessity, since they needed an arm for their depleted bullpen.

They didn’t get robbed by the A’s, they just didn’t get the better end of the deal.

Thank you for reading.

Frank Bundy III

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to email me at frnkbndy@yahoo.com.