A's may be willing to eat most of Jim Johnson's contract in a trade. Should O's consider? (DFA)

[Can_of_corn]

But DD didn't return his agents phone calls and disrespected him. You haven't been following along on how insensitive the organization is and how badly we treat players?

I guess that does outweigh trading him to the best team in baseball and making sure he gets a sizeable raise.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Buck wouldn't say if the Os still have interest in Jim Johnson, just that the ball is still in the As court. Does keep in contact w JJ still</p>— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="

">July 25, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[tntoriole]

JJ would have to go to minors to sort out his troubles. We are a division leading team. We have no room for sentiment (and I don't think DD has that) that has a near 7.00 ERA attached. If he goes to Norfolk, Bowie, fixes whatever is going on, then fine, great, but I don't see that happening.

[Rene88]

I would rather have JJ at a cheap rate than Matusz.

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[SteveO]

JJ would have to go to minors to sort out his troubles. We are a division leading team. We have no room for sentiment (and I don't think DD has that) that has a near 7.00 ERA attached. If he goes to Norfolk, Bowie, fixes whatever is going on, then fine, great, but I don't see that happening.

This...^^^

It would be great if JJ would accept a minor league deal but unlikely. Someone will offer him a shot to be part of a MLB staff and a chance to put up better numbers to improve his position to sign on somewhere next year. Unless he has no choice, there is no benefit for him to toil at Norfolk hoping for a shot. Some team out of contention who trades a reliever like Texas, Houston, Chicago, Philly etc will give him a shot...nothing to lose for that type of team

[SteveO]

I would rather have JJ at a cheap rate than Matusz.

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Jim Johnson is a righty, Matusz a lefty...they are really not interchangeable.

[Rene88]

Jim Johnson is a righty, Matusz a lefty...they are really not interchangeable.

I am aware but I would keep mcFRland as the specialist or bring up Rapada if that doesn't work.

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[SteveO]

I am aware but I would keep mcFRland as the specialist or bring up Rapada if that doesn't work.

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Still not enough LH relievers....That leaves one LHP other than your closer in the pen. If you bring in JJ your moving a RHP out pen...right now based on how he (JJ) has pitched and what we have, I do not see a move there that makes a ton of sense.

[Rene88]

Still not enough LH relievers....That leaves one LHP other than your closer in the pen. If you bring in JJ your moving a RHP out pen...right now based on how he (JJ) has pitched and what we have, I do not see a move there that makes a ton of sense.

MGon stays in rotation, Chen to BP.

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[SteveO]

MGon stays in rotation, Chen to BP.

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Now you have no LH starter....it not required but most teams like to have that option. Especially if your a playoff team

That is a lot of moving around simply to fit a guy who has a ERA approaching 7.00 on your team. I love JJ would love to see him get a shot here next year cause I do think he will rebound some but we are in the thick of a pennant race and moving around people to make room for him makes not sense at all. If I am moving guys around its for someone who has a track record of getting outs this season

Trades could change all this of course but as things stand now I just don't see how JJ improves this team.

[wildcard]

This...^^^

It would be great if JJ would accept a minor league deal but unlikely. Someone will offer him a shot to be part of a MLB staff and a chance to put up better numbers to improve his position to sign on somewhere next year. Unless he has no choice, there is no benefit for him to toil at Norfolk hoping for a shot. Some team out of contention who trades a reliever like Texas, Houston, Chicago, Philly etc will give him a shot...nothing to lose for that type of team

JJ is a FA at the end of the year. There is no reason for any of the teams you mentioned to spend time trying to fix him in the majors and then having him walk.

The is owed 3.3M for the last two months. Pretty expensive for a guy that is not performing well.

Oakland probably will offer to pay at least 2m of that but the problem is that teams in contention don't want to fix him while he is on the major league roster and teams that are out of it don't need him.

There is a decent chance that he passes through waivers just to get rid of his salary obligation. Then the O's become a great choice for Johnson because the O's are the ones that know him best and have the best chance of fixing him.

[birdcrazy]

This. He was throwing 95-96mph against us last weekend. He is physically there. Almost reminds me of Tommy Hunter when he was the closer..where you have electric stuff, but it almost looks like the hitters know what is coming.

With Johnson, I think a lot of it is mental. Last year he struggled, and when he struggled the velocity went up...which tells me he is overthrowing the sinker. He seemed to get back to right end of last year and DD indicated he would be coming back. Then we unceremoniously dumped him for a AAAA second baseman we don't need. Changing organizations after 10 years, and moving across the country did likely messed him up more.

Don't get me wrong...this is pro baseball, and emotions are not an excuse. You have to be a man. But with JJ, I see someone who as a person was a great asset to the organization, and has the tools of anyone in the bull pen. He just needs his mojo back, which I think a return can do.

FWIW, last year his save percent was 85%

This year, Zach Britton's save percent is 86%. Tommy Hunter was 69%

Yes, we saved money trading JJ, but it is hard to see where we have upgraded performance at that position. Not to mention the concerns that Britton's sinker only deal will work for long.

JJ is a FA at the end of the year. There is no reason for any of the teams you mentioned to spend time trying to fix him in the majors and then having him walk.

The is owed 3.3M for the last two months. Pretty expensive for a guy that is not performing well.

Oakland probably will offer to pay at least 2m of that but the problem is that teams in contention don't want to fix him while he is on the major league roster and teams that are out of it don't need him.

There is a decent chance that he passes through waivers just to get rid of his salary obligation. Then the O's become a great choice for Johnson because the O's are the ones that know him best and have the best chance of fixing him.

[birdcrazy]

To ask the question separately....do you think had we kept JJ we would get the same performance Oakland has? Or are his numbers in Oakland more reflective of the situation.

As I posted above, his save percentage last year is basically the same as what we have now. Do you think he would be doing the same or better in Baltimore this year instead of Oakland.

[UMDTerrapins]

If nobody trades for him following his DFA, I'd be interested in picking him up on a minor league contract and sending him to AAA to stretch him out as a starter. It had been a long running theory that he had starter stuff, and perhaps having a little more leash would suit him well (and a chance to get a fresh start).

[Can_of_corn]

If nobody trades for him following his DFA, I'd be interested in picking him up on a minor league contract and sending him to AAA to stretch him out as a starter. It had been a long running theory that he had starter stuff, and perhaps having a little more leash would suit him well (and a chance to get a fresh start).

If he can't get three guys out what makes you think he can get 18 guys out?