INSIDE PITCH

Posted on 2010 under Athletics | Comments are off

5 Mar

Oakland has been among the league leaders in injuries three years in a row, so depth is a primary objective for the team. That's why the A's signed right-handers Jason Jennings and Brett Tomko during the second week of camp. Both men agreed to minor league deals, and Jennings was close to appearing in a spring game for Oakland. Jennings has a good shot at the A's bullpen if he has a decent spring; the team liked what the 2002 NL Rookie of the Year did in relief with Texas early in the 2009 season. Should the A's decide to send to Triple-A Sacramento the young starters who lose out on the fifth-starter competition (Trevor Cahill, Vin Mazzaro and Gio Gonzalez are in the mix for the last spot in the rotation), then Jennings could be the long man/middle reliever. The 31-year-old said he'd be pleased with any role, and the A's said they'll stretch him out to start. Tomko reported to the Oakland's minor league camp and was still going through physical therapy and treatment for the nerve injury that sidelined him in the final month of last season. Tomko, 36, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he expects to be throwing in games anywhere from mid-April to late May depending on how quickly the nerve in his right arm regenerates. Tomko told the paper he'd received a comparable offer from the Twins but enjoyed his time in Oakland, where he went 4-1 with a 2.95 ERA, plus he likes the proximity to his home in Southern California. Jennings said he nearly signed with the Giants and also talked to the Mets and St. Louis. Each man has a major league salary of $700,000 if he plays in Oakland, according to the Chronicle. WHERE: Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The ballpark was built in 1964 (Willie Mays hit the first-ever spring training homer there), and it once doubled as a potential bomb shelter. The A's moved from Scottsdale to Phoenix Muni in 1984, and it underwent an $8 million facelift in 2005. AUTHORITY FIGURES: Manager Bob Geren has led the A's for three years, and the team has yet to finish above .500 under the former big-league catcher. Geren's record starts at 226-259, and the club was last in the AL West in 2009. The real big kahuna for the A's is general manager Billy Beane, who is known for getting a lot out of a small payroll, but the team hasn't made the playoffs since 2006.