Mets Acquire Collin Cowgill
By Mike Axisa [December 18, 2012 at 11:47am CST]
The Athletics have traded outfielder Collin Cowgill to the Mets for minor league infielder Jefry Marte, the team announced. The trade frees up a 40-man roster spot for Oakland, who officially announced the Hiroyuki Nakajima signing as well.

Cowgill, 26, was originally drafted by the Diamondbacks before being sent to the A's in the Trevor Cahill trade. He's a .255/.319/.311 hitter in 219 career big league plate appearances and a .315/.384/.482 hitter in 741 career Triple-A plate appearances. As a right-handed hitter with plenty of experience in all three outfield spots, Cowgill has a strong chance to open the season with New York.

Marte, 21, hit .251/.322/.366 in 513 plate appearances at the Double-A level in 2013, his first season above Single-A ball. Baseball America did not rank him as one of the Mets' top 30 prospects in their Prospect Handbook before the season, though he did rank 26th one year ago. Marte has spent the majority of his career at third base.

Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/12/mets-acquire-collin-cowgill.html#czLAl5J92vf7JljK.99

So now Collin Cowgill is the latest player to be dumped so that Billy can keep Daric Barton on the 40-man roster. I don't know about you, but I would MUCH rather have Cowgill than Barton. I know I'm the eternal pessimist (especially when it comes to Barton), but I am convinced that Billy is going to see to it that Daric Barton is next year's starting 1B - even if it weakens the team in the process!

I really liked the trade..... Cowgill was going nowhere with our OF depth... Green was in front of him now in the club's mind IMO...

And we have dismal org. situation 3rd... Marte is doing fine for his age at all his levels... Moving along is good!!... Full A @ 20 and AA @ 21 is good!!... Also, this kid has done it in a different culture ... Ya never know about what he might become... We know that Cowgill was 4th or 5th OFer stock at best over time...

Barton is a done deal... If Carter doesn't hit... Barton will come up... Besides, he is now our back up catcher...

No one liked the Barton signing... Why???? It has to be Carter!!!

Still, every move into the future cannot be linked to Barton... Move on... And good may yet come from it...

He's the sixth or seventh OF. Meh.

Personally and I hope I'm wrong... I'm more worried about Norris and Donaldson playing that Barton...

Where have you gotten this ridiculous idea that Barton is now the A's backup catcher? He has not played catcher in 8 years. And never above Single-A. If you know something I don't, then please post a link for verification of your assertion. If not, then please stop spewing this nonsense.............

Yeah, I know Cat. I guess I'm just tired of seeing what I believe to be better players than our 3rd string (so far) 1B being dumped, while said 3rd string (so far) 1B remains. Certainly that's my hang-up, not yours or anyone elses on here. But my absolute hatred for said 3rd string (so far) 1B once again has gotten the best of me! LOL

But thanks for trying (as usual) to help me gain a little perspective on a very insignificant roster move. :-)

EDIT: And now we have a couple of posters on here who actually believe that Barton is capable of playing catcher and 3B at the Major League level - in addition to 1B. Can someone please stop the madness?????????

Tennie: Relax

Ladies.....all the infielders we have are shaky defensively. All of them are still learning how to catch and throw the ball. BoMel and Beane see it. They know that Barton is the only player out of the organization that can provide a good glove at 1b so it make sense that they would keep him. Honestly, every time our infielders threw the ball at 1b, I had to close my knowing it was either Moss or Carter.

I'm trying............I really am!!!!! LOL

I don't disagree about Barton's defensive abilities at 1B. It's the assumption that he is also a Major League caliber catcher and 3B that I take exception with (along with his inability to hit Major League pitching). If his defensive abilities at 1B can so easily be transfered to other positions, then why didn't Billy save the $6.5 Million he just paid Nakajima and simply make Barton the starting SS? After all, he's got the best glove in the organization. Right?

There has to be some dark secret that Barton possesses. Seemed like the Carter/Moss platoon at first worked out really well last year. Why screw with it?

Carter/Moss produced 37 HR's, 91 RBI's, and a combined OPS over .900 in only 2/3 of a season. These numbers are comparable to what Pujols and Fielder put up in a FULL season, and made 1B arguably the most productive position on the field for the 2012 A's. So by all means let's break up that duo and insert a good field/no hit headcase into the mix. It truly defies logic, and I simply don't get it.

Beane: Carter's collapse in September was bit scary... That said, his power is awesome..

He really is a DH only type.... (His D is stinky)... He has to remain productive without extended down streaks to be effective...

I do worry if he can hit consistently enough to keep his job... If he does, "Wow" 40 taters are not out of the question.. Again WOW!!!!

But, that comes with another negative... The shutting down of the DH slot for the A's odd man out OFer... Young or Reddick... Think Smith is an also ran this coming season..

Do the A's sluff Smith in favor of keeping Carter???... Moss, Donaldson, Green and Rosales can all play outfield... And the A's have great Center field coverage with Crisp, Young and Cespedes (kinda) all able to preform there...

I guess what I'm saying is, this will really be a ST battle to watch... Options will play a part here..

What does this have to do with Barton???? God only knows... Why Barton????

I really would like to see Cespedes get some games at 1st - like to see him at 3rd in ST too - Depending on how well Moss does of course .. Flexibility

2 MONTHS TO PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORTING... I'M EXCITED!!!

I'm as baffled as you are. I think we should hire the Impossible Missions Force to have him captured and relocated to the Arctic Circle with no means of communication.

Maybe if the fans pooled their money, we could get them back into action???

Is this kinda stuff considered terrorism?? ... Can see the headlines now " Homeland Security Shuts Down A's Forum MB For Terrorism"

"Is this kinda stuff considered terrorism?? ... Can see the headlines now " Homeland Security Shuts Down A's Forum MB For Terrorism""

LOL! Hey, maybe not so funny. Nothing Homeland Security does would surprise me. They have the hammer and little in the way of restrictions, unfortunately.

I got $500 to throw in never to see Barton play another game in an A's uniform. It really is a joke. I actually liked the way Donaldson swung the bat down the stretch. He did ok too for learning 3b at the major league level. Hit the ball hard a ton of times in Aug-Sept.

And AngSab on here saying "all the infielders we have are shaky defensively. All of them are still learning how to catch and throw the ball". As a reason to keep Barton...............and he started off the remark with "Ladies:" That is just so classic on so many levels.