A Modest (trade) Proposal

I don't usually engage in rumor-mongering like so many others tend to do when the snows of winter suspend the actual playing of baseball and encourage chatter about rosters and trades.

I'll make an exception this time, though, for no better reason than that I'm bored, and I think I've found a reasonable target for the A's, and one that's actually being mentioned in legitimate trade talks.

With Jay Payton signing with the Orioles for a surprisingly reasonable contract in this off-season of inflation, the A's have a hole to fill. Payton played good defense, was flexible in where he could play, and hit decently well as far as average goes. Payton didn't walk often, or take many pitches, but he could double in a runner with surprising regularity. When Mark Kotsay had to take a rest after back spasms hit him, Payton stepped into the centerfielder's shoes and played excellent defense.

So how to replace the versatile and useful Payton? Fill the void with Ryan Church, I propose.

Ryan Church is a soon-to-be 28 year old LF/CF from the Nationals. He spent four years in the Cleveland minor league system before being traded to the Expos after the 2003 season. He made his major league debut at the end of the final season for the Expos, 2004, and hit under .200 in 63 at-bats.

In 2005, Church started the season at AA, but after 18 at-bats, moved up to the new Nationals club in Washington. In his rookie campaign, he hit a respectable .287/.353/.466 with 9 home runs and 15 doubles in 268 at-bats.

Church spent half of 2006 at AAA New Orleans, slumping to .246/.345/.400 with 7 home runs in 175 at-bats, but hit much better in the majors during the last half of 2006, with a .276/.366/.526 line, smacking 10 home runs in 196 at-bats.

Church has been named as someone Washington General Manager Jim Bowden is looking to trade, supposedly for pitching. Church makes the league minimum, and could probably be signed to a 3 or 4 year deal for under $5 million a year. To get him, the A's would need to offer someone in the range of Ryan Madson, who the Phillies have reportedly offered to Bowden in a trade. I'd be surprised if a package of two of Joe Kennedy/Brad Halsey/Kirk Saarloos/Shane Komine didn't land Church.

Church could be a good contributor to the team, and an outfield of Mark Kotsay, Nick Swisher, Milton Bradley, Church and newly acquired Ryan Goleski seems pretty solid. Church can fill in for Kotsay when the back spasms hit, and is insurance in case (knock on wood) Bradley and Kotsay are both under the weather.

Church isn't a high profile player in this year's offseason, unlike other possible targets like Cliff Floyd and Geoff Jenkins. He's a bit old (27+)for how little playing time he's had in the majors, but he's shown some of the skills the A's value in a fourth or fifth outfielder, with a good OBP and power.

I'm not going to be so presumptuous as to think I know what moves Billy Beane should make, but if he was to go out and get Church, I think it would be a good move.