A's link roundup, 12/28/11

By Jason Wojciechowski on December 28, 2011 at 11:45 AM

Not too many links today, but the first one is a doozy. Susan Slusser has a look at the A's San Jose situation that includes quotes from Peter Magowan, who is apparently exempt from Bud Selig's edict not to speak out about the fight. The different constituencies pushing their viewpoints is fascinating: Wolff and Beane claiming that they can't run a team if they don't get to move; Magowan whining arguing that the Giants relied on San Jose's support when they built their current stadium; the Giants' ludicrous statement that they have to draw 3.3 million fans to run their team (Slusser notes that they sold out every game this year and thus just topped 3.3 million); and even Jean Quan, mayor of Oakland, weighing in that any move to Giants' territory would surely create a decade of litigation.

The best part: Magowan talking about a hotel-bar drink he had with Wolff back in 2005. Go read it.

Jane Lee and Barry M. Bloom also have quotes from Lew Wolff saying that Bob Nightengale's tweet took him by surprise, as he's heard nothing of the sort.

On the field, the buzz is about Jorge Soler. Susan Slusser says that the A's have interest in the 19-year-old Cuban outfielder who (a) has top-five pick talent and (b) could get a $20+ million contract. A 19-year-old right-fielder with five tools certainly makes more sense to an A's team with a mid-2010's horizon than a 26-year-old with awesome workout videos. David Wishinsky thinks it sounds good to him as well.

And since I'm really hurting for links today, how about this Pinstripe Alley piece from Chris McKeown that takes a brief look at Rich Harden as a guy worth a flyer as a possible back-of-the-rotation solution.