Shannon Stewart is officially an Oakland A. It's just a million bucks, and it's just one year, so it's a deal I like. He's still not that old (33), and while he's had his injury issues, he seems like a good bet to put up a .340+ OBP, and maybe up into the .360 range. The problem, as with so many A's players, is the power. He's not likely to crack a .400 SLG, and that makes his utility limited.

That said, he's clearly not being brought in to be a starter (is he?). For a benchie, I like what he could bring. And if he doesn't bring it, he's easy enough to cut loose.

In a probably related move, Charles Thomas was designated for assignment. Thomas will be 28 this year and maybe someone will cling to that decent year he had with the Braves in 2005 and give him a shot. He never did much with the A's, putting up a .363 OPS (yes, .363) in 30 games in 2005 and not cracking the bigs in 2006. The "haul" for Tim Hudson is looking worse and worse, isn't it?