The Oakland A’s today traded outfielder Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez, right-handed pitcher Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.
Check out the Prospect Spreadsheet to see where the Sox prospects were ranked.
Notes from Conference Call (3:30 PM ET)
- Kenny Williams has told Nick to be prepared to play the bulk of his games in center field.
- Swisher is signed through 2011 with an option for 2012
- Josh Fields is not and was not ever an option for left field. It actually sounded like Fields may be the favorite to play 3B at this point in time. His name was mentioned a lot more than Crede's name.
- Swisher burst into the conference call with a loud and energetic "How's It Going Fellas??!!" ... pretty funny and entertaining
- Swisher was surprised by the trade but excited to be going to a team that wants to win now.
- Nick really gave the impression that he loves the game and is thoroughly excited to be playing. He realizes what he has and loves what he does. He understands that there are millions of people who would trade places with him so he relishes what he has.
- He said he's looking forward to playing hard and giving 100%...and he just "hope(s) the walls are padded in Chicago!"
More from the A's media staff...
Swisher batted .262 with 22 home runs and 78 RBI in 150 games with the A’s last year in his third full season in the Majors. He added 100 walks for a .381 on-base percentage and he had career highs in batting, on-base percentage, walks and doubles (36). The 27-year old switch-hitter ranked sixth in the American league in walks and was 10th in strikeouts (131).
Gonzalez led all of minor league baseball with 185 strikeouts while pitching for Double-A Birmingham last year. He was 9-7 with a 3.18 ERA in 27 games, all starts, for the Barons and was named to the Southern League midseason and postseason All-Star teams. Gonzalez was originally drafted by the White Sox as a compensation pick (38th selection overall) between the first and second rounds of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.
De Los Santos was named the South Atlantic League’s Most Outstanding Major League Prospect and was also named to the SAL midseason and postseason All-Star teams in 2007 after going 9-4 with a 2.40 ERA and .148 opponents batting average in 21 games, 15 starts at Single-A Kannapolis. He also made five starts for Single-A Winston-Salem and combined at both stops for a 10-5 record and a 2.65 ERA in 26 games, 20 starts.
Sweeney was named the White Sox number one prospect by Baseball America entering the 2007 season and hit .270 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI in 105 games at Triple-A Charlotte.