He is that good and that explosive on the bases. The guy gets on base and knows how to steal. He made a big jump this year. I bet he is highly valued throughout the league  such that he would bring in some highly touted young pitchers if we wanted to trade him.

Do you have a link to this guy's scouting report? Raji sounds very intriguing for next year.  Does he hit for power?  Leadoff guy I would think since he seems like a basestealer...

I wish we could get some nice prospects for him, but you may be over valuing him.  He is going to have to have a big season next year before he is truly worth much.

Expect Rajai Davis to lead the league in stolen bases next year? No.

Demand that Rajai Davis leads the league is stolen bases next year!

Sell high, when he actually has value. He'll still be useful for SB/defense, a typical backup OF. But his bat is very flukish. Plus shifting sweeney back to CF and actually giving playing time to buck/cunningham should be considered.

bcbud wrote:

He is that good and that explosive on the bases. The guy gets on base and knows how to steal. He made a big jump this year. I bet he is highly valued throughout the league  such that he would bring in some highly touted young pitchers if we wanted to trade him.

Highly touted prospects ... young pitching.  Are you kidding me?  Pitching isn't our problem; offense is and along with a boring team ... until Rajai was inserted into the lineup.  He provided the only excitement this team showed last season, while leading the club in hitting, as well as SBs. 

oaklady wrote:

 

bcbud wrote:

He is that good and that explosive on the bases. The guy gets on base and knows how to steal. He made a big jump this year. I bet he is highly valued throughout the league  such that he would bring in some highly touted young pitchers if we wanted to trade him.

Highly touted prospects ... young pitching.  Are you kidding me?  Pitching isn't our problem; offense is and along with a boring team ... until Rajai was inserted into the lineup.  He provided the only excitement this team showed last season, while leading the club in hitting, as well as SBs. 

Oaklady...So you don't think that getting rid of one of the best offensive players from last season is a good idea on a flat and boring offensive team?.....weird. I like the idea of getting more prospects and especially pitching. Yeah, that's it.... Then we could get playing time for some of our great minor league OF's. Wonderful! Next year is going to be swell!.....At least I can get some sleep...it sounds as if the human nature affect of staying with what you're comfortable with/are used to is going to remain around here....and that theory has worked.. there's proof in all of all the championships over the last 10 plus years....sheesh

speedandpower wrote:

 

 

Oaklady...So you don't think that getting rid of one of the best offensive players from last season is a good idea on a flat and boring offensive team?.....weird. I like the idea of getting more prospects and especially pitching. Yeah, that's it.... Then we could get playing time for some of our great minor league OF's. Wonderful! Next year is going to be swell!.....At least I can get some sleep...it sounds as if the human nature affect of staying with what you're comfortable with/are used to is going to remain around here....and that theory has worked.. there's proof in all of all the championships over the last 10 plus years....sheesh

Next year Raji will A. steal a lot of bases, B. Play good defense in CF, C. hit around .300, D. be our leadoff hitter, E. be inexpensive. Seems to me thats a player worth keeping. I'm not against more pitching, but it needs to be a veteran pitcher, we could use more power too. I think the only huge question mark, besides the usual musical chairs with Buck, is if Wallace will get the job at 3rd. I mean I know Chavez will be the opening day starter and 100% healthy, but will Wallace get called up from Sac for game 3 or will we go with another option?

Braden

Anderson

Cahill

Tomko (he did well for us in his 6 starts, deserves consideration to come back plus he won't be expensive)

Gio/Mazzarro/Outman

If the top 3 can stay healthy (Braden) and continue  to improve then there is potential for a potent 1-2-3

Ziegler (I think he can turn it around and pitch like 08, at least I hope he does)

Wuertz

Breslow

Devine (is he back for the start?)

Blevins

Bailey

1 spot open in ST

Overall pretty solid, we need starters to go deeper though so they are not overworked.

DH Cust

C Suzuki

1B Barton (pretty meh, aside from September)

2B Ellis (farewell season with us)

SS Pennington (he's ready, tremendous September)

3B Chavez ( All I know for sure is its the last year with Chavez on the payroll)

LF Sweeney

CF Davis(see above)

RF Buck

4th outfielder Hairston (start against lefties)

backup C/1B Powell

backup 2B/SS Patterson

backup 3B Kennedy (will play a lot)

September additions- Wallace(maybe sooner) Carter

I love when I see people say at 29 it is unrealisitc to expect the same type of play out of him next year. Especially cvonsidering that his numbers increased a lot when he got regular playing time for the first time in his career.

I am not going to say he is going to produce at a .300 BA over an entire year, but I certainly think it is possible. He wouldn't be the first late bloomer player in the league that actually showed he could play when he got playing time. I just don'tmunderstand anyone alreayd wirting him off for next year. He helped turn the whole offense around. To me even if he drops to hitting in the .280 range if he can get on base enough that is all that will matter as his speed changes the game.

If nothing else he has already earned CF to start next year unless a proven player is brought in and consider the other holes on the team I would expect them to look at other positions and give him the job.

It almost seems like some fans are so negative about everything they would rather write of any player just because h wasn't supposed to do what he did. Cust wasn't supposed to produce at the level he did when the A's finally gave him a shot with the team.

I would have though optomism would be a needed charachteristic for A's fans.

He's an exciting player to watch. The A's haven't exactly wowed in the excitement department the past few years...