While the Hampton trade has drawn most of the attention this week, several other deals have been completed. On Saturday, Oakland traded RHP Cory Lidle to Toronto for SS-L Mike Rouse and RHP Chris Mowday.

Lidle is a very good acquisition for the Blue Jays for whom starting pitching was a top priority this off-season. The 30-year-old doesn't have a high strikeout rate, but he compensates by walking a low number of batters. His salary also isn't exorbitant for a team without their own group of homegrown starters. Lidle should provide a strong #2 for Toronto behind Roy Halladay.

If Oakland didn't have a full rotation and a minor league system stocked with pitching prospects, they probably would have held onto him. However since Lidle is scheduled to earn $4.8M in 2003 and the A's possess several candidates to replace him, so it would have been foolish to keep him.

Nevertheless, I think Billy Beane probably under sold him in choosing to deal with his protégé J.P. Ricciardi. Toronto drafted Rouse out of Cal State Fullerton in the fifth round of the 2001 draft after which he spent the remainder of the season in the A+ Florida State League. Rouse put up a high average and hinted at power with Dunedin in the FSL, but his plate discipline skills left something to be desired. In 2002 at AA Tennessee in the Southern League, the 22-year-old hit .260 with a .342 OBP and .424 SLG on 60 H, 11 2B and 9 HR with a 29:47 BB:K and 7/13 SB% in 231 AB. His walk rate shows promise and the moderate power is again evident, but I'd like to see him spend another half-season at AA. Rouse doesn't have super star potential, however he appears likely to develop into at least a quality bench player in a couple seasons. Toronto didn't mind trading him as they have several other middle infield prospects pushing towards the majors.

The Blue Jays singed Mowday out of Australia as a nondrafted free agent in 1997. He's occasionally spent some time as a starter, but for the most part he's worked as a reliever while moving through the Toronto minor leagues. He's advanced slowly, only splitting this season between the A South Atlantic league and the A+ FSL. While the 21-year-old has some control problems, his high strikeout rate indicates he should be able to develop into a decent middle reliever in a few years, though he's not anyone the Blue Jays should concern themselves with losing.

I think both of the players Oakland picked up for Lidle show major league potential. However I believe that Beane could have found a better package had he chosen to trade with another team.

Last week Cleveland completed a small trade with the A's, sending RHP Roy Smith to Oakland for cash. Florida drafted Smith out of high school in the 13th round of the 1994 draft. He had difficulty making it out of A-ball, so the Marlins eventually released him. Smith first signed with the Indians in 2000 after two seasons in the Independent Northern League. In 2002, the 26-year-old displayed solid skills for a full season as a reliever with AAA Buffalo in the International League. I don't think he'll experience overwhelming success on first reaching the majors, but he should be a good middle reliever and could develop into a setup man in a year or two.

Oakland's also signed a number of players to minor league contracts recently, including OF-R Mike Edwards, 1B-L Graham Koonce, C-S Adam Melhuse, OF-L Chris Prieto, C-S Mike Rose, and OF-L Brian Sellier.

Mike Edwards has shown good plate discipline and moderate power potential through AA, but he's been held up there for the last three years by first the Indians and then the Reds. Oakland should at least advance the 25-year-old to AAA this year. He needs a full season at AAA before he'll really be able to contribute in the majors, but he could develop into a decent bench player. Edwards spent time at first and third in addition to the outfield in 2002.

Oakland grabbed Graham Koonce from San Diego in the minor league portion of last season's Rule 5 draft. The 27-year-old put up numbers that were impressive even discounting for the hitter-friendliness of the AA Midland park. Koonce hit .274 with a .440 OBP and .487 SLG on 129 H, 28 2B, and 24 HR with a 133:177 BB:K and 2/2 SB% in 470 AB. I expect the A's to advance him to AAA this season and strongly consider him for a major league position in 2004, if he makes the jump successfully, though this past season may have represented his career peak.

The 30-year-old Melhuse has been a AAAA catcher for the three years. His defensive problems kept him out of the majors when the Cubs needed an injury replacement behind the plate last season. However, the switch-hitting catcher hits for a good average well supported by his plate discipline and offers moderate power. While I doubt the A's will give him their back-up job coming out of camp, they certainly should be willing to promote the 30-year-old if needed during the year.

Prieto's spent the last four seasons at AAA, though he appears to have played in the Mexican Leagues for much of 2002. The 30-year-old has strong plate discipline and good speed, though he only really displayed power when hitting in Las Vegas. I'm quite surprised he's been unable to find at least a reserve job in the majors at this point. Oakland should give him a long look in Spring Training and definitely keep him in mind for a mid-season call-up if they don't give him a job when they break camp. If he has a hot couple of months with AAA Sacramento, he could make the majors as an injury replacement reserve outfielder.

A season in the Royals' system hurt Rose's plate discipline and he's rarely shown much power or speed. The 26-year-old should give Oakland some added catching depth, but he may not even spend the whole season as high as AAA.

Following a year in the independent Frontier League, Brian Sellier spent last season with Oakland at A+. Two years after the Blue Jays drafted him out of Grand Canyon Arizona University in the 27th round of the 2000 draft, Sellier performed well at A+. He's shown good plate discipline and promising speed skills, so I expect the 24-year-old to advance to AA in 2003, though he likely won't spend more than half the season even at AAA.