Nomar close to signing with A's

March 3, 4:46 PMMLB ExaminerAlex Brown

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The Oakland Athletics are close to adding free agent utility player Nomar Garciaparra to their offseason haul.  The former Los Angeles Dodger appears set to sign a one-year deal with the A’s.  He will backup the corner infield positions and see a little time at DH, in addition to pinch hitting duties.  This news comes on the heels of an agreement to make Orlando Cabrera the A’s 2009 starting shortstop.

While this is probably a relatively small deal (monetarily), it’s still helpful to evaluate it in terms of Nomar’s added value to the team.  I see one immediate consequence worth mentioning, and that is the fact that Bobby Crosby is now pretty much obsolete on the A’s roster.  I would look for him to be dealt (maybe to the Blue Jays) or flat out released in the wake of this move.  I also see two possible outcomes for Nomar in Oakland:

• Hanger on: Nomar hasn’t really been an effective player since 2003 (save for a pretty nice 2006 season with LA).  Now that he’s a bit older, I can’t see Oakland getting anything out of him at this point.  He’s likely just giving it one last shot until the inevitable retirement…
• Useful part-timer: On the other hand, the A’s lineup is predominately left-handed and 1B/DH heavy (Jason Giambi, Jack Cust, Daric Barton, Eric Chavez).  If he’s able to stay healthy, Nomar becomes the perfect right-handed counterpart for these lefty sluggers. 

Overall I think neither extreme will win out – rather Nomar will be a somewhat-injured, somewhat-effective part-time player for Oakland in 2009.  I will give A’s GM Billy Beane credit for the way he’s quietly built his team into a 2009 contender this offseason with some big acquisitions (Matt Holliday), good trades (Mike Wuertz), and bargain signings (Cabrera).