Dismal farm system now rated the best

<p>When the A’s began selling off pieces of their major-league product last year, they wanted to revitalize a depleted farm system.</p><p>They seem to have accomplished their goal.</p><p>“They were a joke,” said John Manuel, editor of Baseball America. “I think right now they are No. 1. They have more talent than any other organization. They have been so single-minded in their focus. They were going to get better in the farm system, and they have, to their credit.”</p><p>Manuel, whose publication is the nation’s pre-eminent source for information about the minor leagues, said the A’s minor-league talent rated 26th, 27th and 27th in the previous three years.</p><p>Whether all of these prospects can lead to winning in the majors again remains to be seen, but at least the A’s now have something to work with.</p><p>“We’ve got a definite bump,” said Keith Lieppman, the A’s director of player development. “It’s been great ... You see all the guys and you realize we have indeed gotten some great talent.” Over the past 10 months the A’s have traded away Joe Blanton, Rich Harden, Dan Haren, Chad Gaudin, Mark Kotsay, Marco Scutaro and Nick Swisher, bringing back 20 players in return.</p><p>Including the draft and the international market, the A’s spent more than $12 million on amateur players this year, by far a franchise record.</p><p>More than $4 million of that went to Dominican phenom Michael Inoa, one of the most highly sought pitchers to come out of that country in years.</p><p>It is a new kind of Moneyball.</p><p>“They spent a lot,” Manuel said. “We’ll see if they get what they paid for, but they definitely made this commitment to scouting and player development and not doing it on the cheap, not trying to out-efficient everyone. They are evaluating and trusting their scouts, and backing them up financially.”</p><p>Many of the players added to the organization in the past year have already appeared in the majors. Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Sweeney, Gio Gonzalez, Greg Smith, Dana Eveland and Joey Devine have all made contributions.</p><p>Among the players left, the best are pitchers.</p><p>Brett Anderson, acquired in the Haren deal, and Trevor Cahill formed an impressive duo as they rose from Class-A to Double-A to the Olympic team.</p><p>Cahill, a 20-year-old righty, went 11-5 with a 2.61 ERA before going to the Olympics. He has been selected as the A’s minor league pitcher of the year for the second year in a row. He suffered an oblique injury at the Olympics, ending his season a couple of weeks early, but it isn’t expected to be a long-term issue.</p><p>Anderson, a 20-year-old lefty, was a combined 11-5 with a 3.69 ERA. He pitched the Olympic team to a victory in the bronze medal game. He was promoted to Triple A for the playoffs.</p><p>“It’s really a coin flip of who you like better (Cahill or Anderson),” Manuel said. “The consensus would be Anderson, because he’s left-handed.</p><p>He’s got polish. He’s got solid average stuff across the board ... I love Trevor Cahill, a sinker-baller with an above average breaking ball. He’s really athletic and intelligent. Those are two really good places to start.” Manuel said both pitchers project as No. 2 or 3 starters in the majors.</p><p>The best pure arm in the system belongs to righty Henry Rodriguez, 21. His fastball hits 100 mph, but he is still struggling to learn to command it.</p><p>The A’s tried him as a starter, but he settled into a relief role later in the season. He projects as a big league closer or setup man. Rodriguez had a 5.20 ERA this season, but he struck out 147 and gave up 108 hits in 116 innings.</p><p>The pitcher who made the biggest jump on the organizational depth chart was Vin Mazzaro, who went 15-6 with a 2.74 ERA at Double A and Triple A.</p><p>He gave up only three homers in 137« innings in the homer-friendly Texas League.</p><p>The most intriguing pitcher of them all hasn’t even suited up for an A’s farm team yet. Inoa, 16, has been compared to Mariners righty Felix Hernandez, who reached the majors as an ace at age 19.</p><p>“One team in particular was devastated that they didn’t get him,” Manuel said. “They thought of him as a prodigy. You can make the case that he’s their No. 1 prospect, as polished and advanced as some of the other guys are.”</p><p>Inoa will begin throwing this fall in the Dominican instructional league and then report to A’s minor league spring training in Arizona next year.</p><p>The A’s are thinner among position players.</p><p>Chris Carter, acquired in the Haren deal, was selected as the A’s minor league player of the year. He hit 39 homers at Class-A Stockton, second most in all of minor league baseball. Carter, 21, still struck out 156 times and he is still without a true position, though. The A’s have played him at first, third and left field.</p><p>Adrian Cardenas, from the Blanton deal, is an offensive middle infielder.</p><p>Cardenas, 20, was the Phillies’ No. 2 prospect when the season began. He hit only .278 with one homer, but Manuel said he’s a fast-mover who has drawn some Chase Utley comparisons.</p><p>“He can really hit,” Manuel said.</p><p>Jemile Weeks, the A’s No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, is a second baseman with exceptional speed. Weeks, 21, got hurt a month into his pro career, but he is expected to play in the fall instructional league.</p><p>Sean Doolittle, 21, hit 22 homers and drove in 91 runs in his first full pro season. He is a Swisher-type player, who can play first base and the outfield, with power and a high on-base percentage. He started at Class A and finished at Double A.</p><p>There were some disappointments in the system.</p><p>Righty Fautino De Los Santos, acquired in the Swisher deal, was off to a great start at Class-A Stockton before he had to undergo Tommy John surgery. Catcher Landon Powell hit only .230 at Triple A and then had to undergo knee surgery. Outfielder Richie Robnett, who had been one of the organization’s best power prospects, missed half the season with a non-baseball related condition, and then hit .240 with four homers.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Jeff Fletcher at 521-5489 or jeff.fletcher@pressdemocrat.com.</p>