MONDAY: The A's sent infielder Michael Richard to the White Sox to complete the deal, according to the MLB.com transactions page. The 25-year-old is hitting .208/.301/.232 across two levels this year. Richard, an 11th-round pick in 2007, has a career .690 OPS in 1212 minor league plate appearances.
SATURDAY: According to the MLB.com transaction page, the Athletics have acquired minor league catcher Jared Price from the White Sox.
Price, 28, was hitting just .196/.268/.324 for Double-A Birmingham. Since 2005, he's been up and down between Double-A and Triple-A, not hitting much at either level.
For his minor league career, he's hit .204/.287/.369 in in 1,980 plate appearances. In addition to the White Sox, Price has seen time in the minors with the Royals and with the Dodgers, who drafted him in the seventh round back in 2000. He's thrown out 28% of potential base stealers in his minor league career, including marks over 40% both this year and last.
Um, what exactly is the purpose of this trade?
I always wonder how these conversations start.