7:55pm: Manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including Joe Stiglich of The Bay Area News Group and MLB.com's Jane Lee) that the plan was for Barton to be the first baseman all along. Kila Ka'aihue played better, and he expects Allen to get claimed off waivers (Twitter links).
3:58pm: The Athletics designated first baseman Brandon Allen for assignment, according to a team press release. The move allows Oakland to reinstate first baseman Daric Barton from the disabled list.
Allen, 26, was acquired from the Diamondbacks at last year's trade deadline along with reliever Jordan Norberto for right-hander Brad Ziegler. With a glut at first base, the A's were said to be shopping Allen over the winter.
The first baseman/leftfielder has a .286/.401/.555 slash line across parts of three Triple-A seasons but yet to put it all together in the majors. In 109 big league games for the D'Backs and A's, Allen has hit .205/.291/.375 with eleven homers.
Rays?
they have pena
As a pinch hitter off the bench. I’d take Allen over Vogt
I’d take Dan Johnson.
So would the White Sox
I wouldn’t. Yeah he had the historic homerun, but nothing else all season
Blockbuster move for the A’s….
meanwhile the giants continue to be the most boring team in baseball.
Boring? Who cares how they play…. as long as they win. I personally find a good pitching game better than a AL slugfest.
Bye bye beard!! I hate the giants. Worst world series winning team.
Too bad, he has more upside than barton. kinda tough when you only have a couple games to prove yourself, and those games are both against felix hernandez
So true. I’ve always hoped Barton could get things worked-out, but Allen seems like a better overall player.
My questionable A’s.
Sigh.
Why do you think he has more upside than Barton? Barton has already had a successful year in the majors and Allen has never been able to produce. Allen has had some chances to, it’s looking pretty unlikely that he ever puts it together.
better past performance =/= higher upside. it means better success against major league pitching, and definitely a higher floor, but not better upside. allen’s upside is a power-hitting 1st baseman, with a semi-low obp and high slugging, and has the strength to hit 20+ home runs. now, at this point it’s highly unlikely he reaches that ceiling.
barton was given a few years also he had one ok year allen was not given that kind of opportunity he was gave 2 months so thats not afair to compare
i agree allen had a good spring man this suxs
Don’t understand their love affair with Barton. First baseman with no power who might hit .250
allen will fair better than barton or chris carter…kilahiue will at least be jack cust like or russell branyan like if given a real shot…
Should’ve DFA’s Ka’aihue and kept Allen.
Without Ka’aihue, the A’s will no longer have the only starting lineup with two Hawaiian-born players. Hawaiian-born players are the new under-appreciated asset.
YES
well said allen also has way better d-fence then him also
true that. Ka’aihue looked lost on opening day
Back to White Sox with M. Taylor
You can have Taylor as long as you take Blevins.
allen will be a fair bench piece somewhere..too bad he wasnt waivered then houston could pluck another AAAA…if some of them workout like ruggiano, justin maxwell, they could be better than the cubs lol jk
Wow, how dumb can the A’s be? Daric Barton isn’t even a minor leaguer! Brandon Allen is a great defensive 1st baseman with some pop. Barton couldn’t play in the little leagues! Has Beane lost his mind?
well, barton is just as good or better defensively, but yeah, he’s not that good offensively, and 2010 was a fluke, no way can we expect those numbers.
Ah yes! 2010 was a fluke, because he had that crazy high BABIP and his K and BB rate were way off his career numbers too. Except that everything was right in line with where it should have been.
If anything, it’s his defensive numbers that were fluky, since it’s incredibly difficult for even the most elite defensive 1st basemen to provide as much defensive value as he did that year.
However, if healthy, Barton has a very good chance to come close to 2010’s offensive numbers…
The A’s are just coming to terms with the fact that the can’t solve their 1B situation. Barton has proved the most (sadly) at the MLB level so they have to go with him. Here’s hoping Chris Carter finally figures it out, but I’m not optimistic about that either.
Carter is going to be a DH going forward, sadly. He’s got stone hands.
Hope Allen clears waivers, but I doubt it’s going to happen..
Just don’t see that happening.
The Reds need a lefty off the bench but then again we have too much K’s as it is.
This guy needs to lose at least 30 pounds before he resumes his career. He came to camp weighing around 260 and didn’t exercise or anything like his teammates did. I hope he gets it together before he turns into another Bob Hamlin whose career is over before it begins.
Orioles need to jump on this now. I say try to move Betemit. Allen is a way better fit to DH and play some 1b when Davis needs time off. The A’s would also actually be a great fit for betemit who could back up Donaldson. The Pirates are also another good option.
that would not be a bad idea but i really liked allen
Betemit was signed as a FA this offseason to a 2 yr deal – can’t deal him yet.
jane lee talks to barton he said his shoulder still tightens up after games and the most difficult thing is to throw to second maybe the A’s should have waited and made sure he was ready first imo
Please put a claim on him Kenny.
part time sub in phillie until howard gets back? I mean they had four games all ready and used four different first baseman might as well trie somebody else
Sounds like Bob forgot his brain
orioles (nick johnson), rays (stephen vogt, dfa de la rosa), twins (dfa sean burroughs), rangers (dfa brandon snyder), marlins (donnie murphy), mets (mike baxter), nationals (chad tracy), brewers (ishikawa), pirates (matt hague), pads (kyle blanks), my pick is the brewers
AL Teams will get first crack
Well Terry Ryan, you’re on the clock.
Looks like another looooong season in Oakland.
astros should go after him,send him to there minors to develop,plus hes a local guy so he may do better with his hometown team,besides what do the astros have to lose
Orioles should grab him if they can would be a nice fit into blooming offense
The Mayor of Baltimore ought to establish a wind farm right outside of Camden Yards…
Nick Johnson looks lost as an Oriole.. Baltimore needs to pick up Allen he has more intensity and will be a great player if given a shot… As an A’s fan Barton needed to go… he always takes fastballs down the middle during 3-2 counts… you know how that turns out!! Strike 3… I wish Allen all the best of luck wherever he ends up