D-Backs Lock Up Haren Through 2012

Dan Haren and the Diamondbacks have agreed on a four-year, $44.75 million extension that will keep him in Arizona through 2012.  The new deal voids the final two years on Haren's old deal and also includes a club option for the 2013 season.  Acquired in the offseason from Oakland, Haren has adjusted nicely to the National League and is among the league leaders in several major statistical categories.  He was also named to his second consecutive All-Star Game this season.

Huston Street Might Be Next To Go

Athletics closer Huston Street could very well become the next player dealt by notorious wheeler-dealer Billy Beane. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that the Dodgers have been actively scouting the hard-throwing righty in recent days. The Mets and Reds are also reported to have an interest in Street, a fan favorite in Oakland.

Justin Duchscherer Questions Athletics Trades

The recent trades of Joe Blanton, Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin have confused Athletics starter Justin Duchscherer, who himself has been the focus of trade speculation in recent weeks.

"Sometimes you wonder as a player what the organization is doing, giving up on the season or what? But I'm just going to go out there and do my best to help us win," Duchscherer recently told The Oakland Tribune.

Having hinted he prefers to stay with the A's, Duchscherer hardly can be expected to enjoy seeing his name mentioned in trade rumors, especially given General Manager Billy Beane's penchant for dealing away the team's best arms.

"...When you start trading these three guys within 10 or 15 days, you start thinking, 'Are we trying to get guys in here that are going to help us get to there, or are we trying to rebuild because they don't think we're good enough this season?' " he said.

Rumors Foreshadow Justin Duchscherer 's Trade?

Given Athletics General Manager Billy Beane's penchant for dealing his coveted pitchers -- 2008 standout Justin Duchscherer in all probability will be the next to go if the latest rash of MLB rumors can be believed.

With the July 31 trading deadline fast approaching, the 6-foot-2, right-handed curveball specialist will be in his walk year next season, and Beane is unlikely to agree to an extended contract at $8-10 million or more a year when negotiations intensify over the winter.

Beane has been highly successful dealing established pitchers, Joe Blanton's trade to the Phillies being only the latest in a string dating back to the spinoffs of former Oakland stars Tim Hudson to Atlanta and Mark Mulder to St. Louis.

Duchscherer, 30 -- known a "Duke" to his friends -- has been held back at various points of his career by a successive string of injuries and has been used primarily as a bullpen shortman since joining the Athletics. But he is currently in the midst of a career year as a starter.

With a record of 10-5, Duchscherer has a .144 ERA over his last 10 games, all of which were quality starts, including a complete game shutout.

A's Deal Harden to Cubs

The Athletics have agreed to send pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin to the Cubs.  In return, Oakland will receive highly-touted starter Sean Gallagher and former top prospect Matt Murton along with Eric "Corey's Brother" Patterson and minor leaguer Josh Donaldson.

With the Brewers' acquisition of C.C. Sabathia yesterday, Cubs GM Jim Hendry no doubt felt increasing pressure to add another power arm to contend in the NL Central.  However, Hendry tried to dispel any notions of this being a reactionary move, claiming that the clubs had been in serious talks for several weeks.

A's Sign Coveted Dominican Teen

The Oakland Athletics have signed 16-year-old Michel Inoa out of the Dominican Republic, giving the flame-throwing righty a $4.25 million bonus.  Widely considered the top international prospect available, the 6-foot-7 hurler already boasts a 96 mph fastball to go with a polished breaking ball and a serviceable changeup.  This represents the largest bonus ever awarded to a non-Cuban prospect from Latin America.  Inoa projects as a top of the rotation starter and was pursued by several other teams including the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds.  Sources familiar with the negotiations report that Inoa turned down a larger bonus from the Reds due to his preference for Oakland's history of developing young pitching.  Inoa will see his first professional action in the Dominican Summer League where he will go about adding weight to his 205-pound frame.

Athletics Seek Joey Votto to Replace Emil Brown

Oakland GM Billy Beane has set Cincinnati abuzz with his reported interest in Reds first base prospect Joey Votto, whom Beane would move to left field as a replacement for 33-year-old A's journeyman Emil Brown.

Brown can play a little -- having hit a combined .287 with 32 homers in '05 and '06 before missing much of last year with injuries. But Brown always gets a bit of a bad rap after being buried for the better part of a decade in Pittsburgh and Kansas City, and perhaps being better suited as a fourth or fifth outfielder as Brown faces inevitable health concerns toward end of his career.

Though Votto is cherished in Cincinnati, he is in some senses expendable because the Reds still control former Athletics first baseman/catcher Scott Hatteburg, who hit .310 last year as the left half of a first base platoon for the Reds. Moreover, Hatteburg, 38, might be preferred by new Reds manager Dusty Baker, who likes to play experienced players over rookies.

But the main thing is that Votto -- who projects as .300 hitter with 30-homer power -- would bring a major prize to Cincinnati in the person of Oakland No. 3 starting pitcher Joe Blanton, 27, whom Beane is committed to trade.

Though Votto is a first baseman by trade, he has outfield experience and relatively good speed for a corner infielder. He would fit nicely in Oakland's no-name outfield alongside Chris Denorfia and Travis Buck, becoming the cornerstone of a high potential, small market trio that potentially would play together for many years, and do so cheaply.

Huston Street Reacting Well to Drug Regimen

An intense regimen of anti-inflammatory drugs to ease Athletics closer Huston Street's ulnareuritis evidently is agreeable to the young hurler, as he reports little or no intestinal discomfort as a side effect. The treatment will greatly accelerate his recovery.

That's the good news. The bad news is that even though Street has begun some light throwing, he'll be lucky to return to unrestricted action by the middle of July, and may even need to rehabilitate into early August before being completely ready to retake the mound.

Until such time as Street returns, it remains uncertain how quickly he will round out to form.

Teams Lose Interest in Acquiring A's Rich Harden

Behind-the-scenes trade talks involving Athletics hurler Rich Harden not only have cooled, they have completely discontinued, according to an unnamed team source cited by the San Francisco Chronicle.

It's hardly a surprise considering that Harden is a time bomb set to explode and no one can be sure exactly how long is the fuse.

Though Harden was once described by then teammates Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder as the most gifted pitcher of the four, it becomes more and more clear that the young fireballer's skills -- outstanding though they may be -- far exceed the durability of his smallish, 180-pound frame.

Hardin, 25, had been red-flagged after missing close to two dozen starts last year due to his trick shoulder. He was pronounced well during spring, and when the season started looked 100 percent with his 1.42 ERA and strikeout per inning. But sadly Harden has returned to his all-too-familiar haunts on the disabled list after Dr. Lewis Yocum of Los Angeles concurred with findings from previous examinations showing that rest and rehabilitation are needed reduce discomfort and inflammation.

The findings indicate no serious structural failure, but so did repeated examinations of Cubs pitcher Mark Prior before doctors eventually relented to impose arthroscopic surgery and thus disable him for the season. No wonder Harden suspects that something more serious is afoot, so much so that he doubts his own doctors.

Here's the bottom line: Harden will try to come back within two weeks and may pitch again for awhile. But don't be surprised if he goes down again, requiring minimally that he subject himself to the scope and subsequently be placed on the 60-day disabled list at the very least.

Bobby Crosby's Health Woes May Be Fundamental

Despite all the big talk about the Athletics Bobby Crosby at last being 100 percent healthy, he certainly is missing an awful lot of time.

Crosby's latest hiatus came Wednesday with the idea of giving him back-to-back days of rest when stacked against Thursday's travel day.

With a batting average so tepid it has yet to crack the Medoza Line, Crosby's continued need for rest has left him with only about half the plate appearances of the regulars. Crosby seems barely a shadow of the player who once was envisioned a No. 3 hole catalyst critical to the team's win column.

On the surface, Crosby's decline is attributable to a stress fracture of the lumbar vertebrae -- fancy words for a broken back -- aggravated by his history of lower back strains, a sprained ankle and stressed rib cage, all perhaps related to one degree or another.

But more fundamental to Crosby's struggles may be his lengthy 6-foot-3 frame, historically problematic for relatively tall people with difficulties of the spine, as its a circumstance absolutely incurable by the surgeon's scalpel.

As a shortstop Crosby is playing a position perhaps best suited to a smaller, quicker man. For every successful 6-foot-3 Alex Rodriguez at shortstop, there's always two or three 5-foot-7 David Ecksteins who make darting, dodging, dipping and scooping look far easier than it comes to Bobby Crosby.

If Crosby fails to put his health problems behind him in the next two or three weeks, expect his struggles to continue throughout the year, with more injured time in store, and more questions about his long-term future as a regular.

Erubial Durazo a Poor Fielder, But Just How Poor?

At the expense of Dan Johnson, Erubial Durazo has won spring playing time at first base for the Athletics. It's not that manager Bob Geren has given up on Johnson, but he needs to know just exactly what Durazo can do after a year's layoff due to injury.

Durazo, 32, fighting for a reserve spot, is defensively challenged, but is outplaying Johnson, 27, at the plate, hitting .346 with a .538 slugging average. Johnson, meanwhile, is struggling to remain above the Mendoza Line.

A non-roster invitee, Durazo must continue his strong bid if he is to make the team. He cleared the first cuts, but still has a ways to go. Working in his favor is the fact that the team is somewhat shallow at first base, and the highly regarded Johnson has yet to prove he can hold down the job.

A's Daric Barton Turning Heads in Cactus League

Leading first base candidate Dan Johnson -- hitting at an anemic .190 clip in a 4-21 slump -- continues to be outshined by upstart rival Daric Barton, who has gone 8-16, a .500 batting average in the early going.

Each has a homer.

Barton, 21, acquired from St. Louis in the Mark Mulder trade, is a student of the game, spending evenings reading books about Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and other greats. He has demonstrated a powerful yet easy, fluid swing since arriving in camp last month as a non-roster invitee.

Barton's chances of making the team remain slim, but he is winning many admirers.

A's Still Have Confidence Issues with Dan Johnson

Athletics manager Bob Geren's decision to continue using outfielder Nick Swisher part-time at first base hardly reflects panic but indicates at least some uneasiness as to whether Dan Johnson will ever take possession of the position.

That Johnson is hitting only .133 in a handful of Cactus League at-bats is not especially meaningful unless one compares it with his performance last year, when Johnson hit only .234 to mystify scouts who project him to become a big-time hitter, especially now that he has reached what should be his prime at 27.

It's early, but so far Johnson continues to disappoint, even being overshadowed by up-and-coming Daric Barton, 21, a former catcher being converted to first baseman, who is hitting .400 in a handful of at-bats. If Johnson is on some sleeper lists that's fine, just as long as it's a sleep from which he will awaken, and soon.

With center fielder Bobby Kielty sidelined for six weeks or more with back trouble, Swisher more than ever will be needed in the outfield, leaving Johnson with no better opportunity to finally show his stuff.

Oakland Wheels Out Trojan Horse SP Rich Harden

Oakland GM Billy Beane's move to shop Athletics staff ace Rich Harden has encountered difficulty passing the sniff test among prospective buyers throughout the league, leading to suspicions that the six-foot-one fireballer is damaged goods.

Harden, 25, perhaps the most gifted pitcher Beane has managed since taking the Athletics helm, has a track record of injuries including to the elbow, shoulder and ribs, limiting him to only 46 innings last year.

Harden has never been able to reach the 200-inning plateau, and has clashed with trainers over a rigorous weightlifting and workout regimen so ambitious that some suspect it may be debilitating.

Though Beane has little need but to tweak his bullpen and batting order, he has deemed Harden expendable. If Beane finds a buyer, expect Joe Kennedy, Kirk Saarloos and Brad Halsey to compete to replace Harden in the rotation.