Oakland Athletics: Two Options Exercised, Two Declined

Team Keeps Center Fielder Crisp and Left-Handed Pitcher Anderson 

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Teams are wasting no time in giving out options. The Oakland Athletics announced Friday that they would bring back center fielder Coco Crisp and left-handed pitcher Brett Anderson. Doing so they declined options on outfielder Chris Young and catcher Kurt Suzuki.

The team picked up the $7.5 Million option on Coco Crisp. Crisp, 33, was the catalyst of the Athletics offense in 2013. He got on base at a .335 clip while hitting 20 home runs for the first time in his career. This made him a 20/20 player for the first time, as he picked up 21 stolen bases. Crisp is a huge sign for the A’s as they try to get better in 2014 and going forward.

Brett Anderson will be returning to Oakland next season as his $8 Million option was exercised on Friday. This move came by surprise as Anderson has been injury prone the past two seasons. He could end up being viable out of the bullpen in 2014. Anderson has only pitched a combined 79 innings the past two seasons and hasn’t been as sharp. It will be key to see where the A’s put him going forward.

The club has decided to decline the $8.5 Million option of catcher Kurt Suzuki. This was no surprise as the A’s have two great catchers already on the roster. Suzuki only played in 15 games as an Athletic last season. He will find a team and be a great piece but he doesn’t fit in with what the A’s are trying to do going forward.

Outfielder Chris Young hasn’t been what was expected in his time in Oakland. His $11.5 Million option was declined by the Oakland front office. He played in 107 games as an Athletic only hitting .200. He could never get into a rhythm as a role player in the Oakland outfield. He showed good power at times but the amount of strikeouts were really a problem.