Bay Area Sports Guy – A’s send Suzuki to Washington, get Single-A prospect in return

Catcher Kurt Suzuki has been traded to the Washington Nationals in exchange for minor league catcher David Freitas.

Suzuki, 28, is in the midst of one of his worst offensive seasons of his career, batting a paltry .218 with a career high strikeout percentage of 19 and a career low walk percentage of just three. But offensive woes aside, Suzuki remains one of the best defensive catchers in the league. Suzuki’s fielding percentage of .996 ranks second of all eligible catchers while his 3 rSB, Stolen Base Runs Saved, ranks him third.

In return, the A’s get a decorated Single-A prospect, David Freitas. A graduate of Elk Grove High School, Freitas was a the Nationals’ 15th-round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft. Since then, he’s been named a mid-season All-Star three times, as well as an “organizational” All-Star once.

Whereas Suzuki is known for his defensive prowess, Freitas is known for the opposite. With a career OBP of .398, Freitas knows how to get on base. In 1098 career plate appearance, he has drawn 155 walks. It is clear that Freitas is Billy Beane material.

Year	Age	Lg	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2010	21	NYPL	A-	62	261	218	32	67	19	4	40	34	47	.307	.408	.450	.857
2011	22	SALL	A	123	516	427	67	123	30	13	73	82	87	.288	.409	.450	.859
2012	23	CARL	A+	78	321	273	37	74	22	5	46	39	52	.271	.374	.407	.780
3 Seasons				263	1098	918	136	264	71	22	159	155	186	.288	.398	.437	.835

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

For now, it looks as though the A’s will platoon Derrick Norris and the recently acquired George Kottaras at catcher.

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Stan

There is a reason Melvin has been fired before. Once again,he sat Yoenis vs the Angels..he did it in May when he claimed Cespedes "Needed a rest"..and the A's lost to their rivals. He did it AGAIN vs their biggest enemy because Cespedes wrist had an owee. The A's lost. So,California is having good vibrations playing the A's with confidence..and Melvin has done all he can to build up that Angel swagger taking the A's future HOF player out of the game. Just beyond any logic. Typical Beane team.