Billy Beane: 'I'm not trading Vogt. Period.'
Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane will likely look to swap some of his top assets for prospect capital if his club can't turn it in around before the trade deadline, but there's one player the executive won't consider moving, according to Peter Gammons.
"I'm not trading (Stephen) Vogt," Beane told one GM who inquired about the catcher. "Period."
Vogt performed well in 2014 after joining the club in June, but his impressive production through the first two months of the new season has been one of few bright spots for an otherwise disappointing start in Oakland. The 30-year-old entered Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays sixth in the majors with 2.1 wins above replacement, hitting .305/.408/.593 with nine home runs and a 14.8 percent walk rate through 40 contests.
Over the last calendar year, Vogt has truly emerged as one of the game's top catchers, producing more wins above replacement than all but three other backstops since last May. His contract status also makes him an immensely desirable trade target, as he won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2019 campaign.
Name | G | OPS | wRC+ | HR | WAR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Russell Martin | 132 | .881 | 150 | 16 | 6.7 |
Buster Posey | 145 | .858 | 145 | 22 | 5.9 |
Jonathan Lucroy | 124 | .793 | 120 | 11 | 4.3 |
Stephen Vogt | 124 | .830 | 135 | 18 | 3.5 |
Yan Gomes | 101 | .754 | 111 | 15 | 3.0 |
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