It seems like an inexpensive deal for all three teams involved in the Michael Morse deal. It was expected that Morse would not bring a blockbuster deal, but each team did add a piece to the puzzle, most notably Seattle, which was desperate to add power to a weak roster.
SI reports:
The Mariners acquired Michael Morse from Washington in a three-team deal that moved
catcher John Jaso from Seattle to Oakland.
The NL East champion Nationals reacquired pitching prospect A.J. Cole,
dealt from Washington to Oakland 13 months ago in the trade for Gio
Gonzalez. Washington also got minor league pitcher Blake Treinen and a
player to be named.
Morse hit .291 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs last year in an
injury-shortened season, playing mostly as a corner outfielder. He was
with the Mariners from 2005-08 before he was traded to the Nationals for
Ryan Langerhans in June 2009.
The Nationals acquired speedy center fielder Denard Span from Minnesota
this offseason and contemplated moving the 30-year-old Morse to first
base but then re-signed Adam LaRoche. They are set at the corner
outfield spots with Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth.
Jaso, 29, batted .276 with 10 homers and 50 RBIs last year but became
expendable when Seattle obtained Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez, moves
that shift Jesus Montero from a catcher-DH split to primarily behind the
plate. The AL West champion A's traded starting catcher Kurt Suzuki to
the Nationals last season and replaced him with rookie Derek Norris. To open a roster spot for Jaso, Oakland designated catcher George Kottaras for assignment.
Jaso, a left-handed hitter, had a .394 on-base percentage last season
and batted .378 with runners in scoring position. He gives the A's
another option at DH and a catching complement for Norris, a
right-handed hitter who batted .201 with seven homers in 60 games last
year.
Cole, a 21-year-old right-hander, was among four players traded by
Washington to Oakland in December 2011 for Gonzalez. Cole was 0-7 with a
7.82 ERA in eight games at Stockton of the California League and 6-3
with a 2.07 ERA at Burlington of the Midwest League, both Class A level.
Baseball America recently rated Cole as the top pitching prospect in Oakland's organization.
Treinen was 7-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 24 games at Stockton last year. The
24-year-old righty was selected by the A's in the seventh round of the
2011 draft.
