I remember back when the Oakland Athletics' depth chart listed Ryan Sweeney as the starter at all three outfield positions. Then the team acquired Collin Cowgill. Then the team lost Sweeney and acquired Josh Reddick. Then the team re-signed Coco Crisp. Then the team traded for Seth Smith. The outfield depth chart changed completely. This move isn't going to change the outfield depth chart at all but now the A's have signed Jonny Gomes.
Jonny Gomes, Oakland A’s Reach Agreement
The Oakland Athletics have signed free agent crazypants Jonny Gomes to a major league contract. Gomes will be expected to hit well against lefties and also provide antics.
Gomes has deal with a’s. Bay area product will provide big bat vs lhp. Good in clubhouse. Major league deal.
The A’s were recently reported to be closing in on Gomes, and now it’s all done. Maybe Gomes still has to pass a physical, but he’ll pass a physical. Terms haven’t been provided, but one can expect that Gomes is signing a one-year contract with a low base salary.
What’ll Gomes provide? Not defense, that’s for damn sure. The 31-year-old righty is a trip in the outfield, and not one of those fun trips like you see in movies. He’s a horrible trip, like you see in other movies. He’s also not someone who’s going to hit much against righties.
But Gomes owns a career .877 OPS against lefties, making him something of a platoon masher. Also, as Heyman notes, he's supposed to be good in the clubhouse, which means he's insane but has control of his insanity. The difference between a Jonny Gomes and a Carlos Zambrano is that the crazy things Gomes does are done with good intentions so people laugh about them instead of thinking of calling the police about them.
I don’t actually know that much about Jonny Gomes’ personality but based on my recollection, he is definitely nuts. Leader!
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