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With the deadline for teams to decide on team options approaching on Saturday, the Oakland Athletics announced their decisions on four key members of their 2013 squad. The team has opted to exercise their options on outfielder Coco Crisp and left-hander Brett Anderson, while declining the options for catcher Kurt Suzuki and outfielder Chris Young.
Crisp, 34, will earn $7.5 million in 2014, his fifth season with the Athletics. The speedster hit .261 with 22 HR and 66 RBI in 131 games with the team on the season, making the team's decision to retain him for another season an easy one.
In twelve major league seasons with the Indians (2002-2005), Red Sox (2006-2008), Royals (2009) and Athletics (2010-2013), Crisp is a lifetime .272 hitter with 108 HR and 531 RBI.
Anderson, who turns 26 this offseason, will earn $8 million in 2014 and also has a team option for the 2015 season. Although injuries have hampered the southpaw's development over the last two seasons, Oakland decided to retain him in hopes that he will return to full strength as the pitcher who finished sixth in the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 4.06 ERA in 30 starts. In 84 major league games (73 starts) over five seasons, Anderson is 26-29 with a 3.81 ERA.
Suzuki, who was re-acquired from the Nationals in August due to injuries to the Athletics' core of catchers, will receive a $650K buyout now that the Athletics have declined his $8.5 million option. The 30-year old hit .303 wutg 2 HR and 7 RBI in 15 games at the end of the season with Oakland, and could earn a multi-year deal from a team looking for a catcher on the free agent market this winter. The Athletics, who already have John Jaso, Derek Norris and Stephen Vogt manning the backstop position, are all but certain to move on from Suzuki once and for all.
Young, 30, will receive a $1.5 million buyout instead of the $11 million he would have received if the Athletics had picked up his option. After being acquired from the Diamondbacks in a three-team deal last October, Young appeared in 107 games for Oakland on the season, hitting .200 with 12 HR and 40 RBI. Due to strong stats in the past and a reputation as a solid outfielder, Young will likely sign a one-year deal with a team looking to buy low this winter.