How Did They Get Here?

A team’s 40-man roster is put together through a number of different means: trades, draft, free agent signings, etc. As we enter the first day of game play at spring training, we take a look at the Oakland A’s current 40-man roster to see where all of the players came from.

Vital Statistics
Number of Players on Roster: 39
Number Drafted by Oakland A’s*: 11
Number Signed by A’s as International Free Agents: 4
Number Acquired Through Trades: 18
Number Signed as Major League Free Agents*: 2
Number Signed as Minor League Free Agents: 2
Number Claimed Off Waivers: 2
Rule 5 Picks: 1

* Jason Giambi counts as both a player who was drafted by the A’s and signed as a free agent

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Roster By Geography
Number of Players from Outside of the US: 5
Number of Players from California: 6
Number of Players from Texas: 3
Number of Players from Florida: 5
Number of Players from Midwest/Plains States: 11
Number of Players from the Northeast: 4
Number of Players from the Northwest: 2
Number of Players from the South: 2
Number of Players from Hawaii: 1

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How They Got Here
Pitchers:
Jerry Blevins: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Rob Bowen from the Chicago Cubs for Jason Kendall and cash on July 16, 2007

Dallas Braden: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the 24th round of the 2004 amateur draft out of Texas Tech

Santiago Casilla: Signed by the Oakland A’s as an international free agent in 2000

Joey Devine: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Jamie Richmond from the Atlanta Braves for Mark Kotsay and cash on January 14, 2008

Justin Duchscherer: Acquired by the Oakland A’s from the Texas Rangers for Luis Vizcaino on March 18, 2002

Dana Eveland: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Brett Anderson, Greg Smith, Aaron Cunningham, Carlos Gonzalez and Chris Carter from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Dan Haren and Connor Robertson on December 14, 2007

Sean Gallagher: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Eric Patterson, Matt Murton and Josh Donaldson from the Chicago Cubs for Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin on July 8, 2008

Gio Gonzalez: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Ryan Sweeney and Fautino De Los Santos from the Chicago White Sox for Nick Swisher on January 3, 2008

Jeff Gray: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the 32nd round of the 2004 amateur draft out of Missouri State University
Josh Outman: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Adrian Cardenas and Matt Spencer from the Philadelphia Phillies for Joe Blanton on July 17, 2008

Henry Rodriguez: Signed by the Oakland A’s as an international free agent in 2003

Chris Schroder: Signed as a minor league free agent (to a major league contract) on November 19, 2008

Russ Springer: Signed as a major league free agent on January 29, 2009

Ryan Webb: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the fourth round of the 2004 amateur draft out of a Florida high school

Michael Wuertz: Acquired by the Oakland A’s from the Chicago Cubs for Richie Robnett and Justin Sellers on February 2, 2009

Brad Ziegler: Signed by the Oakland A’s as a minor league free agent in 2004

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Catchers:
Rob Bowen: Acquired along with Jerry Blevins from the Chicago Cubs for Jason Kendall and cash on July 16, 2007

Landon Powell: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the first round of the 2004 amateur draft out of the University of South Carolina

Kurt Suzuki: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the second round of the 2004 amateur draft out of Cal-State Fullerton

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Infielders:
Jeff Baisley: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the 12th round of the 2005 amateur draft out of the University of South Florida

Daric Barton: Acquired along with Kiko Calero and Dan Haren from the St. Louis Cardinals for Mark Mulder on December 18, 2004

Eric Chavez: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the first round of the 1996 amateur draft

Yung-Chi Chen: Acquired by the Oakland A’s off waivers from the Seattle Mariners on November 12, 2008

Bobby Crosby: Selected in the first round by the Oakland A’s in the 2001 amateur draft out of Long Beach State

Mark Ellis: Acquired along with Johnny Damon and Cory Lidle from the Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (three-way deal) for Ben Grieve, Roberto Hernandez, A.J. Hinch and Angel Berroa on January 8, 2001

Jason Giambi: Selected in the second round of the 1992 draft by the Oakland A’s out of Long Beach State; signed by the Oakland A’s as major league free agent on January 7, 2009

Jack Hannahan: Acquired by the Oakland A’s from the Detroit Tigers for Jason Perry on August 13, 2007

Eric Patterson: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Matt Murton, Sean Gallagher and Josh Donaldson from the Chicago Cubs for Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin on July 8, 2008

Cliff Pennington: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the first round of the 2005 amateur draft out of Texas A&M

Gregorio Petit: Signed by the Oakland A’s as an international free agent in 2001

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Outfielders:
Travis Buck: Selected by the Oakland A’s in the supplemental first round of the 2005 amateur draft out of Arizona State

Ben Copeland: Acquired by the Oakland A’s from the San Francisco Giants in the 2008 Rule 5 Draft

Aaron Cunningham: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Brett Anderson, Greg Smith, Dana Eveland, Carlos Gonzalez and Chris Carter from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Dan Haren and Connor Robertson on December 14, 2007

Jack Cust: Acquired by the Oakland A’s for future considerations from the San Diego Padres on May 3, 2007

Rajai Davis: Acquired by the Oakland A’s off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on April 23, 2008

Chris Denorfia: Acquired by the Oakland A’s from the Cincinnati Reds for Marcus McBeth and Ben Jukich on April 27, 2007

Javier Herrera: Signed by the Oakland A’s as an international free agent in 2001

Matt Holliday: Acquired by the Oakland A’s from the Colorado Rockies for Huston Street, Greg Smith and Carlos Gonzalez on November 12, 2008

Ryan Sweeney: Acquired by the Oakland A’s along with Gio Gonzalez and Fautino De Los Santos from the Chicago White Sox for Nick Swisher on January 3, 2008