Bartolo to Oakland?

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have reached agreement on a one-year deal that will bolster the team's depleted rotation, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Sunday.

Colon's contract is pending a physical, the person told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team had yet to make a formal announcement.

The 38-year-old Colon, a former A's nemesis during his four-year stint with the AL West rival Angels from 2004-07, went 8-10 with a 4.00 ERA in 29 appearances and 26 starts last year for the New York Yankees in his 14th big league season. He won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award.

Last month, the A's traded away starter Trevor Cahill to the Arizona Diamondbacks and all-star lefty Gio Gonzalez to the Washington Nationals. Oakland also sent all-star closer Andrew Bailey to the Boston Red Sox on Dec. 28.

When healthy, the hard-throwing Colon has been impressive in the Oakland Coliseum where he will now pitch regularly. He is 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA and an opposing batting average of .179 in seven appearances in the A's aging ballpark.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane is in a rebuilding mode with hopes that Commissioner Bud Selig will rule the franchise can relocate some 65 kilometres south to San Jose and build a new ballpark. But the San Francisco Giants hold the territorial rights to technology-rich Silicon Valley. Selig said at last week's owners meetings a resolution "is very much on the front burner."

He appointed a committee in March 2009 to study the situation.

Colon will join a rotation featuring Brett Anderson, Brandon McCarthy and probably Guillermo Moscoso. Left-hander Dallas Braden, who pitched a perfect game on May 9, 2010, against Tampa Bay, is recovering from surgery on his pitching shoulder.

Braden received a US$3.35 million, one-year contract in mid-December. He made three starts last season before being sidelined by a shoulder injury. He was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA before going on the disabled list April 18. He had surgery to a repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder May 17.

The A's haven't been to the playoffs or posted a winning record since being swept by the Tigers in the 2006 AL championship series.