A's sign Bartolo Colon to a one-year deal

The Oakland A's have agreed to a one-year deal with pitcher Bartolo Colon, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark.

Colon finished last season with a record of 8-10 and an ERA of 4.00, but he started the season much better than he finished it.

Here are his splits of first three and second three months:

• April-June: 5-3, 3.10 ERA, 8.27 K/9
• July-September: 3-7, 4.81 ERA, 6.59 K/9

While he may fade toward the end of the season again and he loses the run support provided by the Yankees, Colon moves to a more favorable stadium.

Last year, A's pitchers more than a full run differential when comparing their ERA at home (3.18) vs. on the road (4.26).

A's closer Andrew Bailey to visit Dr. Andrews

Oakland A's closer Andrew Bailey left yesterday's game with discomfort in his right elbow and forearm and he'll pay a visit to Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday.

"Anytime you see someone leave the game with tightness, it's concerning," [A's manager Bob] Geren said, "but we'll reserve judgment until after he gets checked out."

That said, it's typically not good when a player makes a visit to Dr. Andrews.

Over the past two seasons, Bailey, who had surgery near the end of last season by Dr. Andrews, has a cumulative 1.70 ERA and 51 saves.

As Jane Lee of MLB.com points out, if Bailey isn't ready at the beginning of the season, it's likely that Brian Fuentes would close until Bailey can. Fuentes led all of baseball with 48 saves in 2009.

[Update: Bailey has a forearm strain and no ligament/joint damage, per ESPN's Buster Olney.]

A's put Brett Anderson on DL, could miss up to six weeks

The next time Brett Anderson takes the mound for the A's, it could be June.

Anderson has landed on the disabled list and he could miss up to six weeks, per ESPN's Buster Olney. In order to help better determine a timetable for his return, he's scheduled for an MRI, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

With the exception of one bad five-earned-run outing, he had only allowed one earned run (over 18 innings pitched) in his other three starts.

In his five final starts last year, Anderson finished the season with a 4-1 record and 2.20 ERA and struck out 31 batters in 28.2 innings.

Per Spencer Fordin of MLB.com, the A's also optioned reliever Edwar Ramirez to Triple-A Sacramento and recalled infielder Steve Tolleson and catcher Landon Powell.

A's lock up Brett Anderson through 2015

He's one of baseball's best young pitchers.

And today the A's signed Brett Anderson to an extension that could keep the 22-year-old in Oakland through the 2015 season. The extension is through the 2013 season, but there are club options for both 2014 and 2015.

The first four years are worth $12.5 million while the total deal could reach a maximum of $31 million if Oakland exercises their option in both years.

The 2015 season would have been Anderson's first year of free agency.

"Let's face it, it's not only having him for that length of time, but also, given his talent, it provides us with some cost control," A's general manager Billy Beane said, per MLB.com. "Premium starting pitchers, guys who can pitch in that No. 1 slot, which we think Brett will be doing very shortly, become very expensive very quickly. We think Brett's a pretty unique talent. The more we saw of him and the longer we waited, the more expensive it was going to become. We jumped early."

In his final 17 starts in 2009, Anderson finished with an 8-4 record and 2.96 ERA. So far this year, Anderson has pitched 12 scoreless innings and struck out ten batters.

In the American League, the only young pitcher (under 25 years old) better than Anderson is Seattle's Felix Hernandez. This is a great move for the A's to lock up their future ace at a reasonable cost.

Cards acquire Matt Holliday from A's

The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired Matt Holliday from Oakland Athletics.

In return, the A's receive prospects Brett Wallace, Shane Peterson and Clayton Mortensen from the Cardinals.

Wallace, who was considered the Cardinals' top prospect, was drafted in the first round in 2008.

Before the trade, Holliday was hitting .286 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in Oakland. However, he was starting the hit the ball really well. In his last 10 games in Oakland, Holliday had five multi-hit games collecting 16 hits during that span.

Now he goes to a lineup where he will bat behind Albert Pujols, the world's greatest hitter.

In his first game with the Cardinals, Holliday had four hits in five at bats in the Cards' 8-1 win over the Phillies.

Holliday provides protection for Pujols and helps boost the Cardinals lineup. The Cardinals are 17th in the majors in runs scored (428 runs) and 23rd in batting average (.254).

However, their pitching has been strong as they are fifth in ERA (3.75). Both Chris Carpenter (8-3, 2.26 ERA) and Adam Wainwright (11-6, 2.95 ERA) have sub-3.00 ERAs.

While only 2 1/2 games separate the top four teams in the N.L. Central, this move means the Cardinals should separate themselves from the pack.

Giambi hits 400th career home run

Oakland A's DH Jason Giambi has done something that only 43 players have done before him.

Giambi hit his 400th career home run off Diamondbacks pitcher Dan Haren in today's game.

It was the fourth home run of the year for Giambi.

The Hot Corner, 4/21 edition

Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann is back in the lineup after seeing a specialist about his blurry vision. He was fitted with a contact, but still says: “Lasik surgery is the best thing I ever did.”

Yankees outfielder Xavier Nady won't need season-ending surgery and his rehab is being measured in "weeks" not "months."

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit will have wrist surgery on Thursday and miss 8-10 weeks.

Oakland A's reliever Joey Devine is out for the season (probably more) after having Tommy John surgery.

After their 5-7 start, Texas Rangers' GM Jon Daniels says Ron Washington's job is safe. "Ron's our manager. I read about some of the stuff, but there have been zero discussions internally to the contrary. We believe in this team. We believe in this staff."

Through Monday's game, Houston's Lance Berkman is hitting just above the Mendoza line. So, he's taking in more BP. “Anytime you’re not hitting the ball like you’d like it’s always a good idea to try to figure out what’s going on to try to get some extra swings,” Berkman said.

Doc Gooden's signature on the Ebbets Club wall will be removed kept removed from where it is and placed in a more "public" part of the stadium. The men's room, after all?

''The first three games of the season in Miami was a lot like spring training for him,'' [Marlins manager Fredi] Gonzalez said [of closer Matt Lindstrom]. "He [is getting stronger] and by the end of the month he should be good to go.''

Tom Browning, dead-beat Dad and pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Reds, is out of jail (for missing child support).

Home-plate umpire Kerwin Danley, who was hit in the head with a broken bat, left the Texas-Toronto game on a stretcher.

Doug Waechter was placed on 15-day DL and Brian Bannister was recalled by the Royals.

The rain delays were worth the wait. Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmerman got his first career win.

Last but not least, Bob Feller will be throwing some high heat at the Inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame Classic game in Cooperstown, N.Y. in June. "About 10 miles an hour," he said in a statement. "I'll be throwing just as hard as ever, but the ball probably won't be going quite as fast."

Justin Duchscherer to have elbow surgery

The Oakland A's Justin Duchscherer will have exploratory surgery on his right elbow and start the 2009 season on the disabled list. Duchscherer ended last year on the DL after having hip surgery.

This will be his fifth stint on the DL in the past four years.

Duchscherer, who is in the last year of his contract, may return to the A's bullpen when he's healthy again. But he has no interest in returning to the bullpen.

In 2008, Duchscherer was 10-8 in 22 starts with an ERA of 2.54 and a WHIP of 1.00.