Ellis is batting just .211 for the A's. (Getty)
With second baseman Freddy Sanchez likely lost for the rest of the season, the San Francisco Giants are fielding offers from a variety of teams to fill the gaping hole created when Sanchez dislocated his shoulder last week in a game.One name that's come up recently is Oakland A's infielder Mark Ellis.
Ellis is on the 15-day disabled list himself right now with a pulled hamstring, but he's set to return soon. He's batting .211/.245/.287 (0.533 OPS) with just one home run and 15 runs batted in. His best season came in 2007, when the right-hander (who's 3-year, $16.5 million deal expires at the end of this season) hit .276 with 19 HR and 76 RBI. His defense has been superb as evidenced by his league-leading 5.36 range factor per game rate (9*putouts + assists/innings played) at second base this season.
In the meantime, the A's have been using 24-year old prospect Jemile Weeks, who was brought up from Triple-A Sacramento to take Ellis' spot on the active roster.
The former Rivercat has played so well in Ellis' absence that the Athletics may find Ellis, 34, expendable.
It's important to note that neither team's general manager (Oakland's Billy Beane or SF's Brian Sabean) has ever consummated a trade with the other.
For the time being, the Giants are relying on Emmanuel Burriss and Bill Hall (who was signed last week) at second base. Mike Fontenot is still a couple weeks away from returning from a groin injury.
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