The Oakland Athletics entered the offseason expecting to lose most of their free agents, and one more is just about out the door. A week after declining arbitration from the A's, outfielder Josh Willingham is reportedly close to an agreement with the Minnesota Twins. Willingham has been linked to the Rockies and Indians as well and reports indicate he will make a decision within the next 48 hours.
While the A's will not receive a pick directly from the Twins, they will still receive some compensation for the loss. As the team looks to build for its eventual new home somewhere, draft picks will be essential to building up a core for this team.
The A's outfield will have plenty of room for competition with Willingham soon to join David DeJesus on the road elsewhere. Add in an eventually departing Coco Crisp and you have three spots open for young players. The A's added outfielder Collin Cowgill in the Trevor Cahill-Jarrod Parker trade and he will likely immediately compete for one of those three spots.
For more discussion on what will continue to be a busy offseason for the A's, check out Athletics Nation.