01/14/2002 - Updated 09:07 PM ET

Highly touted prospects changing clubs

• Trade analysis

By Stephen Hawkins, Associated Press

	By Elise Amendola
	Former first-round pick Carlos Pena went from the Rangers to the Athletics.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers general manager John Hart felt he got enough in a six-player trade Monday with the Oakland Athletics to part with top prospect Carlos Pena.

The A's got Pena, a potential replacement at first base for former AL MVP Jason Giambi, and left-handed reliever Mike Venafro. The Rangers took four minor leaguers, including left-handed pitcher Mario Ramos — who will have a chance to make the Texas rotation — and Jason Hart, like Pena a prospect at first base.

Texas also got catcher Gerald Laird and outfielder Ryan Ludwick.

"Looking at the players we gave up for the players we got in return, he was a good one to pull out of our pocket and move on," Hart said of Pena. "To be able to bring in four players with a certain amount of quality and depth at needs, it was a deal that made too much sense."

Ramos was Oakland's minor league player of the year after going 16-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 28 starts last season at Double-A Midland and Triple-A Sacramento. Hart, 24, was Oakland's sixth-round pick in the June 1999 amateur draft.

All of the minor leaguers given up by Oakland were drafted by former As scouting director Grady Fuson, now Texas' assistant GM for scouting and player development. After being interviewed as a GM candidate, Fuson was hired by the Rangers the same day as Hart.

Fuson likens Ramos to Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito — all young Oakland starters who worked their way quickly through the minor leagues.

"This guy is durable, he's deceptive," Fuson said. "From day one, he is a guy that has had a knack for throwing his fastball by people.

The Texas rotation now stands as Chan Ho Park, Kenny Rogers, Doug Davis and Dave Burba.

Ramos will join Steve Woodard — a free agent from Cleveland who on Monday signed a minor league contract with the Rangers — Aaron Myette, Rob Bell and Hideki Irabu for two other spots — a No. 5 starter and a sixth pitcher who will be a long reliever and make spot starts. Hart expects the Rangers to carry 12 pitchers into the season.

Pena, the Rangers' first-round pick in the 1998 amateur draft, made his major league debut at the end of last season, batting .258 with three homers — the first two coming against the As — and 12 RBI in 22 games. He also had four doubles and a triple.

Pena would have been the backup to Rafael Palmeiro had he not been shipped to Oakland. Now, Pena has a chance to be a regular with the Athletics because of Giambi's departure to the New York Yankees.

Palmeiro probably will be backed up by Rusty Greer, Frank Catalanotto and Herbert Perry, all players already on the Texas roster.

Jason Hart isn't expected to ready for the majors for at least another year. He batted .246 with 19 homers and 75 RBI in 133 games for Triple A Sacramento last season.. He struck out 101 times in 492 at-bats and hasn't yet appeared in the majors.

Venafro was 5-5 with a 4.80 ERA in 70 appearances for the Rangers last season. He became expendable with the addition of relievers John Rocker, Jay Powell and Todd Van Poppel, and also was eligible for arbitration after making $310,000 last season, his third with the Rangers.

Ludwick, 23, spent most of 2001 at Double A Midland, batting .269 with 25 homers and 96 RBI in 119 games. Laird, 22, hit .255 with five homers and 46 homers in 199 games at Class A Modesto.

The Rangers also announced the hiring of Tim Ireland as manager of Tulsa, their Double A team in the Texas League.

Trade analysis

By Rod Beaton, USA TODAY

When the Oakland A's said they'd replace departed free agent first baseman Jason Giambi with imported catcher Scott Hatteburg, baseball people scoffed.

When the Texas Rangers tried to say they had quality arms to fill out the rotation after $71 million ace Chan Ho Park (i.e. Dave Burba, Doug Davis, Kenny Rogers, etc.), baseball people scoffed.

The A's went for a much better bat in a trade with Texas Monday. The Rangers got the best arm in the deal.

The trade: Oakland sends 1B Jason Hart, LHP Mario Ramos, C Gerald Laird and OF Ryan Ludwick to Texas for 1B Carlos Pena and LHP Mike Venafro.

The numbers:

Hart, 24, hit .246 with 19 home runs and 75 RBI in Class AAA.

Ramos, 24, was 8-3 with a 3.14 ERA in AAA.

Ludwick, 23, hit .269, 25 HR, 96 RBI in AA.

Laird, 22, hit .255, 5 HR, 46 RBI in A.

Pena, 23, hit .258, 3 HR, 12 RBI in 22 games with the Rangers.

Venafro, 28, was 5-5 with a 4.80 ERA and four saves with Rangers.

Implications: Hart probably goes back to AAA to wait to someday succeed Rafael Palmiero.. .. Ramos throws hard for his size (5-11) and was tabbed as next in long line of A's starters with star potential. He should move right into the Texas rotation.. . . Laird and Ludwick were second-round picks in 1999.. . Ludwick has 54 homers in his two full seasons in minors.. .. Pena, probably the best prospect in the deal, succeeds Jason Giambi.. .. Venafro is useful against left-handed hitters.. .. Ludwick can play center, backing Rangers import Carl Everett, so now the pitching-poor Rangers will sift offers from Orioles, Mets, Cards, Rockies, Dodgers and Angels for CF Gabe Kapler, asking about Sidney Ponson, Jason Johnson, Bruce Chen, Glendon Rusch, Eric Gagne or anyone else who can pitch effectively.