Jerry Blevins was sent to Sacramento today for righty Trystan Magnuson. Blevins had not performed well to date (5.10 SIERA, driven largely by an astounding 7.9 walks per nine -- and he hasn't been getting squeezed), but he's also not been the worst pitcher in the pen, those honors going to Craig Breslow, with his 5.59 SIERA. I think Breslow is out of options, though, so between two struggling lefties, Blevins was going to be the guy picked to go straighten things out in AAA. (I'm not saying it makes sense, but that's how these things roll. Lawyer ball.)

As big as Blevins (6'6") is, Magnuson actually raises the pitching staff's average height, coming in at 6'7". The northpaw has not yet pitched in the majors, but has done well as a decent ground-ball (52% and 47% the last two seasons; three homers in 135 innings) guy with potentially excellent control (ten walks in 73 innings last year at AA, though he had a 3.9 BB/9 before that, and he's walked nine in 17 innings this year, so 2010 may have been a fluke). PECOTA has him coming in just a hair below replacement level at -0.2 WARP. (Blevins's weighted mean projection is that same hair above replacement.)

I'd say more, but my prospect guides are at home, and I'm sorry to say that I have not memorized the scouting report on every 26-year-old relief pitcher in the A's system.

These being more or less replacement level relief pitchers, though, I hope we're all in agreement that this is worth a shrug of the shoulders at best.