Read More: Gio Gonzalez (P – WAS), Derek Norris (C – OAK), Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced Friday that their reported trade with the Oakland Athletics is official.

In a press release, the team confirmed it has acquired left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez and minor-league pitcher Robert Gilliam in exchange for four prospects, catcher Derek Norris, and pitchers A.J. Cole, Brad Peacock and Tommy Milone.

“We could not be more pleased to add lefthander Gio Gonzalez to our club,” general manager Mike Rizzo said in the press release. “Gio is a front-line starter with glowing credentials, the vast majority of which were achieved before his 26th birthday. Gio’s presence bolsters the top portion of our rotation with yet another power arm to compete in the rugged National League East.”

Gilliam, excluded by most reports of the deal, is a 24-year old righty selected by the A’s in the 8th round of the 2009 amateur draft. He was 12-7 with a 5.04 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 28 starts for High-A Stockton this past season. He’ll join Gonzalez, the centerpiece of the deal, in joining the Nationals organization.

Gonzalez, 26, was 16-12 with a 3.12 ERA and 197 strikeouts for Oakland in 2011.

For more on all things Nationals baseball please check out Federal Baseball, SB Nation’s Washington Nationals blog.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — All-Star pitcher Gio Gonzalez said Thursday the Oakland Athletics have agreed to trade him to the Washington Nationals, and the deal is nearly finished.

“It’s 99 percent done,” Gonzalez said in a phone interview. “It’s pending a physical and I’m just waiting to hear from my agent.”

ESPN.com first reported the swap Thursday.

A person with knowledge of the deal said Oakland will receive four players, including three top prospects: right-handers A.J. Cole and Brad Peacock, lefty Tom Milone and catcher Derek Norris. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday night because the trade hadn’t been finalized, also said the Nationals would receive minor league right-hander Rob Gilliam from the A’s.

Gonzalez has been the subject of trade talk all offseason. Earlier this month, the A’s traded fellow top-tier starter Trevor Cahill to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 26-year-old Gonzalez, drafted 38th overall by the Chicago White Sox in 2004, confirmed the trade to The Associated Press on Thursday. He went 16-12 last season – a career high for wins after he earned 15 victories in 2010 — with a 3.12 ERA in 32 starts and was selected to his first All-Star game. The left-hander has reached 200 innings the past two seasons.

“I love Oakland and appreciate them because they gave me a chance,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez would give the Nationals the reliable starter they’ve been seeking for two years to go along with young arms Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. General manager Mike Rizzo made it a top priority last offseason to land another talented pitcher, and came through this time.

“I think we’re an outfield bat away and a starting pitcher away from really being a contender in the division,” he said late in the 2011 season.

Gonzalez was a big reason Oakland led the AL in ERA (3.56) and shutouts (17) in 2010 while holding opponents to a .245 batting average.

The Nationals went 80-81 this year to improve to third in the NL East after three straight last-place finishes in the five-team division.

A’s general manager Billy Beane is in rebuilding mode, stockpiling talent in the farm system with the hopes of the franchise getting the go ahead to build a new ballpark some 40 miles south in San Jose despite the San Francisco Giants owning the territorial rights to technology-rich Santa Clara County. Beane and owner Lew Wolff have said they expect to hear soon from Commissioner Bud Selig – and Beane said the unsettled stadium situation would affect him being able to sign free agents this winter.

The A’s (74-88) haven’t posted a winning record or earned a playoff berth since being swept in the 2006 AL championship series by Detroit.

Beane also sent reliever Craig Breslow to the defending NL West champion Diamondbacks this month. That came after reliever Brad Ziegler was traded to Arizona in July. The A’s appear to still be open to trading All-Star closer Andrew Bailey.

Peacock made his major league debut in September, pitching in three games with two starts — winning them both — to go 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA.

Milone also was a September call-up who made his debut in the big leagues. He went 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in five starts. Milone was promoted after striking out 155 batters with just 16 walks this year at Triple-A Syracuse.

Norris has good power for a catcher. He hit 20 home runs for Double-A Harrisburg.

The 19-year-old Cole went 4-7 with a 4.04 ERA last season at Class-A Hagerstown.

Gilliam, the A’s eighth-round pick in 2009, went 12-7 with a 5.04 ERA and 156 strikeouts for Class-A Vancouver this year.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (UPI) — The Oakland Athletics agreed to send left-hander Gio Gonzalez to Washington Thursday in exchange for four of the Nationals’ top prospects.

MLB.com reported the teams had completed the deal, although Gonzalez must pass a physical before the trade can become final.

Gonzalez was the ace of the Oakland staff last year, going 16-12 in 32 starts with an ERA of 3.12.

He will join a rotation in Washington that includes Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann.

Washington traded away pitching prospects Brad Peacock, Tommy Milone and A.J. Cole along with catching prospect Derek Norris.

Peacock went 15-3 last year for Class AA Harrisburg and Class AAA Syracuse. Milone was 12-6 in Syracuse.

All-Star pitcher Gio Gonzalez said Thursday the Oakland
Athletics have agreed to trade him to the Washington Nationals, and
the deal is nearly finished.

“It’s 99 percent done,” Gonzalez said in a phone interview.
“It’s pending a physical and I’m just waiting to hear from my
agent.”

ESPN.com first reported the swap Thursday.

A person with knowledge of the deal said Oakland will receive
four players, including three top prospects: right-handers A.J.
Cole and Brad Peacock, lefty Tom Milone and catcher Derek Norris.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday night
because the trade hadn’t been finalized, also said the Nationals
would receive minor league right-hander Rob Gilliam from the
A’s.

Gonzalez has been the subject of trade talk all offseason.
Earlier this month, the A’s traded fellow top-tier starter Trevor
Cahill to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 26-year-old Gonzalez, drafted 38th overall by the Chicago
White Sox in 2004, confirmed the trade to The Associated Press on
Thursday. He went 16-12 last season _ a career high for wins after
he earned 15 victories in 2010 _ with a 3.12 ERA in 32 starts and
was selected to his first All-Star game. The left-hander has
reached 200 innings the past two seasons.

“I love Oakland and appreciate them because they gave me a
chance,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez would give the Nationals the reliable starter they’ve
been seeking for two years to go along with young arms Stephen
Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. General manager Mike Rizzo made it
a top priority last offseason to land another talented pitcher, and
came through this time.

“I think we’re an outfield bat away and a starting pitcher away
from really being a contender in the division,” he said late in the
2011 season.

Gonzalez was a big reason Oakland led the AL in ERA (3.56) and
shutouts (17) in 2010 while holding opponents to a .245 batting
average.

The Nationals went 80-81 this year to improve to third in the NL
East after three straight last-place finishes in the five-team
division.

A’s general manager Billy Beane is in rebuilding mode,
stockpiling talent in the farm system with the hopes of the
franchise getting the go ahead to build a new ballpark some 40
miles south in San Jose despite the San Francisco Giants owning the
territorial rights to technology-rich Santa Clara County. Beane and
owner Lew Wolff have said they expect to hear soon from
Commissioner Bud Selig _ and Beane said the unsettled stadium
situation would affect him being able to sign free agents this
winter.

The A’s (74-88) haven’t posted a winning record or earned a
playoff berth since being swept in the 2006 AL championship series
by Detroit.

Beane also sent reliever Craig Breslow to the defending NL West
champion Diamondbacks this month. That came after reliever Brad
Ziegler was traded to Arizona in July. The A’s appear to still be
open to trading All-Star closer Andrew Bailey.

Peacock made his major league debut in September, pitching in
three games with two starts _ winning them both _ to go 2-0 with a
0.75 ERA.

Milone also was a September call-up who made his debut in the
big leagues. He went 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA in five starts. Milone was
promoted after striking out 155 batters with just 16 walks this
year at Triple-A Syracuse.

Norris has good power for a catcher. He hit 20 home runs for
Double-A Harrisburg.

The 19-year-old Cole went 4-7 with a 4.04 ERA last season at
Class-A Hagerstown.

Gilliam, the A’s eighth-round pick in 2009, went 12-7 with a
5.04 ERA and 156 strikeouts for Class-A Vancouver this year.

____

AP Sports Writer Joseph White in Washington contributed to this
report.

Read More: Dallas Braden (P – OAK), Brandon McCarthy (P – OAK), Ryan Sweeney (RF – OAK), Joey Devine (P – OAK), Daric Barton (1B – OAK), Landon Powell (C – OAK), Adam Rosales (2B – OAK), Gio Gonzalez (P – OAK), Andrew Bailey (P – OAK), Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics made a handful of moves on Monday that gives a solid idea as to what the 2012 team is shaping up to look like.

According to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland has signed first baseman Daric Barton, utility player Adam Rosales and catcher Landon Powell to one-year contracts. Barton has been with A’s since his MLB debut in 2007 and is a career .252 hitter. Rosales came to Oakland in 2010 and has put up a .237/.290/.361 line over two seasons with the club. Powell has been with the Athletics since his MLB debut in 2009 and famously caught Dallas Braden’s perfect game in 2010.

On the arbitration front, Shea also reports that all six of Oakland’s arbitration-eligible players have been tendered contracts. These players are All-Star pitcher Gio Gonzalez, starters Dallas Braden and Brandon McCarthy, relievers Joey Devine and Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.

The bulk of Oakland’s pitching staff now appears to be set for next season, although the trade talks surrounding Gonzalez are beginning to heat up.

For all news and information regarding Oakland baseball, please visit Athletics Nation.

When the Oakland Athletics arrive in Dallas on Monday for the start of Major League Baseball’s annual winter meetings, there will be much anticipation surrounding which cornerstone players they might deal.

General manager Billy Beane is beginning another rebuilding phase, and it’s been widely reported that he’s discussed trades involving two-time All-Star closer Andrew Bailey and left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez, the team’s lone All-Star in 2011.

“I think we’re definitely going to be open-minded,” Beane said. “We’re going to be somewhat all ears. I don’t think we’ve made a commitment to (trading veterans), but I think we have to be open-minded on anything.”

He wouldn’t confirm whether he’s willing to part with Gonzalez or Bailey, but his refusal to deny it speaks volumes.

With the A’s anticipating word from baseball commissioner Bud Selig on whether they can build a new ballpark in San Jose – speculation is that a decision could come in January – Beane’s plan is to restock with young players, thinking they would be ready to flourish once a new ballpark is opened, whenever that may be.

“That’s the word on the street, that the A’s are going to go young and maybe add to the minor league system as well as add at the major league level – go young and (cost) controllable,” said one major league scout who requested anonymity.

A’s fans are familiar with this storyline.

Following the 2007 season, Oakland dealt All-Star pitcher Dan Haren and fan-favorite first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher, netting the A’s nine prospects. Trades of veteran pitchers Rich Harden and Joe Blanton followed, bringing more prospects.

Among the players obtained in those trades were Gonzalez, a top-of-the-rotation starter; Ryan Sweeney, a serviceable outfielder; and Fautino De Los Santos, a hard-throwing reliever who projects as a potential closer.

Other prospects obtained have yet to bring a return.

First baseman Chris Carter has a .167 batting average with 41 strikeouts in 39 major league games.

Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was included in a November 2008 trade with Colorado that brought Matt Holliday to Oakland. Gonzalez has since won a batting title with the Rockies.

The A’s dealt Holliday to St. Louis in July 2009 for a package that included first baseman Brett Wallace, who was eventually flipped for outfielder Michael Taylor.

Taylor, like Carter, has yet to become the impact hitter the A’s envisioned.

The jury remains out on left-hander Brett Anderson – received in the Haren trade – who has made just 62 starts in three seasons because of elbow problems. Anderson is recovering from Tommy John surgery and figures to miss much of 2012.

Pulling the trigger on a deal is one thing. Scoring with the players you get is another.