Third base first priority for A's

MLB.com spoke with A's general manager Billy Beane on Thursday morning, right before he and assistant GM David Forst hopped a plane for a scouting mission in the Dominican Republic, extending a busy week that started with the annual GM meetings in Chicago.

In the midst of a rebuilding phase that focused on their pack of talented young starting pitchers in 2009, the A's are extremely pleased with the rotation they figure to return in 2010 -- with or without right-hander Justin Duchscher, a free agent who missed the 2009 season with injuries and clinical depression but is amenable to re-signing with Oakland under the right circumstances.

Oakland's brass has been in contact with Duchcherer's agent, but several teams have expressed interest in the two-time All-Star, who was a reliever until 2008 and has a strong desire to remain a starter.

Beane told MLB.com last week that "right now, patience is the plan" in regards to offseason moves, but solidifying his team's situation at third base is a definite priority.

Six-time Gold Glove winner Eric Chavez is coming off his second back surgery and hopes to be ready to man the hot corner next year, and one of Oakland's top hitting prospects, Brett Wallace, also is a third baseman. But the A's can't assume either will be ready for Opening Day and are looking at re-signing veteran free-agent infielder Adam Kennedy as something of an insurance policy.

If Chavez and Wallace aren't ready early in the year, Kennedy could play third base -- he spent most of the second half of 2009 there -- until one of them is. Kennedy, a second baseman by trade, also could serve as the club's super utilityman. He's expressed interest in returning, and the A's have spoken to his representation as well.

Don't expect the A's to make a huge splash this offseason. A number of young position players are close to being ready for the big leagues, and while Beane has plenty of organizational depth to pull off a trade, the team seems to like what it has in-house.

A number of names have been thrown out in connection with Oakland's need at third base, most notably former A's star Miguel Tejada, but the prospects of Beane brining in big-name free agents are slim at best.

--Mychael Urban