You don't often see a player with a sub-two ERA who throws 94-mph from the left side get released. Unless that player requests the release himself. That's exactly what happened with A's prospect Erick Threets who requested and was granted his release by the A's on Saturday. Threets, 30, had a 1.84 ERA this season in 34 games with the River Cats. He had 31 strikeouts and 19 walks. It is common for players this time of the season to ask for their release in order to latch on with a team that might give them a better chance to make it to the majors.Threets is a native of the Bay Area and attended Granada High School in Livermore before going to Modesto Junior College. He was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 7th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft. Threets appeared in 10 games for the Giants from 2007-2008, and 11 games with the White Sox in 2010. In the 2010 season he underwent "Tommy John" surgery and missed the entire 2011 season. Teams will now have the option to sign Threets to a minor league contract, much like the A's just did on Friday with reliever Chris Ray, who asked for his release from the Indians organization last week. The A's signing of Ray, who has 51 career saves, should help provide bullpen depth in the absence of Threets and Brian Fuentes -- who was released by the A's and signed by the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.
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