--OF Garret Anderson might have been a free agent option for the A's as the team looked to add another bat to the American League's worst offense, but Oakland signed DH/1B Jason Giambi instead. Anderson, 36, won't be re-signed by his longtime club, the Angels, according to Angels general manager Tony Reagins.

--DH Jason Giambi is back with the Oakland Athletics after agreeing to a one-year, $5.25 million contract. Giambi, 38, is expected to play mostly at DH but can spell regular 1B Daric Barton at times. The A's also hold a $6.5 million option for 2010 with a $1.25 million buyout. Giambi made his major-league debut with the A's in 1995, and previously played with the team through the 2001 season before leaving as a free agent for the New York Yankees.

--OF Matt Murton, acquired in the Rich Harden deal with the Cubs in July, played 15 games with Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League and batted .321 with two homers, seven RBIs and nine runs. However, Murton also struck out 19 times while walking 12 times. Murton, 27, failed to win a big-league job with the A's after a brief stint in which he went 3-for-30.

--OF Rajai Davis, who won a reserve job with Oakland last season after being claimed on waivers from the Giants, batted .286 in 15 games in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason. He hit two home runs, drove in four runs, scored 11 and stole seven bases. Davis, 28, has a good shot at a bench job with the A's again. He stole 25 bases in 31 attempts with Oakland.

BY THE NUMBERS: 88 -- Oakland's stolen base total in 2008, 36 more than the previous season. The A's could emphasize team s even more in 2009.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think Garret is very comfortable with the AL West. I think (the A's) are a club he's very familiar with." -- Agent Scott Boras in the Contra Costa Times, speaking about Garret Anderson as a possible fit for Oakland.