Collegiate Times

CHICAGO ? Dumping yet another big salary, the Oakland Athletics traded closer Billy Koch to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in a six-player trade.

In exchange for Koch and two minor leaguers, the Athletics will get White Sox closer Keith Foulke, catcher Mark Johnson and minor league right-hander Joe Valentine.
Koch went 11-4 with 44 saves last season, appearing in an AL-high 84 games. Only Minnesota?s Eddie Guardado had more saves in the AL, with 45.

Once again, the small-market A?s are trying to pare their payroll by dumping some of their big names. A year after allowing Jason Giambi to sign with the New York Yankees as a free agent, Oakland has already traded right-hander Corey Lidle.
Koch had a $2.35 million base salary this season and made $150,000 in performance bonuses.

He?s eligible for salary arbitration this year, and his salary is likely to double.
The A?s are picking up another big paycheck with Foulke. The right-hander is due $6 million next season, the final year of a $10 million, two-year contract. He?s eligible for free agency after next season.

Foulke saved a career-high 42 games in 2001 and ranks third on the White Sox saves list. But he struggled last season, losing his closer role midway through the year.
He went from June 27 to Sept. 17 without a save and finished with only 11. He was 2-4 with a 2.90 ERA.

Johnson had a career-high .994 fielding percentage in 86 games last year. The White Sox are expecting big things from rookie Miguel Olivo.
Though Olivo played in just six games, it was enough to show his savvy behind and at the plate. In his first major league at-bat, he hit a three-run homer off Andy Pettitte on Sunday in his first at-bat.

Olivo didn?t commit any errors in his six games and threw out the only runner who tried to steal on him.