According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, the Marlins aren't convinced the Athletics are willing to part with Gio Gonzalez. The Marlins are willing to part with prospects and big-league talent in order to upgrade their rotation this winter, but the Athletics will ask for a huge return since Gonzalez is under team control through 2015. Miami doesn't have much in the way of top prospects, so any deal would likely need to be centered around Logan Morrison.

The Marlins could be interested in trading for Gio Gonzalez, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. Starting pitching remains a high priority for the Marlins and Gonzalez is the type of high-profile acquisition that the front office has been seeking this offseason. Logan Morrison has been linked as a possible trading chip and would fit the mold of offensive talent the A's are interested in, but there are no indications that he is going to be shopped this winter. Gonzalez is a Super Two qualifier, meaning he's arbitration eligible and expected to see an increase in salary.

ESPN's Jason Churchill speculates that Oakland could shop Gio Gonzalez in exchange for some offense this winter. The news should be taken with a grain of salt, as Gonzalez is coming off a season in which he finished ninth in the American League with 197 strikeouts and fourth in strikeouts per nine innings. If they A's were to sell high on his value, it would largely be due to the fact that he's arbitration eligible as a Super Two qualifier. The Rockies and Marlins are currently being thrown around as landing spots, with Logan Morrison being linked as a possible trading chip. Morrison fell out of favor with the Marlins last month when he filed grievance for what he believed was a wrongful demotion.

According to Jane Lee of MLB.com, the Athletics have made Red Sox pitching coach Curt Young their "top target" in the search for a new pitching coach. The A's are currently conducting a search after firing Ron Romanick following the season. Young was Oakland's pitching coach for seven years before leaving for Boston last offseason. He still has one year left on his contract, but there was already speculation that the Red Sox would not retain him for 2012. Lee writes that Young is expected to be "reeled back to the Bay Area by the end of the month."

ESPN's Buster Olney reports the Reds denied Oakland permission to interview pitching coach Bryan Price, who has one year left on his multi-year contract. Prior to joining the Reds, Price was the pitching coach for the Diamondbacks from 2006-2009, where he resigned after the firing of manager Bob Melvin who currently manages the Athletics. Given their history it would have been a nice fit had the Reds been willing to lose Price. The A's will now be forced to look elsewhere in filling the void left by Ron Romanick.

Gio Gonzalez dominated the hapless Mariners in Wednesday's season finale, allowing just two hits in eight scoreless innings while striking out 11 in a 2-0 A's victory. The 11 punchouts were a season high for Gonzalez, who surprisingly registered just two double-digit strikeout efforts this season. He did manage to fan a career high 197 batters in a career high 202 innings, however, and finished his year strong (0.81 ERA in 22 1/3 innings over his final three starts) after swooning badly in August and early September. For the season, he'll end with a 3.12 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. He should take another step forward in 2012.

Gio Gonzalez pitched 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball for a victory Friday against the Angels. A Torii Hunter homer in the seventh gave the Angels their only run in a 3-1 loss. Gonzalez allowed just two other hits in winning for the sixth time in seven starts. It seemed improbable six weeks ago, but he's reached 15 wins for the second straight season.

The Athletics and manager Bob Melvin have agreed to a three-year contract through the 2014 season. The new deal effectively removes the interim tag from Melvin, who was brought on after Bob Geren was fired in June. The Athletics enter play Wednesday at 42-49 with Melvin as skipper.

Gio Gonzalez hurled seven innings of one-run ball in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Tigers. Gonzalez gave up eight hits (all singles) while fanning four and walking a pair. The only run scored on a sacrifice fly by Jhonny Peralta in the top of the sixth inning. He has now won five out of his last six starts to improve to 14-12 on the season. He'll carry a 3.33 ERA into a start against the Angels next week.

Gio Gonzalez allowed two runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings on Monday, improving to 13-12 in Oakland's 6-3 win over the Angels. Gonzalez struck out six, giving him a new career high of 177 on the season. The outing lowers his post All-Star break ERA from 5.25 to an even 5.00. He'll get the red-hot Tigers at home this weekend.