A's exercise option on P Balfour, decline option on SS Drew
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The Oakland Athletics exercised the 2013 contract option on pitcher Grant Balfour and declined the option on shortstop Stephen Drew Monday.
Balfour went 3-2 with a 2.53 earned run average and 24 saves in 75 appearances for Oakland last season.
The 34-year-old right-hander has a 27-14 record with a 3.38 ERA and 34 saves over 398 career appearances (one start) with the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and A's.
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Drew, 29, hit .250 with five home runs and 16 RBI through 39 games last year.
He is a career .265 hitter with 181 doubles, 77 homers, 349 RBI and 414 runs scored over 812 games between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Athletics.