WEDNESDAY: The extensions will have option years, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
TUESDAY: Not much is certain when it comes to the future of the Athletics, but their leadership team will remain in place long-term. Owner Lew Wolff said today that GM Billy Beane and president Michael Crowley have agreed to extensions through the 2019 season, Jon Erlichman and Rob Gloster of Bloomberg News report. Beane told Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.com that reports of a deal are a bit premature (Twitter link), but Wolff expects Beane and Crowley to sign within 30 days.
Beane became the team's GM after the 1997 season and Crowley became team president one year later. They face a problematic stadium situation in Oakland and the club may move to San Jose in the relatively near future. Both Beane and Crowley have ownership stakes in the Athletics and Wolff is the club's managing partner.
The Athletics have made five playoff appearances under Beane, who has been with the team longer than any other American League GM. Beane was recently portrayed on the big screen by Brad Pitt in Moneyball. He last constructed a playoff team in 2006, when Oakland made it to the ALCS.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
I can’t wait to see the movie about this.
“If I sign this extension… it’ll have changed the game.”
Stadium decision coming?
You beat me to it.. Don’t they mean Brad Pitt.
Sure. Yeah. Okay.
I’m assuming this means they’re going to San Jose?
And they’ll remain mediocre through 2019. I respect everyone’s opinion of him, but I think he is incredibly overrated.
Please explain. He has a shoestring payroll and it’s extremely hard to land big time hitter because of that park. He’s done a great job. Didn’t you watch Moneyball?!?
true baseball fans ‘read’ Moneyball
True fans do both.
Which is what I did
Like because your username is “DR ZEVIA” and Dr. Zevia is awesome!
Gladly. He has won ONE playoff series since he took over in 1997. He did that because of Zito, Mulder, and Hudson. It’s not fair to say “oh, look at what he has done with that payroll.” He hasn’t competed in a long time. Clear as day. Teams with low payrolls have competed during this time. (Rays, Marlins, Twins). The A’s have not. Look at how badly he got hosed in the Matt Holliday trade. In the end after it all played out he ended up giving up Matt Holliday, Huston Street, Carlos Gonzalez, Brett Wallace for Michael Taylor. Follow the line of the trade. You’ll see it. It wasn’t the only time he has gotten hosed in a deal either. Look at what he got for Tim Hudson. Not to mention, here is a list of his first round draft picks baseball-reference.com/draft/?query_type=franch_ro…; … Swisher did most of his damage elsewhere. This can go on and on.
I see two rookie of the year guys and a Cy Young award winner on that list of first rounders.
but you hve to admit..he does get some crppy returns most of the time and the holiday saga was a nightmare
Rarely are the A’s trading for talent. They’re trading to dump payroll. The returns are usually Minor Leaguers who don’t cost the big club money. The A’s obviously want to move to San Jose and are doing everything they can to tank it in Oakland to make that happen.
Then why did they trade for Holliday to begin with? Did they “dump” payroll when they gave up Carlos Gonzalez?
You just used Bobby Crosby to defend your argument. I’m just letting you know. Not to mention, he had an average at best rookie year when he won Rookie of the Year. Look at his competition for the award. What has he done since say.. 2002 other than Street (who he couldn’t wait to get rid of)? Anyone on there of ANY significance?
I agree with you that Beane is overrated, but Zito was the only one of the big three left on the 2006 team that went to the ALCS. The reason that team went as far as it did was mainly because of Frank Thomas, which is certainly one of the best low-risk free agent signings a GM has ever made.
What makes him overrated? Considering what he has done with his payroll I would say he has done a great job.
Well look at some of the facts. His team has only made the playoffs 5 times in 15 seasons and have not made the playoffs since 2006, and they play what is fair to say the least toughest division to win in baseball (until it gets 5 teams next year). His A’s have won a grand total of One playoff series, and they did not win a game in the ALCS when they made it there. Yes he runs a small market team but there are many other small market teams who have made the playoffs at least once over the years And have won a playoff series and WS. Your Braves are a good example. The only American League teams to not win a playoff series since Beane became GM are the Royals and Blue Jays. Well the O’s made the playoffs in 97 and he became GM in October 97 so I suppose you can include the O’s
I have to disagree with you saying he’s done a great job. I will say he’s done a good job, but not a great job. It was more so of a great job in the early 00’s to mid 00’s. Since then the A’s have been a medicore ball club with not a single winning season.
And if you are going to ask would I take him over Cashman, it’s something I cannot answer. Cashman is not a great GM but he’s not a bad GM either. Personally, I think comparing Big GM’s and Small GM’s is apples to oranges. You might not have a payroll limit, but there is a player limit. Beane would not run NY the same way he runs Oakland, same for Cashman the other way. So unless 1 is to switch teams, we have no idea how those 2 would do with a bigger or smaller market club. Both have made great moves for their ballclubs, but both have made pretty bad moves (as has nearly every GM)
In the end, Beane is definitely one of the top GM’s in the game, but to say he is the best ( I know that’s not what you said but I’m talking to those that think that) I think is a bit of a stretch.
Again, don’t take this post as a knock on Beane.
Nice
His team has only made the playoffs 5 times in the past 15 years? Doesn’t 5 times in the past 11 years sound better? He did start his tenure with a complete rebuild in 1996 (Trading McGuire, etc). Beane is a Top 5 GM and should continue to keep his job in Oakland.
Obviously you didn’t read my comment which happened to be later on though so I’m not faulting you, when I said form 97-06 he was without a doubt the best GM in baseball. Since then though his team has fallen apart every year. Is it his full responsibility? Of course not. But without question a GM has some responsibility due to that.
Long live Moneyball!
Moneyball II- how to beat the salary floor.
Beane’s moneyball stragity hasn’t done enough for the A’s that it deserves this kind of extension. Weird.
The problem is that now every team has adopted it. So once again, the payroll is the Athletics’ downfall.
who could they add better than beane. this is a vote of confidence. plus wolff likes beane for not jumping ship. a lot of people in power like to keep people they know are loyal. how hard is it to believe this situation is any different.
Are you kidding? He’s done phenomenal with the payroll he’s had to work with. Definitely deserving of an extension… not sure about one through 2019 though. Seems a tad bit long.
Also its strategy. A strategy he had to work with considering cheap ownership.
Right now frustrated A’s fans all over the US are saying NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I’m a frustrated A’s fan, and I’m not saying that… I like Beane, i think he knows what he’s doing and after they get a new stadium things will change. Nobody wants to go to oakland, no reason to spend money on second rate players, or make offers to guys using oakland to drive up their asking price.
as one of those frustrated a’s fans….you’re completely wrong
a’s fans who’ve been fans since two years ago maybe saying that….or “fans” who don’t actually know anything about the a’s and are extremely impatient
couldn’t agree more… i remember when we made the playoffs quite a bit 5-10 years ago, can’t rebuild the pyramids overnight…. i’m just ready to get out of the dumpO.co stadium.
Are there A’s fans “all over the US?”
Joking aside, I think Billy Beane’s done a good job. While he’s very over rated, he also has probably the 1st or 2nd worst situation in baseball in terms of revenue/budget space. He’s stuck with that franchise through the bad times and if they are indeed moving to San Jose, he deserves a chance to rebuild them.
in little underground pockets, kinda like underground resistance, they don’t want their identity given away
sweet! most innovating gm. If he were to become a majority owner (obviously probably won’t happen), i swear he’d be the next connie mack
I don’t understand this at all, Beane changes his mind every offseason, either they try to get to the Cap floor, or there spending/trading for big players.
I am not trying to be a troll or anything, but I don’t understand why they extended him for so long, over the last 2-3 years he hasn’t done enough to impress me. Other than being the main characters from one of my favourite movies of last year.
good..give him a chance to finish what he started
This came out of nowhere.
Jemile Weeks, Kurt Suzuki, Jarrod parker will all be traded with in 3 years
hopefully zooks is traded before that, aka this year, but otherwise, you’re wrong
Changing the game by finding new methods of being irrelevant.
Beane’s not only going to San Jose, He’s going to Disneyland!
Then he and his family will be going to Itchy and Scratchy Land for more fun and excitement. For he has reached the “Promised Land”! It’s time to celebrate.
Then he is going to Euro Itchy and Scratchy Land. “Ello? Itchy & Scratchy Land, open for business! Who are you to resist it, huh? Come on, my last paycheck bounced! My children need wine!”
hopefully the next news for the a’s: Soler to sign
Easy to live up to expectations when there are none.
Even when the A’s were winning over 100 games a year, they barely cracked 2 million in attendance (THANKS IN PART TO $2 WEDNESDAY GAMES LOL)! I’m not mad at them for not wanting to lose money each year. This viscous cycle will never end without a new stadium.
that is nice
“frank and beanes, frank and beanes”….
are you seriously referencing the office?
Brad Pitt has been signed to a 12-year extension for over $115 to star in the next four Moneyball sequels, according to multiple sources.
I’m not really mad at this move, with thepayroll constraints that the A’s have other gm’s wouldn’t be doing much better. I say we let beane finish what he has started.
I wish Brad Pitt played me in a movie
The A have not produced a player from their system who is middle of the lineup hitter since Nick Swisher. Their player development needs to be better for them to succeed regardless whether they get a new stadium or not.
The A have not produced a player from their system who is middle of the lineup hitter since Nick Swisher. Their player development needs to be better for them to succeed regardless whether they get a new stadium or not.
whenever i see the name billy beane, i just see brad pitt
I’m just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle I don’t where to go can’t do it alone I’ve tried And I don’t know why
Pretty sure Beane will take at least 1 option year into 2020. Maybe by 2020, the A’s will start seeing things better.