Email a copy of 'Offseason Outlook: Oakland Athletics' to a friend
Loading ...
By Steve Adams | at
Email a copy of 'Offseason Outlook: Oakland Athletics' to a friend
MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com
hide arrows scroll to top
agureghian
Oakland A’s 2014 off-season to do list:
1. get a new owner.
Jason Champion
Truth!
liberalconservative
the A’s have the same team as last year minus Lowrie and Cespedes. Go bring in another bat and they will be fine.
$3513744
until the playoffs
liberalconservative
A healthy catcher and the A’s beat KC easily. Injuries cost the A’s the playoffs this year but remember both WC teams went to the series not the teams with the most wins.
Seamaholic
Dude, they were the worst team in baseball for like two months. When it counted the most. They backed into the playoffs and probably won’t again.
oh Hal
I wonder who had a worse two month record, the A’s or Brewers. That description sounds like the Brewers, well except for the playoff part.
vtadave
“Easily”?
Dock_Elvis
The Royals led MLB in steals…those bases likely get swiped anyway. I’ll give you this much though…a healthy catcher..let’s say Johnny Bench standing on the mound aiming at second with a bazooka…and those are sure outs.
What got the A’s in that game was Lester having an off night
liberalconservative
Norris shoulder was so bad he couldn’t even start the last few weeks of the season. That is why they had Soto start who broke his thumb in the 2nd inning. If Billy Butler is trying to steal you know the catcher can’t throw. Norris should have been on the DL if the A’s were not so cheap.
Dock_Elvis
It was the worst single game meltdown scenario the A’s could have faced. Lester getting roughed up AND having a catching staff go down against the games best base running team. Even under this scenario…they probably STILL win that game most of the time. Royals were hot, though, no doubt.
$3513744
every team has to face injuries. it’s part of the game, so it’s no excuse. they’re not really a franchise that’s shown they can succeed in the playoffs, and this year’s collapse only showed that they have some other issues as well.
What the ?
Cespedes in the lineup and we don’t even play KC, at least not in the wild card. We run away with the division. Instead, we give away our most feared bat for a chance that we will be able to ride Lester to the World Series. Look how well that turned out.
Seamaholic
And Lester and Hammel and Gregorson. And without Russel waiting in the wings.
liberalconservative
Lester and Hammel were only with the team for 2 months and will be replaced with Parker and Griffin. Gregorson choked in clutch situations and can be replaced in FA. Move back to the cubs board.
stl_cards16
Congrats to the Giants! Great World Series!
Tko11
Bumgarner was amazing. I’m also happy for Peavy.
stl_cards16
They rode Bumgarner! Probably the favorite for most disappointing pitcher in 2015! Half kidding, he is the MVP
Tko11
Now he gets to ride his new Chevy truck with the MVP passenger side. Well deserved!
510akland
Of course this is posted right when the Giants win another World Series…
Ace McCloud®
It’s all we got brother, looking ahead to ’15.
510akland
It hurts soo much man
Ace McCloud®
Agreed.
bobbleheadguru
Makes sense for PV… Oakland fans were looking for an outlet. MLBTR gave it to them!
oaklandfan22
Blow the team up
baycommuter
No, that’s an emotional reaction rather than a logical one. If you can even get to 88 wins, you can win in the playoffs if everything breaks right, and the 2015 team can get to 88.
What the ?
Doubtful. The records with and without Cespedes are polar opposites. We were the best team in baseball for three straight years with him in the lineup. Without him and you’re almost longing for the Bob Geren days (almost).
ChiefIlliniwek
How many years will it take for an A’s outlook or recap to not include something about how they’d look a hell of a lot better with Addison Russell?
That one is going to leave a mark.
liberalconservative
Have you seen what Robertson has done in the AFL? He out played Russel. He might be a better prospect than Russel.
Seamaholic
Umm … single A player. Had a solid year but not particularly highly regarded. Little power and an average at best SS fielder, with below average range. Projected as either an average ML starter, possibly at 3B, or a utility guy. Most systems have a guy or two like that.
liberalconservative
That is only your opinion. The only thing he doesn’t have is Russel power. He is rated as the A’s top prospect and was the reason the A’s were able to trade Russel. He is projected as a solid SS that can hit .300 not a utility player. One of the top hitters in the AFL and Russel went home after a sub par AFL.
What the ?
And that of most scouts. Hell, I would be a top prospect in the A’s system now that we have moved anyone of value
ChiefIlliniwek
Irrelevant to my question.
A team is allowed more than one prospect.
Ace McCloud®
I hope they settle back into their underdogs role and surprise us in ’15. ’14 started out has my favorite A’s season, aside from 2000, and quickly turned to the worst.
Snoochies8
Royals are losing James Shields. Maybe rather than try the FA market, they’ll wanna trade for a Jeff Samardzija, but I’m just not seeing a top 50 or 100 guy without health issues that’s close enough to the bigs that the A’s would want.
Stan 2
I think another concern for the A’s is a catcher who can throw. KC stole 7 or 8 bases against them in the wild card game.
Vandals Took The Handles
I’m thinking the Twins would be looking at moving Eduardo Escobar or possibly selling high on Brian Dozier if they elect to move Danny Santana to SS full-time. Both would work for the A’s, although they’d have to clear a salary to take on Dozier. I’d guess they’d be looking for pitching and/or a CF in return.
Matt Musal
I would love for my Rays to trade Molina and Joyce to the A’s to get back Jaso and Fuld.
Bob Bunker
Red Sox should send Devin Marrero (a SS who has MLB ready defense and can’t hit much worse then Drew probably would) and two SP prospects other than Owens and Rubby for Kazmir or Shark.
liberalconservative
The A’s have Parino who is a top defensive SS that can’t hit so there is no need for Merrero. Holding on to Shark and the A’s get 2 top draft picks when he is a FA so why trade him for a couple of mid level prospects.
Bob Bunker
They will get one draft pick if he walks after the end of the season. Eduardo Rodriguez, Brian Johnson, and Matt Barnes are all pretty well regarded SP prospects that are near MLB ready. Didn’t know about Parino but maybe the A’s would be interested in Brock Holt to play 2B/SS/3B or Sean Coyle who is an offensive minded 2B.
Also, I was thinking more about Kazmir.
norcalOG
Happy thought–not– there with Parino. A middle IF with Parino (.152), Sogard (.223) Punto (.207) and/or Callaspo (.223). Two (almost) guaranteed outs/per AB/per game. Their OBP is equally abysmal.
Even worse, those four combined for 157K’s and none of them is remotely close to being a power hitter. (Sogard, Punto, and Callaspo combined for 143 of those.) 2Bmen with little power should be spraying the ball, not flying ( or striking) out with regularity.
liberalconservative
Parino is just a example of a SS that can’t hit. If Parino is the A’s starter the team has problems. The A’s will get a 2b or SS this off season that can hit. not sure about both being filled but baseball is loaded with all D no O players.
norcalOG
Almost a third of Parino’s outs were K’s. It’s inconceivable to me that your SS and 2B can hit as poorly as the A’s returnees, especially if Coco returns to form with no one on base in front of him.
Snoochies8
1 draft pick
norcalOG
That hole at 2B is a portal to outer space. Sogard, Punto, and Callaspo were absolutely awful, especially in the last month. Their hitting was nearly non-existent, their contributions in the field underwhelming. They were worse than the team as a whole, if that’s possible.
Jesse Rodriguez
Let’s give it one more try beane. Kazmir is expandable because he is replaceable, Lets get a Bat to ease the pressure of moss and JD, add a solid second baseman like bonifacio and we are good to go, at SS we might as well give parrino a shot.
agureghian
The a’s need a new middle infield. unfortunately there’s no one in the farm close to the majors at that position and no affordable decent free agents.
If I were BB, my priorities would be getting a SS who can field first, then another starter, trade/replace ryan cook, then a new 2b.
chefjon510
Now everyone can see what Bean saw in Jon Lester. He was THE Mad-Bomb before This yr’s playoffs and WS…And there’s not too many GM”s that would not have made that trade!
IjustloveBaseball
I think the A’s should shop some of their more mid-tier players in an attempt to shed some salary and add some depth to the farm. Go out and make Punto, Chavez, Jaso, and Gentry available. See what they would attract on the trade market and if it’s decent enough, deal them. I would like this approach because it would not necessarily mean throwing in the towel for 2015, but would begin a replenishing of the farm. If we could shed those players salaries/projected salaries, then there would be enough budget room to go out and sign a lower-tier FA to provide as a stop-gap. If by the deadline we aren’t in it, then trade Samardzija, Kazmir, and maybe O’Flaherty. Overhaul the farm system, and look to 2017 or ’18.
norcalOG
What’s the trade value of a 36-year-old 2B who hit .207 with an OBP of .296? Who strikes out in a quarter of his AB’s while delivering no power whatsoever?
IjustloveBaseball
Well let’s see, Punto is a veteran of the MLB and has been a winning a player. He can also play both middle-infield spots and if needed, 3rd base. Oh, and just to point out, a .296 OBP paired with a .207 avg. is actually quite impressive; it’s an on-base/ba differential of 87 points which is above league average. Another point I’d like to make is that his BAbip was lower than his career number, which hints he may have been getting slightly unlucky at times. Punto has never been one to provide much offense, but he has had a job for as long as he has and it is because he in fact does have value. I didn’t say he was a great player who is going to attract tons of interest, all I said was throw him out there and test the waters.
norcalOG
Huge difference between is and was. His postseason stats? 38% of his AB’s have been K’s. I would expect more of a veteran and a “winning player.”
Sure, throw him out there. What harm can it do? None of the A’s 2B provide much offense. but a 36-year-old with declining skills may not be very attractive. But testing the waters can’t hurt.
IjustloveBaseball
The “is and was” reason can be applied to literally every player out there, especially during the offseason.
norcalOG
If there’s a market for a 36-year-old with declining skills and little plate power who strikes out far too much, I hope the A’s can tap it.
Christopher Henderson
Cespedes’ offense didnt decline in his move to the AL East. With the Sox he had a higher batting avg, obp, slg and ops than he did in Oakland. The last 2 months of the season the Sox offense got a noticeable boost once he was added in there.