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By Connor Byrne | at
Email a copy of 'Offseason In Review: Oakland Athletics' to a friend
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A'sfaninUK
It’s really curious how the A’s have been aggressively not bothering with defense, and rarely have over the last 10 years. There’s been individual efforts, but as a team they have routinely been in the bottom third of all advanced metrics for over a decade. Ultimately that is what will sink 2017 for them, as the offense might be sneaky good (I would not be surprised if Healy touches 40 bombs) and the bullpen has 6 guys who either have been (Madson, Doolittle, Casillla, Axford) or could easily be (Dull, Hendriks) MLB closers.
2018 is looking like the first year of the A’s new contention window, they could have jumpstarted it if they went in on FA and traded more this offseason, but staying the course is ultimately for the best. They have an absurd amount of pitching prospects, probably about as many as Atlanta, but with not as much hype. The future is looking bright, but one wonders what could have been in 2017 had they been more aggressive in this past offseason.
arc89
Taking it slow is the new path most teams are taking. One reason is that they can wait on players coming up to delay their arbitration years. Most of the FA this year were nothing special. Very weak FA class so why over pay a average player. They will be all up next year is why so many 1 year deals.
pd14athletics
As a fan the lack of focus on defense has been frustrating. 2014 was a painful year to watch. See a team in the first half with the best record in baseball, then they spiral out of control. Limp into playoffs with a chance to kick the 2nd half slump with a strong offensive game only to see defense blow if. Lowrie not able to get to anything at short with his terrible range, Gomes in LF trying to track down Hosmer’s ball to the wall, Norris getting ran all over once Soto came out hurt…
A'sfaninUK
“Past a diving Donaldson….”
fistsoffaith
In what world is Ryon Healy getting anywhere near 40 bombs? Last year was the first time he’s ever hit more than 20 total, and the 27 he hit were skewed by the 8 HR’s in 36 AA games.
krillin
I feel like they could have done better in the off-season, but I think they deserve a solid B- for doing what they did given that they are obviously a small market team.
A'sfaninUK
They aren’t “obviously a small market team” though. They have the 4th wealthiest ownership group in all US pro sports, and the Bay Area remains America’s #1 hub of tech – its not a small market, that’s an old school lie told by the 2002 ownership in Moneyball.
Never forget, Moneyball never happens if Giambi doesn’t leave for NY based on a single option year. The A’s offered the exact same 6 year base contract as the Yankees, but wouldn’t budge on an option year – their cheapness is their own doing, not by market.
vtadave
When I see that the A’s have the third lowest total revenues in the league and about a third of that of the Yankees, that’s pretty small market to me. Lewis Wolff didn’t get rich by operating his businesses at a loss, so why should he dump money into the payroll with no guarantee that spending money will dramatically increase revenues? What he needs to do is move the team and get out of that dump of a stadium.
A'sfaninUK
Wolff is no longer with the franchise, but what I’m finding in these threads is that its super hard to break people’s clutching of narratives even if the narratives were based on falsities. 2002 was 15 years ago, Moneyball doesn’t exist anymore, and also never would have had Giambi stayed in Oakland..
cleribe
I think I’d rather have Blanton over Casilla.
sagbagels
wow not one thread about Team USA’s win…how anti american is mlbtraderumors?
jdgoat
What goes Puerto Rico won? Would they be anti-Puerto rican?
sagbagels
what? are you a moron? theres no coverage of wbc here…regardless of who won…
lesterdnightfly
Other than to belittle JDGoat, your point is what?
sagbagels
other than the fact that JDGoat’s post questions whether he is illiterate or not, point is show some love about WBC. Its baseball. its global, its relevant as a global showcase….wow like we really need another oakland A’s review, where its guaranteed they wont win the WS next year. boo woo…#triggered #noamericanpride
lesterdnightfly
You are free to go to other sites that tout the WBC and your other favorite topics. It’s easier to stir up garbage and insult people on MLB.com, CBS.com, and ESPN.com, so they would be more to your level.
p.s. Don’t question someone else’s literacy when you can’t use it’s vs. its correctly, nor cast a readable paragraph.
jdgoat
It’s ironic because you’re calling other people triggered
Rbase
They have done some ok business, but they remain a team full of complementary players. All of their position players would rank anywhere between 15th and 20th out of thirty teams, and the same could be said of their rotation and bullpen. They don’t really have a glaring hole (second thought: maybe second base?), but also don’t have any real superstars (Gray has the potential to be one). To me, they have the makings of a 4th place team. However, I will never count the A’s out as once every 4 or 5 seasons things suddenly seem to click for them.
arc89
Exactly what they did plug holes with 1 year signings. Its a wait until the prospects are ready year. Astros did that and it was very successful for them.
A'sfaninUK
Except the A’s have absolutely nothing in terms of OF prospects and Houston did. A’s are too heavy in MI and P and will need to sign or trade for a longterm CF at some point, and probably a RF too.
texas69
Donaldson, Addison Russell, Carlos Gonzalez……. WHY A’s WHY!
A'sfaninUK
Gonzalez = Lew Wolff told Beane to acquire a superstar by any means necessary. Matt Holliday was that player.
Russell = Pomeranz broke his hand punching a chair and they needed two SPs, not one, for the playoff race. It’s so gross how Russell had to be in the deal if two SPs were coming back.
Donaldson = Either total stupidity, or a conspiracy that he had to be traded to Canada to get away from his criminal family.
jakem59
In the A’s defense, Car-Go’s slash line away from Coors is a pretty pedestrian .258/.312/.438/.75o, and Donaldson had to go, that locker room scuffle with Beane sealed his fate. Russell was just a very tough trade to swallow for the A’s.
pd14athletics
The A’s got fleeced in the CarGo trade, but a lot of that I hold against Holliday. He never tried in Oakland. I get the hitting adjustment, but he showed no effort in LF. He hated being in Oakland. As far CarGo he never would have developed into anything near his Coors career had he stayed. As you said, look at those splits. Instead of bad mouthing A’s after trade, he should forever thank them for dealing him.
ducksnort69
Joyce was great signing for that price. He effectively replaces Reddick.
vtadave
Except the Astros actually had really good prospects. A’s are pretty thin once you get outside of Barretto (who’s obviously no Correa or Springer), Cotton, and Puk.
A'sfaninUK
Entirely untrue. Go do some research before posting.
SamFuldsFive
Remember kids, the “Moneyball” approach has never won a single title in Oakland. And never will if Beane keeps making awful, cheap trades of anyone the fans actually care about.
gwreck209
I’ve been waiting years for someone else to point out Lowrie’s d being a huge factor in that wildcard game. I remember screaming at the TV because he wouldn’t even get dirty on the several not so hard hit grounders his way watching them dribble into the outfield. It wasn’t just the stolen bases it was an overall lack of effort leading to these guys running in circles the whole game. And Lester is a primadona throw the damn ball to first what’s the matter with you.