Oakland A's: The Best Worst Team In Baseball

The Oakland A’s last season were coming off a disappointing 2006 playoff run, where they were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the American League Championship series.

It didn’t seem to affect them as they started the 2007 season on fire. It only got better as ace pitcher Dan Haren was named the starting pitcher for the 2007 All Star game in San Francisco.

Unfortunately for the A’s that was the climax of the season as shortstop Bobby Crosby and pitcher Huston Street both missed games due to injuries. The season went down from there, as the A’s finished third in the American League West.

Oakland fans weren’t worried though because, they knew they still had outfielders Travis Buck and Nick Swisher, six-time gold glove winner Eric Chavez, and Haren anchoring the rotation. And as long as they could stay healthy, the A’s looked like a team that could contend for the top spot in a weak AL West in 2008, right?

Well no because they have Billy Beane as their general manager. I have nothing against Beane, he is a amazing GM, but sometimes I think he’s a little nuts.

Over the winter, Beane traded Haren to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In return the A’s got six minor league players, Brett Anderson, Dana Eveland, Greg Smith, Chris Carter, Aaron Cunningham, and Carlos Gonzalez, Carlos who? That’s what most A’s fans are saying now, as they are not sure what to think of this deal.

I’ll tell you what I think of this deal, it was insane, crazy, and straight up wrong. The A’s don’t need any better minor league players. That’s what the A’s are known for, having young, cheap, unknown talent, and then trade them when they are at their peak, for more young talent.

Some people praise Bean for this, saying it’s the new way to manage a ball club. I have a question for these critics, how many World Series have the A’s been in since Beane took over the team? I’ll answer the question for you, zero.

You need at least one or two good veteran players on your team to make it to the World Series. Just ask the Boston Red Sox, or the New York Yankees. Beane obviously forgot that they almost made it to the World Series in 2006, with veteran and future Hall of Fame slugger Frank Thomas.

Bean didn’t just stop there, oh no, he went on to trade fan favorite Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for even more minor league players.

It didn’t stop there either, Bean traded injury prone outfielder Mark Kotsay to the Atlanta Braves for All Star minor league closer Joey Devine. This raised even more eyebrows, because the A’s already had Street.

Over the last two seasons, Street has posted the second lowest ERA for a closer; only behind A’s rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim closer Francisco Rodriguez. But don’t be surprised if he is dealt for more minor league players in the future.

The A’s won’t finish in last this year, and they could fight for the top spot but they are going to struggle with out any leaders on their team. Look on the bright side; I’m sure there will be good seats still available.