Red Sox Old Assumptions… Meet the New Athletics

There’s quite a history of the Athletics trading away players at the peak of their value, every single A’s fan knows how the routine goes.  Player A goes through growing pains with the A’s, finally begins to show flashes of the potential that had everyone excited in the first place, begins to put it all together, then boom…. they’re gone for a package of prospects.  The A’s move another young player in an attempt to get even younger still.

October 1, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker (11) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It makes sense for a team that is in a rebuilding phase, but for a team like this version of the Oakland Athletics, fresh off a division title, it seems foolish.  It would be one thing if the A’s simply had a better record than expected, but eventually faded away during the pennant race.  But this was different.

So that’s why a couple pieces of rumor and speculation that made their way through the rumor mill troubled me.  They involved Brandon Moss and Jarrod Parker.  Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe first addressed the possibility of Moss going back to the Red Sox, although Billy Beane told him Moss was going nowhere.  Jarrod Parker’s name was brought up by Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal as another target for the Red Sox as a future ace of their team.  It’s no surprise that there’s still this assumption that a team like the Red Sox can simply pluck away the impact players on a team like the Athletics whenever they see fit.

Brandon Moss had a break out season in 2012, and while many expect him to regress somewhat in 2013, he should still have a great impact on the success of the A’s next year.  While he’s not exactly a young player, he’s entering his age 29 season, he’s also entering what could be his prime years.  The A’s don’t have a bonafide first base prospect anywhere close to major league ready at this point so keeping Moss in the fold is in the team’s best interest.  If they suddenly decide to blow the team apart, Moss will just be a small part of the fire sale, his departure would be the least of our worries.

The speculation about Parker though is especially galling, the A’s got themselves the ace of their future when they traded Trevor Cahill to get him.  And Parker did nothing to cast doubt on that notion in 2012.  He’ll slot in as the A’s number 2 starter in 2013 behind Brett Anderson (who I believe would be the first starter to get traded if the A’s went that direction).  The notion that the A’s would just send Parker Boston’s way to make the rich even richer is simply wrong.

We all know Billy Beane never labels a player flat out untouchable, and he’s always willing to listen, but even Billy Beane can’t be crazy enough to trade the future ace of the Oakland Athletics just as the team is having success again.  Two of the main reasons the A’s became a winner once again were Jarrod Parker and Brandon Moss, so now is not the time to abandon ship, no matter what the haves in the northeast want you all to think.  These guys are here to stay.