Who Do The Oakland Athletics Need To Get Rid Of This Offseason?

The Other Outfielders: Craig Gentry & Coco Crisp

May 15, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics left fielder Coco Crisp (4) catches the ball near the wall against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at O.co Coliseum. The Chicago White Sox defeated the Oakland Athletics 7-6. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Rich Paloma: There’s a few, and they’re all outfielders. Obviously Craig Gentry has worn out his welcome. Batting a whopping .120, combining before he was DFA’d and after his September call up for 2015, does not deserve to remain. It’s unlikely he can repeat his .304 from 2012. Sorry, Kitten Face, but your time has come.

The other two to get the boot are fan favorites, but just being a favorite doesn’t get a team wins. Coco Crisp (.175)  and Sam Fuld (.197) did not perform to expectations with sub-Mendoza line batting. Of the three, Gentry is a given to go, but Crisp was often injured, and likely to occur again should he stay for 2016, and defensively is known for no arm allowing opponents to challenge and take an extra base.

After 14 MLB seasons, Coco may have played his last game.

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Samantha Riley: A few players come to mind when asked who the Oakland Athletics should get rid of this offseason. However, the one player they do not need anymore is outfielder and fan favorite Coco Crisp. First off, his injuries have hindered him the past two season, and he now has chronic neck problems that can only be fix by undergoing career-ending surgery. Secondly, because of his neck issues, Crisp is attempting to learn how to slide into bases feet first and play less aggressively in the field. But, let’s be honest here, after a 14 year career, it’s hard to teach this old dog new tricks.

Lastly, he has struggled offensively and defensively due to his prior injuries. His neck injury negatively affects his swing and his previous shoulder surgeries have made his arm very weak, which is not good for an outfielder. Even though it is highly unlikely that the A’s get rid of Crisp this offseason due to the fact that his contract, which contains a no-trade clause, is not up until after the 2016 season, Oakland should at least stray away from the idea of having Crisp be an everyday starting outfielder. 

Next: The Infielders