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

The Oakland Athletics had a terrible season for many reasons. For one, the A’s chaotic bullpen was the worst in the league. Secondly, there was a handful of injuries that effected Oakland’s potential success. Lastly, some of the rookies’ inexperience when it came to playing in the MLB allowed for many fundamental mistakes to be made. Even though there were bright spots throughout the 162 games, the team as a whole ultimately underperformed this season. As a result, the A’s are going to have make some changes to their roster and there will definitely be players on chopping block this offseason.

Because of these impeding potential roster changes, the Swingin’ A’s staff asked ourselves this question:

It has become clear that the Oakland Athletics need to make some changes to their roster. Who is the one position player that the A’s need to get rid of this offseason?

The Swingin’ A’s staff came up with a variety of players – even some who will still be under contract with Oakland through this upcoming season. However, all of these position players ultimately brought the team down this past year and the A’s should exhaust all options to remove them from their 2016 roster.

Next: The Designated Hitter

The Designated Hitter: Billy Butler

July 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics first baseman Billy Butler (16) at bat in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Steven Luke: Although it is going to be difficult to get anyone to take on the contract of a heavy footed designated hitter who doesn’t hit for power, the player the Oakland Athletics need to get rid of is Billy Butler. Butler is a good veteran presence in the clubhouse and has had big moments with the A’s in his first season, but the bad times far outweigh the good times. His lack of power and inability to take the extra base have hurt the team on more than on occasion. The A’s need a designated hitter that can produce more if the team is going to take a step forward out of last place in 2016.

If you compare Butler’s production to that of who he essentially replaced, Brandon Moss, there was a noticeable drop in multiple categories. Butler hit 10 fewer home runs, knocked in 16 fewer runs and scored 5 fewer runs. Butler did hit for a higher average by 34 points and got on base more by 19 points. However, one could argue that him getting on base more actual hurt the team because he clogged up the base paths. It will never happen, but Billy Butler needs to go.

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Andrew Dambrauskas: By now, the A’s have to be considering alternatives to Billy Bu….tler (you didn’t think I was going to say Burns, did you?). Although the A’s are surely interested in finding productive replacements for Sam Fuld and Craig Gentry, they at least limit the damage they do to the team by playing from the bench. No other significantly underperforming player came close to playing in as many games as Butler did at 151.

Sure, multiple players are hurting the A’s, but Butler is hurting them the most often.In what way, you ask? Four other A’s either matched or exceeded Butler’s home run total, and did so while being able to play defense. When Butler did get on base, he caused traffic jams for other base runners. Perhaps most shocking is that the team’s full-time designated hitter came in dead last in the team’s offensive WAR, finishing behind notable power bats Sonny Gray, Scott Kazmir, and Jesse Hahn.

Next: Outfielder Super Sam

Outfielder Sam Fuld

Aug 12, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oakland Athletics left fielder Sam Fuld (23) catches a fly ball hit by Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (not pictured) in the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Katrina Putnam: As someone subjected to many years of watching Billy Butler play my Cleveland Indians with the Kansas City Royals, let me just say that I hope he is nowhere near Oakland on Opening Day. But, I have an equal amount of distrust for Sam Fuld. Fuld is a career .227 hitter, with a lifetime OPS of .632. He’s not going to get better. And this year was atrocious. He only reached base in 27 percent of his at-bats, he hit just .197, and he had a meager two home runs. Fuld also isn’t that speedy – 9-for-12 in stolen base attempts – and while his defense is above-average, it doesn’t exactly warrant a roster spot on its own.

The A’s can’t win without a solid bench, and that means getting rid of players who are light-hitting, above-average defenders in favor of more middle-of-the-road players like Mike Aviles. While Fuld certainly didn’t crush the A’s hopes this year, he also didn’t do anything to contribute to their success. The Athletics don’t need a repeat of that in 2016.

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Scott Harris: I’m going to be realistic about this since nobody would agree to take on Coco Crisp‘s $11 mil contract. That being said, if the A’s were to get rid of one player from their roster it would need to be Sam Fuld.

With the emergence of Billy Burns in center and knowing that the A’s plan to start Coco in left next season and the fact that both of those guys are switch hitters so they won’t be platooned, Sam Fuld just doesn’t have a place on the roster. Additionally, even though I expect him to play a lot of first base next season, Mark Canha can also play left field and hits righties exceedingly better than Fuld, so I expect him to be in the mix if (or more likely when) Crisp gets hurt.

Also on the roster is Craig Gentry, who will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2015. Gentry brings elite defense to all three outfield positions and is a great base stealer. He is a professional hitter with a proven track record from his time in Texas, and I expect him to return to form in 2016.

Next: The Other Outfielders

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