Oakland Athletics Roundup: Sonny Gray Will Not Be Traded; Targeting Free Agent Dae-ho Lee; Billy Butler

Oakland Athletics Roundup: Thursday, November 5

The Oakland Athletics’ future received a ringing endorsement from Billy Beane this week, as he told Peter Gammons that both Sonny Gray and Josh Reddick are unlikely to be traded.

“We have to put a representative product on the field,” Beane said. What exactly does that mean?

Well, considering he followed it up with “…and continue to dream we get a ballpark,” before launching into some praise over the rotation and the prospects within the A’s system, it almost sounds as though Beane is just biding his time until the city is ready to build a new stadium.

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It’s an odd quote, and one that sounds like Beane is being very realistic about next year’s chances. However, he did say that the reasoning behind keeping Gray is that the organization believes the team will contend again during Gray’s tenure with the team.

Regardless of why he’s keeping Gray, it’s a decision that everyone can rejoice in – except the other teams who were hoping to nab him this winter.

In Case You Missed It:

Should the A’s Sign Dae-ho Lee? – Korean first baseman Dae-ho Lee is available to major league teams this winter, and the A’s will likely be one of the teams who gives him a look. Andrew Dambrauskas explains why Lee is a perfect fit for the Athletics.

The Billy Butler Dilemma – Billy Butler is holding back the A’s. His signing last off-season was a disaster, and fans can only hope the front office doesn’t make a similar move this winter. So what are their options for Butler next season? Samantha Riley analyzes his past and future performance.

Building the 1972-1974 Championship Teams: Offseason Acquisitions – The saying goes that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, but perhaps that’s a good thing in this case. Rich Paloma looks at the offseason moves that built the teams responsible for the Athletics’ Championship run.

Will the A’s Contend or Rebuild in 2016? – In this week’s featured question, the Swingin’ A’s staff looks at whether or not the A’s will become a postseason team in 2016, or if they still have a few years to go. Be sure to check out what our writers think about next season, and don’t forget to vote in our fan poll and leave your thoughts in the comments.

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Next: A's Should Sign Dae-ho Lee

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