Oakland Athletics Roundup: Front Office Promotions Continue; Concerns About Sonny Gray

Oakland Athletics Roundup: Saturday, November 7

The Oakland Athletics have continued to promote their key front office personnel, as they increased their assistant general manager quantity from one to three. Billy Owens was promoted to Assistant GM/Director of Player Personnel, and Dan Feinstein was promoted to Assistant GM/Pro Scouting and Player Personnel. They join Dan Kantrovitz, who already had the title of Assistant GM.

Promoting Owens and Feinstein makes sense from a job description perspective. The pair are a key part of the front office’s decision-making brain trust. However, it also calls into question whether the organization is a bit out of touch with public perception.

After a season in which the Athletics won just 68 games, it seems as though any promotions should have been put on hold. Yes, the A’s had a solid record of making the playoffs prior to this year. However, the front office seems oblivious to the fact that many fans will see these promotions combined with the firing of much of the on-field coaching staff as an odd set of moves. If the coaches were at least partially to blame for the lack of success, wouldn’t the front office need to accept some responsibility as well? Yet they’re receiving promotions while the coaches are out job-hunting.

If viewed in the context of the last few seasons, the promotions are well deserved. But if that’s what the A’s had in mind when they promoted their front office personnel, it should have also been taken into consideration with the coaching staff.

More from White Cleat Beat

• Zach Logue yet another disappointing Oakland A’s trade return
• Luis Barrera heading to familiar foe in Los Angeles Angels
• Looking back at Ruben Sierra with the Oakland A’s
• San Francisco Giants showing Oakland A’s offseason could be worse
• Lucas Luetge what Oakland A’s need in bullpen

In Case You Missed It:

A’s Will Not Trade Sonny Gray – The A’s will not trade ace Sonny Gray, according to general manager Billy Beane. But if that the only interesting tidbit that can be found in his quote? Andrew Dambrauskas analyzes what Beane’s other comments about the rotation may mean for the off-season

Is Sonny Gray’s Small Stature a Cause for Concern? – Gray is an ace now, but should the A’s be concerned about his size? Samantha Riley compares other pitchers of similar stature and talent, and explains what Gray’s size has to do with his future success.

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