Oakland Athletics: Five Things That Went Wrong In 2015

5. The Fire Sale

Jul 11, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Tyler Clippard (36) delivers in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s be honest. By the time that trade deadline rolled around, it would have taken a miracle for the Oakland Athletics to make it to the postseason. However, the front office really put the nail in the coffin by having their mid-season fire sale. When looking toward the future, it made sense. But, it hurt the team’s chances of them winning any games for the rest of the season and further dampened the players’ spirits.

The Athletics traded away their stars – Ben Zobrist, Scott Kazmir, and Tyler Clippard. These three veterans really led the team both with their outstanding performances and their leadership skills. Without them, the A’s were left floating down the river without life jackets. There was really no way to come back from any of those trades.

Additionally, even though this fire sales was inevitable, the A’s did not really get anything that could help them immediately or in 2016. All three of these veterans landed on postseason-bound teams yet the Athletics mostly got low-level Minor League players in return. Yes, these prospects have a lot of potential, but not for quite a few more years. It would have been more beneficial for the Athletics to acquire some players who could make an impact in 2016.

Next: 4. Billy Butler