Oakland Athletics Roundup: Which A’s Trade Is Most In Need of a Do-Over?

Which A’s Trade Is Most In Need of a Do-Over?
Oakland Athletics Roundup: Wednesday, February 3

Yesterday was Groundhog’s Day, and while that might not be quite as big of a deal for Oakland Athletics fans in California as it is for those of us closer to the Midwest, it did give MLB.com the opportunity to pose a question to several executives and managers:

If you could have a do-over on one transaction, which trade or other roster move would you take back?

There were plenty of interesting answers. The Twins rightfully regret releasing David Ortiz (yes, that David Ortiz) in 2002, and former Padres GM Jed Hoyer mentioned the three-team deal that sent future Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to the Cleveland Indians. No trades with the Athletics were mentioned in the piece, so it’s open to speculation: which trade do you think Billy Beane would say he regrets the most?

Because of the way 2015 played out, it’s easy to say the Josh Donaldson trade would be the do-over deal for the A’s. But have the Athletics really seen enough of Kendall Graveman and Franklin Barreto to declare that a misfire? Obviously, Donaldson is an MVP-caliber player, and trading him was a bit unusual, but there’s no guarantee that the trade will continue to look as bad as it does right now. It’s definitely not wrong to say that at this moment, the Blue Jays got the much better end of the bargain, and it looks like a mistake that could haunt the A’s if their prospects don’t develop the way they hope. But even five years from now, can anyone be certain the trade won’t turn around?

In addition to the Corey Kluber deal mentioned above, an example of this would be another Indians’ trade – this one with the Phillies. They sent ace Cliff Lee to Philadelphia in exchange for four top prospects: two pitchers, a catcher and an infielder. The deal, which occurred in 2009, was widely panned by fans as one of the worst trades in Indians history, given that none of the prospects had made any substantial contributions to the big league club. But beginning in 2014, Carlos Carrasco began to show flashes of brilliance, and by last year, he had gone from an immature and volatile starter to one of the best in the big leagues, ranking fifth in strikeouts and seventh in opponents’ batting average in the AL. Sure, it wasn’t what the Indians were expecting when they swapped one of the best pitchers in the game for prospects, but it’s hardly the worst trade they’ve made.

The Donaldson deal could end up a lot like that, if Barreto takes his time in the minors, or Graveman has a few bumps on his way to becoming a solid starter. With that reminder that time can greatly affect your perspective, which trade do you wish the A’s could have a do-over on? Would you rather see Donaldson back in an A’s uniform than anything else, or is there another deal that you wish they could take back instead?

In Case You Missed It:

Will the A’s Win More Games in 2016? – With it being the off-season, there isn’t always news from day to day. Because of that, today’s ICYMI post is one we mentioned a few days ago, but something worth taking a second look at. FanGraphs predicted that the A’s would improve by 11 wins this season, given the changes they’ve made to their roster. But considering how quiet the offseason has been, what exactly is driving those changes? Andrew Dambrauskas took a look at each area of the team and explained which players are projected to have the most impact when it comes to improving the A’s.

#Athletics

Next: The Top 50 Players in Oakland Athletics History

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Golden Gate Sports: Off-Season Grades to All 30 Teams – Sean Bialaszek grades each of the 30 MLB teams on their offseason moves. Where did the A’s land? Be sure to check out his analysis and predictions for the upcoming 2016 season.