Oakland Athletics: Can Billy Beane Stay Patient With Young Core?
By Joey Lopez
The Oakland Athletics may be planning on rebuilding their team, but in order to be successful they’ll need plenty of support from youngsters like Matt Chapman.
Matt Chapman and the Oakland Athletics are looking forward to bigger and better things in the near future. The A’s are in the midst of a full-blown rebuild and Chapman, 24, will be partly responsible for the team’s level of success moving forward.
Chapman has struggled this year with consistency, but his slow start should not concern anyone too much. Chapman has experienced a power surge as of late and the A’s young infielder has collected five home runs over his last eight games.
Billy Beane has never invested in a full 100-percent rebuild partly because of a lack of patience. The A’s have always tried staying (somewhat) competitive during Beane’s tenure, but it became clear that the team’s goal moving forward is to invest in their future.
Beane will need to demonstrate patience with Chapman, who will need to anchor the A’s defensively at third. In order for Chapman to succeed like Josh Donaldson before him, the A’s will need to remain patient during their rebuilding phase.
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The A’s seemingly always find the right young talent, but certain players just never get a good look or fair opportunity (Carlos Gonzalez, anyone). The A’s front office is always looking for ways to keep the team relevant and competitive, but they need to follow the Houston Astros’ direction.
The Astros tanked (on purpose?) for several years and stockpiled young talent. They were patient during their rebuild and now feature the AL’s deadliest team. Houston figures to rule the division for the foreseeable future, but the A’s can climb back into relevancy if they remain patient.
CHAPMAN-BARRETO-HEALY
The A’s cannot afford to fumble this rebuild project. The organization is looking to announce a new ballpark at some point this year, but plan on opening the new park with a talented team.
Timing, then, becomes crucial. Beane will need to demonstrate patience over the next few years and allow Chapman and Franklin Barreto time to develop.
Ryon Healy, 25, has been a breakout star for the A’s this year. Many people around the organization expected Healy to produce this season after an impressive 2016.
The A’s have used Healy primarily as the team’s designated hitter. He’s appeared in 41 games as the team’s DH compared to 32 games at third, 20 games at first and three as a pinch-hitter.
A new stadium does not equal a high revenue, per se, so it will be important for the A’s to get this rebuild right from the start. Selling off the team’s last remaining assets (Sonny Gray, Jed Lowrie, Yonder Alonso) will be Beane’s first priority with the trade deadline growing near.
FINAL SAY
The A’s have never completed a full-rebuild under Beane’s leadership. Allowing their young players time to develop will be the biggest challenge for the highly competitive Beane. If he can pull off the ultimate challenge, the A’s have a shot at a bright future.