While all the focus has been on the Oakland A’s impending fire sale, there are other major issues within the organization. The A’s have an unexpected opening at the manager position with Bob Melvin’s departure to San Diego. With Ryan Christenson being given permission to interview for the bench coach spot with the Padres, the A’s coaching staff may have a decent amount of turnover this year.
This is different than in past seasons. Melvin had been a mainstay on the bench since 2010 while his coaching staff has been mostly intact from year to year. The roster may be in a constant state of turnover, but the manager has been the same.
Oakland A’s could get unexpected boost in manager hunt
While there have been plenty of rumors surrounding the A’s, absolutely nothing has been mentioned about their quest for a manager. It remains unknown as to whether or not they have even started to put together a list of potential candidates, let alone reach out for interviews.
The A’s do have two things going for them in their quest for a manager. The first is that the Mets are the only other team in need of a skipper, so they will not have a lot of competition. The second is that a lockout is expected to occur once the Collective Bargaining Agreement comes to an end on December 1.
With any potential lockout, any player transactions would come to a halt. Trade talks would be shelved, and the A’s could focus on finding the right fit in their dugout. Maybe then, the front office would be able to figure out who should lead the next chapter of A’s baseball.
The Oakland A’s have to figure out who their next manager is going to be. The potential lockout could be a boost in their hunt for a new skipper.