The ongoing lockout has put a crimp in the Oakland A’s potential plans. Their expected fire sale is on hold, and any trades that will be made once it comes to an end will happen quickly. It is easy to regard these weeks of inaction as a missed opportunity, especially as there will be a flurry of action once the lockout ends.
But the lockout is also an opportunity in itself. While teams cannot sign players to major league contracts or put them on the 40 man roster, they can still sign players to minor league contracts. The A’s themselves did just that with Justin Grimm.
Oakland A’s letting prime opportunity slip away
The A’s are also going to need a lot more than one reliever, especially if their plans for the fire sale come true. As it is, the A’s will need to replace four members of their bullpen and will have to do so on a budget. The bigger names in free agency are not walking through the clubhouse.
Some of those familiar names are not either. There have been several formerly effective pitchers who, for a variety of reasons, have had to settle for minor league deals. The likes of Arodys Vizcaino would have been worth a gamble on a minor league deal and could have had a path to playing time.
Instead, the A’s have sat idly by when it comes to the roster. Yes, they hired a manager and finalized their coaching staff. And maybe they are unofficially discussing trades with other teams to make moves once the lockout is over. However, as it currently stands, they are missing a prime opportunity to add pieces at a cost even John Fisher could love.
The ongoing lockout could be a chance for the Oakland A’s to add to the roster. Instead, they are letting this chance slip away.