Oakland A’s need to prove rebuild is worthwhile
By David Hill
The Oakland A’s have been here before and they will be here again. Every few years, as their players become too expensive for ownership’s liking, they begin their rebuilding process. Those players are sent away for prospects, with the A’s looking ahead to a future where they will contend once more.
That is the case again this offseason. Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, and Chris Bassitt have already been traded. It is a matter of time before Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, at minimum, follow them out the door. The A’s core, which seemed so close to championship caliber, has been broken apart.
Oakland A’s have to prove themselves all over again
Over the years, the A’s have been able to bounce back from these rebuilding projects ahead of schedule. Their ability to find the right players for their team has been unmatched, even with their payroll limitations and lack of ownership support. The A’s front office simply knows what it is doing.
This time, the rebuild feels different. The returns for those three stars seem rather underwhelming. It appears as though the A’s primarily received future role players, with the two players that could be possible stars – J.T. Ginn and Gunner Hoglund – both coming off of Tommy John surgery.
But the questions have been there before. The A’s have had what appeared to be less than impressive returns at times, only to find unexpected stars along the way. Sometimes, it is just a matter of giving someone who may not otherwise get a chance that opportunity to prove themselves at the major league level.
That is what the A’s are hoping for here. The likes of Kevin Smith and Cristian Pache were blocked on their previous teams. Maybe a fresh start and a chance to play every day will make a difference and allow them to prove worthy of their previous stature as top prospects. The A’s need that to happen in order for this rebuild to be a success.
Projecting the A's Opening Day lineup. dark. Next
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The Oakland A’s are facing plenty of questions about their latest rebuild. They need their returns to pan out quickly to prove they can still turn dirt into gold.