Now that it is the offseason, it is time for an annual rite of passage for the Oakland A’s – the continued rumors that Billy Beane will depart the organization for other opportunities.
One can understand why those rumors would persist. Beane has a great position in Oakland and a job for life, but there will always be a question of what he could do with a team that actually spends money. It is possible that Beane himself wonders about that at times even if he would not admit as such.
Billy Beane staying wth Oakland A’s until they kick him out
This time, Beane is getting out ahead of any rumors. He told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle that “If you project five years from now, I believe I will always have something to do with the A’s, until they don’t want me here.” He further went on to say that he expects to have some involvement with the A’s, regardless of role, until they kick him out the door.
Chances are that is never going to happen. Beane is the one constant in the organization, having been part of the A’s in some capacity since his final season in the majors in 1989. He has served in a variety of roles in that time and is as much a part of the fabric of the organization as anyone outside of Connie Mack.
For better or for worse, that is not going to change. Beane understands what it is like to go through these ongoing cycles of competitiveness and mediocrity. He has guided the franchise through several of those cycles before, and is likely to keep doing so into the foreseeable future. The faces on the roster may chance, and change frequently, but Beane will always be there behind the curtain.
Billy Beane is one of the few constants with the Oakland A’s. That is not going to change unless ownership drags him out the door.