The Oakland A’s are not going to play at the top of the free agent market. That is clear considering the longest free agent contract they have ever given out still belongs to Ruben Sierra back in 1992. Billy Butler received a bit more money on his three year deal in 2014, but $28 million and $30 million contracts respectively are not about to entice the best players in the game to head to Oakland.
Then there are the San Francisco Giants. They have been attempting to land some of the biggest free agents in the game. There were even moments when they appeared to be close, such as the seven minutes that Aaron Judge was coming to the Bay Area, or the six days that Carlos Correa was a member of the franchise. But in the end, the Giants’ offseason has resulted in disappointment and mediocrity.
Oakland A’s having better offseason than San Francisco Giants
There has been some disappointment in the A’s offseason. The return for Sean Murphy was underwhelming at best as they appear to have been fleeced by the Braves once again. At the same time, the A’s have actually shocked everyone and spent in free agency. Jace Peterson, Aledmys Diaz, Drew Rucinski, and Trevor May all cost far more than the league minimum, making their signings one of the biggest surprises of the offseason.
In the end, those signings may not make much of a difference. The A’s are still likely to finish in the AL West basement. The talent level on the roster has improved, but it is not good enough to make a run in the division – at least not yet.
The Giants? Yes, they were able to sign a trio of players, including former A’s pitcher Sean Manaea. At this point, the Giants also appear to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the postseason. They may have been close on Judge and Correa, but close does not count in the standings. In the end, the A’s and Giants may end up in the same spot in October. The difference is that the A’s didn’t rip the hearts out of their fans this offseason to do so.
The San Francisco Giants came up just short in their efforts to land superstars. Given the disappointment, the Oakland A’s had a better offseason.