The Oakland Athletics have the potential to be an unwatchable mess in 2022.
We already knew that before the season started, judging by their moves: they let several great players go, either via trade or free agency.
The 2021 team was competitive and actually fought for a postseason spot until late in September, but Mark Canha, Starling Marte, Sean Manaea, Josh Harrison, Yan Gomes, Jake Diekman, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, and others are not around anymore after an offseason fire sale.
Even though the team is currently 7-6 before Thursday’s games, everybody in baseball knows the A’s are destined for last place: it doesn’t take a whole lot of baseball knowledge to see that in their future.
And even though they are actually winning, fans are punishing the A’s for rebuilding again.
“The Oakland A’s attendance today: 2,703. Lowest since 1980,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted after Wednesday’s game at the Oakland Coliseum.
Nobody Wants To Watch The A’s
Marc J. Spears, a senior NBA writer for ESPN, offered his thoughts about the situation.
“Hope my MLB media brethren also hold A’s accountable for trading their stars, putting a Triple-A team on the field with no recognizable names in an ancient stadium after they let their popular manager depart. Also threatening to leave after proudly advertising Rooted in Oakland,” he tweeted.
Hope my MLB media brethren also hold A’s accountable for trading their stars, putting a Triple-A team on the field with no recognizable names in an ancient stadium after they let their popular manager depart. Also threatening to leave after proudly advertising Rooted in Oakland. https://t.co/cGPyg17W4j
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 21, 2022
Oof.
Everything he said is true: the A’s traded their stars in an effort to cut salary.
They currently have a Triple-A team on the field, full of prospects and unproven players.
Their stadium is ancient: it was built in 1966.
They also let Bob Melvin, a proven winner and a good manager, leave to the San Diego Padres.
And they also threatened to leave town.
As a result, the stadium, which can host 46,847 people, will get many sub-3,000 attendances this season.
It’s sad, but true.
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