Oakland has gone from A's to Z's in two years

Sporting News, The, June 13, 1994 by Peter Pascarelli

They are only two years removed from a brilliant five-year stretch during which they won four division titles, three pennants and one World Series.

But today, the Athletics are worse than either of last year's expansion teams, a club that won 16 of its first 54 games, a club whose starting pitching allowed three or more first-inning runs 22 times in its first 54 games, a club for sale at a bargain price to interested local buyers of whom none has surfaced.

Not surprisingly, moss-bound baseball people who never felt comfortable with G.M. Sandy Alderson's blue jeans and law degree or Tony La Russa's intense eye for detail are pointing fingers at the organization's recent decision-making. And hindsight certainly reveals that mistakes have been made.

Signing Ruben Sierra, Bob Welch and Mark McGwire to multiyear contracts has so far proved a massive waste of money. Ditto for re-signing Rickey Henderson, who has been oft-injured this season and may be past the days when he could wreak havoc on bases. The ballyhooed draft of a few years ago that yielded four high-round pitchers turned to dust when all but Todd Van Poppel disappeared with arm injuries.

Trading Jose Canseco, as sensible as it might have seemed in 1992, has turned into a mistake with Canseco returning to his dominant power skills in Texas. The A's, meanwhile, sorely miss the presence and swagger Canseco brought to their lineup and the gate appeal he brought to their sagging attendance. Left with the A's from the deal are Sierra, who has produced at times but is not a player to build your lineup around, and pitcher Bobby Witt, who has been a huge disappointment.

On top of that has been an amazing string of injuries, to McGwire and Henderson; to Steve Karsay, who a month ago might have been best young pitcher in the American League; to Brent Gates, a star waiting to happen' and to Troy Neel, who had been quietly developing as a legitimate run producer.

All this has resulted in a franchise with as many questions as any in the game.

Start with where it will play in the future. The Haas family ownership has made it clear that it wants the club to stay in Oakland, slashing its asking price to make it easier for local buyers.

"My father and I have always viewed the ballclub as an important community asset ever since we bought it from Charles Finley, and that has not changed at all," Walter Haas Jr. says. "At this point, all we've done basically is set a price for any interested local group.

"We have no timetable. If nothing has happened by the end of the year, we'll look at the situation. But at this point, there is no intention to shop this franchise to anyone other than potential buyers committed to staying in Oakland. And we are operating the franchise in the meantime no differently than we have ever done."

That was demonstrated in last week's amateur draft. It would not have surprised anyone if the A's had used their No. 2 pick in the first round to take a college pitcher who would be less expensive to sign and could potentially bring some quick-fix help to the major league club. Instead, Oakland selected high school outfielder Ben Grieve, who will likely command a bonus in excess of $1 million and who could be three years from the majors. But the A's went with the baseball judgment that Grieve was the best player in the entire draft.

Oakland is also unlikely to start dumping veterans at least until the second half of the season. They've heard some interest in Dennis Eckersley (from Toronto and Cleveland) and expensive veterans Sierra, Witt and Bob Welch are likely to be available, too.

Meanwhile, there is the question of La Russa, who is unsigned past this season and has been widely rumored as possibly headed to the White Sox as either manager of general manager. However, he insists he has given no thought to any other job.

"I expect to be in Oakland next year," La Russa says. "I have no interest in being a general manager because the job is too hard, and I think Gene Lamont (White Sox manager, who has not been given a new contract) should be given a lot of credit for doing a great job over there."

La Russa has handled the losing with remarkable patience, considering his well-known intensity. "All I can look at is whether we have given our best effort, and for the most part, that's something I cannot fault. "We have to come out every day and do all we can to win that day. I still believe that if we get everyone back, we can still be a dangerous club, and given how the division has played, if we put together a good stretch of baseball, who knows, we could be back in the running."

Labor woes

Yet another baseball season is hanging by a thread because of baseball's mindless strategy to negotiate yet another labor contract in a crisis atmosphere. Remember, the owners opened the labor contract 18 months ago and have yet to make a proposal.

The Players Association is expected to set a strike date at one of two meetings, June 16 in Chicago or July 11 in Pittsburgh. Recent reports that the players would be asked to approve a July 1 strike date appear incorrect because it is unlikely at this point that the players would jeopardize the All-Star Game (July 12 in Pittsburgh) because so many have incentive bonuses, and because outside endorsement deals are tied to their participation in the game. However, a strike date set for shortly after the All-Star Game is looming as a distinct possibility.