By the time October arrived, the A’s understandably were pointing toward the future for sources of optimism.
A crop of young talent provided a late-season adrenaline shot for a franchise that stumbled through a disappointing 2016 season that looked far too much like the 2015 version. Oakland again finished in the American League West cellar, and there’s no secret why that happened.
The A’s finished last in the league in runs, second-to-last in team ERA and tied for the second-most errors committed. Throw in a team record number of injuries that contributed to those woes, and it’s no wonder the A’s were eager to turn the page.