The Oakland A’s have a lot of roster needs to address this winter. With 10 free agents departing, some of them key stars, they’re losing their starters from both middle infield positions and left field. On their pitching staff, they’re saying goodbye to their closer and two setup men, plus a workhorse veteran starter.
The offseason checklist is long, and in this uniquely weird winter it doesn’t sound as if there will be much if any money available to retain any of the departing names or replace them with established free agents. Maybe one or two positions could see some spending, as a reunion with second baseman Tommy La Stella still isn’t out of the question, but they’re going to have to go cheap somewhere — and most likely somewheres, plural, which spell check tells me isn’t a word but this is an A’s site so we’re all about pioneering new things.