Oakland A’s Extend GM Billy Beane Through 2019

While the makeup of the A’s future roster may be unknown, what appears to be certain is who will be running the show for years to come.  Bloomberg News reported yesterday that Oakland has extended general manager Billy Beane and president Michael Crowley through the 2019 season.

A’s owner Lew Wolff told reporters that the team has reached agreements with its executives.  Nothing is official, but Wolff expects Beane and Crowley to sign their extensions within the next 30 days.

Already one of the more well-known GM’s in the game, Beane was played by none other than Brad Pitt in the recent motion picture Moneyball.

Beane took over the A’s front office prior to the 1998 season.  Oakland went on to make the playoffs four straight years from 2000-2003, losing in the first round series each time three games to two.

Oakland would continue their string of winning seasons through 2006, the last year the A’s have made the playoffs.  In ’06, Oakland made it out of the League Division Series for the first time since 1992, but was ultimately swept out of the ALCS by the Tigers.

Since the 2006 season, Oakland has failed to finish a season with a record north of .500.  Beane has been one of the only constants for the A’s, who have been trading out talent for prospects over the past decade-plus.  The trend continued this offseason as the A’s dealt young starters Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez as well as closer Andrew Bailey.

Beane is hoping to move his club to the San Jose area which would allow the A’s to build a new stadium and increase payroll.   Wolff and the rest of Oakland’s ownership have similar aspirations.  Some speculate that the extensions signal the move to San Jose is likely already in motion.

For more on the Athletics, be sure to check out Swingin’ A’s.

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