Trade Deadline Preview: Oakland Athletics

Jun 27, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Oakland Athletics second baseman Sogard (28) reacts in the dugout during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Even though the Athletics have very few holes, no team is perfect and has areas in which they could improve or upgrade. For the Athletics their most glaring issue is offensive production out of second base, this is where a change must be made. They could use an upgrade at the back end of their rotation and maybe (?) a minor change or two in the bullpen. It’s not much but it could be the difference between winning a championship or going home empty handed once again in October.

1. Second base is the A’s most glaring weakness. Second baseman Eric Sogard may have his awesome “Nerd Power” going on and was almost named the Face of MLB by MLB Network but he is batting just .188. Ouch. That is not good. Now the A’s have other players who can play second base namely Nick Punto, Alberto Callaspo and Jed Lowrie but the way Melvin moves around his players, and players play in platoons, Sogard sees the most time at second base. His main replacement is Nick Punto who isn’t having his best year either batting just .223. Something needs to happen for the A’s at second base.

2. The A’s starting rotation is solid with the one-two-three punch of lefty Scott Kazmir and righties Sonny Gray and Jesse Chavez. The back end of the rotation, their four and five starters, Brad Mills and Tommy Milone (or Drew Pomeranz who is currently on the disabled list) can be inconsistent. If the A’s could add a reliable, veteran starter to the back end of the rotation they would be all but unstoppable.

3. Really the A’s do not have another real weakness. The only real weak link on the team has been former closer Jim Johnson. Southpaw Sean Doolittle took over the role and has been unbelievable. The A’s are unfortunately still paying Johnson’s $10 million salary and for some reason still feel the need to use him out of the bullpen usually with disastrous results. If they want to win a championship on the 25th anniversary of their last championship in which they swept their cross bay rivals the San Francisco Giants, Johnson is going to have to go, somewhere. Doesn’t matter whether it is Triple-A, a trade, released he cannot blow anymore games for the A’s. Just Wednesday in Detroit Johnson entered the game with the A’s down by a run 3-2. When he was finally taken out of the game the score was 9-2 in favor of the Tigers. This is not the first or even the second time something like this has happened. The A’s could have up to five more wins if not for Johnson.