"My approach is to establish identity here" - Oakland Athletics' Mark Kotsay hopes rebuild can turn team into a dynasty
The Oakland Athletics do things a little bit differently. They don't have the luxury of limitless spending, like their state-wide counterparts in the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angels, the San Francisco Giants, and the San Diego Padres.
Oakland has to win in every single margin, even if it means upsetting and disappointing the fans they work so hard for. It's a strategy that's been largely successful for the team, as they've made the playoffs six out of the last 10 seasons. The strategies have been so innovative that a term was coined and made famous through a book and its movie adaptation. The movie starred Brad Pitt as General Manager Billy Beane and was called "Moneyball."
The Oakland Athletics have a major rebuild ahead
Oakland is open to change and rebuilding in 2022. The team allowed manager Bob Melvin to pursue an opportunity with the San Diego Padres. Meanwhile, Billy Beane was approached about running the New York Mets, and the team promoted coach Mark Kotsay to manager. Kotsay brings nearly 2,000 Major League Baseball games worth of experience as a player with him to the position.
Mark Kotsay is looking to continue tradition of bringing A’s legends to Spring Training. Dave Stewart was here last week: “I call him the OG of Oakland. Born and raised, World Series champion. It’s important to have that and for these new guys to understand the rich history.”
Kotsay inherits a roster that is in the process of being scrapped for parts. Oakland is trading valuable Major League caliber players for prospects that show potential to lead the team to prominence in the next three to five years. They arguably fired off the biggest trade of the offseason when they sent slugging first baseman Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves, allowing the World Series Champions to transiton from franchise star Freddie Freeman. The team then sent third baseman Matt Chapman to the Toronto Blue Jays and All-Star starting pitcher Chris Bassit to the New York Mets, also for prospects.
Two of the prospects from those moves, outfielder Christian Pache (the main piece of the Olson trade), pitcher Gunner Hogland (from the Toronto Blue Jays), and pitcher J.T Ginn (from the New York Mets) have already established themselves as top 10 prospects in the Oakland Athletics' system.
"My approach is to establish an identity here."
@Athletics skipper Mark Kotsay joined @MadDogUnleashed & @alannarizzo on #HighHeat. https://t.co/TUlwEnzWgK
In an interview with Chris Russo on Major League Baseball Network's talkshow "High Heat," Kotsay professed his desire to establish an identity for his club, one that he can build through the ranks and mold into a perennial playoff contender that wins both in the margins and on the field. As the team prepares to ship off more pieces, Kotsay will need to get all he can out of a lineup that nobody believes in.