Word: oaklands
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Giambi has often stated that he would like to stay in Oakland. Unfortunately, the Athletics’ financial situation may prevent the team from re-signing their MVP. At first, Oakland was unwilling to give Giambi a no-trade clause. Management understood that if the A’s suddenly became a non-contending team, fans would stop attending games—having to pay Giambi would lead to massive losses...
During the past month, A’s General Manager Billy Beane declared that Oakland was willing to give Giambi his no-trade clause if he would stay. Unfortunately, the decision may have been made too late. Beane has acknowledged that a bidding war is likely. Unable to compete with the bottomless pockets of St. Louis and New York, Oakland would no longer be a viable option for a star like Giambi...
...past five years, a hierarchy has developed in baseball. Within the majors, there are really three classes: Single A teams, Triple A teams and the parent squads. Kansas City, Montreal and Tampa Bay are Single A clubs. Oakland, Cincinnati, the White Sox, Toronto and Minnesota are AAA teams. Anyone with a payroll of over 60 million dollars is a parent organization...
...lower minor leagues—Kansas City, for example. Young players try to work their way into the “big leagues,” or, at least, rise in the farm system. When they reach a level of success, they are promoted to AAA, or Oakland. Take Jeremy Giambi. Or Johnny Damon. Or Jermaine Dye. Kansas City seems to promote all its good players to the A’s. Can you name the players Oakland traded to Kansas City for these guys? The way the system works, Oakland benefits while Kansas City is sent back to recruit...
...soon be shipped to the majors. Managers and coaches who do well at the Triple A level are also promoted. Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan chose St. Louis as a location where they could perform in front of a Major League audience, rather than the Triple A atmosphere in Oakland. Mark McGwire followed, along with Craig Paquette, Willie McGee and Todd Stottlemyre. For all four of those players, St. Louis only traded one player that remained with Oakland for more than a year—TJ Matthews, a mediocre middle reliever. But Matthews is mediocre, not terrible, so he currently...