Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman prior to a game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Last June, the Oakland Athletics were in the midst of yet another terrible season. With an Opening Day payroll of under $57 million, they were dead last in spending—the third time in the past six years that they were last or second to last in total payroll. Their record stood at 19-50, a sad number made sadder by the fact that they had just gone on a six-game winning streak to get there.
Even worse, the door on the team’s home in Oakland had just shut.