The Oakland A’s filled their 2017 roster with relatively inexpensive veteran players, which is what you’d expect to begin a rebuilding season. Someone needs to hold down the fort until the next wave of prospects arrives from the minors, and in the meantime you never know what hidden gems you might unearth.
With their record at 17-23, though, it’s safe to say there isn’t more to this team than meets the eye. Their defense is atrocious, the lineup is one-dimensional, and the pitching staff isn’t going to carry them to glory on its own. We’re only through the first quarter of the season, but it’s already time to start accepting that the best use of the remaining games is to prepare for 2018.