The A’s issues over the past few years come down to not having enough good players. The team has relied on a few relative standouts in their feeble attempt to contend, requiring their best players to play day in and day out to keep their replacement level backups off the field. Remember 2015 when the A’s had exactly one good reliever in Tyler Clippard? It was such a delicate balance of when to use him. There were ample chances of course, as the A’s repeatedly were in close games. But overusing him hurt his productivity. Bob Melvin had the remarkably difficult task of using Clippard at the right time without overdoing it.
Jonathan Lucroy and versatility in the Oakland A’s lineup
