So I may not being making any friends, when I make the statement that I’d prefer to see another player put a lock on the first base position. Before you start sharpening your pitchforks and/or prepare to burn me at the stake, hear me out.

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

First of all, let it be said that at the very heart of Brandon Moss’s difficulties is his inability to make consistent contact. In a sense, the one constant of his professional career is a strikeout rate hovering over 25%. In his tenure in Oakland, Moss topped out at 30.4 % last season and has kept the pace with a 30.8% rate thus far this season. His walk rate has actually risen from 8.8 to 12.6 %, and despite his overall slash line dropping from .291/.358/.596 to .260/.364/.447 this season, Moss has actually experienced a reprise in BABIP luck replicating his .350 plus average from 2012. What concerns me the most, is that he has been rendered completely useless when falling behind in the count. While every hitter faces a statistical disadvantage when falling behind, Moss has devolved into a .114/.133/.205 hitter this season, with an egregious 27 strikeouts in 44 plate appearances.

Defensively, Moss has showed minor signs of improvement at the position despite spending considerable time lately in the outfield due to Oakland’s injury surplus. In 26 games a first, he’s made 3 errors total (2 fielding, 1 throwing) as opposed to 8 in 55 games last season. He seems more comfortable scooping low throws, and while he isn’t a glaring novice at first base anymore, there are certainly times when his relative inexperience manifests. Although it’s difficult to find the actual count, the issue remains that on multiple occasions Moss has ranged too far to his left on what would be a routine grounder to second, leaving first base unattended and costing the team an out. This was an issue last season, and with the pitching staff struggling as is, the 2013 Athletics simply cannot afford to allow extra base runners through methods such as this.

Although I expect Moss to have respectable power numbers by seasons end, it’s hard to ignore that he has struck out 15 times in the last 10 games, a span of 34 at bats while recording only 5 hits and 3 walks. Regression is to be expected, but I fear with each swing and a miss that Moss is inching closer to resembling the player he was in 2009 when he last received regular playing time at the big league level prior to last season. During that forgettable season, he struggled to a .236/.304/.364 mark in 133 games played and was soon banished to the minor leagues.

In all reality, the job will be Moss’s for the immediate future as in all likelihood he has no true competition. Daric Barton, is in the midst of his umpteenth stint in Oakland and has so far displayed his trademarked plate discipline, excellent defense, and underwhelming power and offensive skills in limited action this season. The man who won’t leave, doesn’t have many advocates amongst the Oakland faithful but still might be a useful piece as a defensive replacement and spot starter at the position. For now it appears the prospect of starting, has come and go for Oakland’s longest tenured position player and his best hope of sticking around is to embrace a role similar to what Doug Mientkiewicz filled during the course of his career. Nate Freiman is a neophyte, who had never played a game over Double-A before his surprising arrival during the waning days of spring training. With an impressive physical appearance, and power potential; Freiman is an intriguing option. However, with the club attempting to content in 2013, I wouldn’t expect anything more than the occasional start against a left-handed starter filling the role inhabited by Chris Carter last season. As the season progresses, it’ll be interesting to see how the former Duke Blue Devil adjusts in his first look at advanced pitching.

For now, Moss is in no immediate danger of losing his job. He’s simply too valuable to the team, but perhaps a defensive and offensive upgrade will one day emerge from the shadows.

When life is going great, you can’t help but hope to freeze time. It could relate to anything from your romantic endeavors to your last vacation. Regardless, everyone want to stay in that moment of time where it all makes sense, and everything seems right in the world. The harsh reality is that this is made impossible, by the constant of change that comes with the elapsing of time. The passing of which causes moments to end, and people and situations to change. This can also work reverse. Tough times never last, and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s simply a balance. Without hitting you with every cliche in the book, let me just say that there are calls for change nearly every time the Athletics go through a rough stretch.  It’s simply the nature of the game.

Now it may be premature to call a two-game losing streak a rough stretch, the fact remains that there are many glaring issues circulating around the 2013 team. Looking no further than the dark underbelly of social media, I’ve found a number of topics, concerns, comments and suggestions that I believe were in need of deconstruction. Without further adieu, here are a few that are worthy of note.

] Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

1. Eric Sogard had an amazing spring training, everyone loves him and he deserves to start.

Where to begin. First and foremost, it’s easy to understand the appeal of the former ASU Sun Devil. The bespectacled infielder has endeared himself with his hustle, fan friendly persona, and underdog status due to his size and skills. However, the reality is that he may not be built for anything more than a bench role on a Major League team. Hitting just a paltry .231/.294/.282, Sogard has provided little in the form of offense while splitting time with Adam Rosales and Andy Parrino.  Often times he’s appeared lost, and has inadvertently swung early in the count at a pitchers pitch only to feebly ground out or loft a lazy fly ball.  Defensively he’s surprised me with his range at second, making a series of highlight-level plays early in the season. Today’s throwing miscue contributed to the only run scoring during Tuesday night’s game, but to his credit this was just his second error of the young season. The season ending injury to Scott Sizemore may have saved his spot on the team for the time being, but if Hiroyuki Nakajima, Jemile Weeks, or Grant Green knock the door down, Sogard will find himself back in Sacramento or on the bench much to the chagrin of nerd lovers everywhere.

2. Eric Sogard is terrible offensively and defensively. 

It’s easy to be reactive and jump to conclusions when an A’s player fails to perform to our expectations. I’m as guilty of this sin as anyone else. It’s frustration and anger boiling to the surface, and the need to nominate a scapegoat begins to cloud our thoughts. It’s a completely reactive response. Now, Eric Sogard is not a terrible major leaguer by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve watched terrible ballplayers come through here before, and I can confidently say that he is heads and shoulders above such luminaries as Kurt Abbott, Scott Hemond, and Jack Voigt. That’s not to say, I want to hand him the keys to second base for the next decade. Sogard has his flaws and limitations, and as 27-year old infielder whose never played a full season in the show, he’s probably not capable of growing into an above average player in this lifetime. Despite being amongst the defensive leaders in the American League in range factor, Sogard is largely underrated defensively though it’s not enough the support the argument that he should start. Until he regains the form, that watched him spray line drives all over the Cactus League he’s best being left at the bottom of the order and playing sparingly. In my opinion, he’s suited as utility infielder who is capable of filling in at a variety of positions with the occasional start to give a regular a day off. What I want to avoid is any stretches of extended play where he becomes exposed, and I’d rather not ever see him come off the bench to pinch-hit in a key situation such as last weeks finale against the Angels.

Two opposite sides of the spectrum, both spawned out of irrational love or dislike for the incumbent second baseman. Nevertheless, the idea to replace Sogard as a regular player is sound though completely banishing him off the big league club may be a bit excessive. With his versatility and defensive prowess he still holds value, but playing everyday leaves him exposed. I do believe that the moral of the story is to never fall in love with a bench player, they’ll only break your heart.

Granted, the 2009-2011 editions of the Athletics weren’t exactly anything to write home about. The Yankees have continuously overwhelmed, and outplayed our East Bay heroes. It hasn’t been fair, really. While the A’s trotted out band-aids such as Adam Kennedy and Lenny DiNardo, the Yankees have composed a veritable All-Star team season after season. With that established, the 2013 version of the Bronx Bombers doesn’t quite hold the same fear factor at the present moment.

Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

I suppose the argument could be made that they’re still an All-Star team. With a middle of the line-up highlighted by Vernon Wells, Travis Hafner, and Ichiro Suzuki; one would be impressed if the year were still 2006. However, the 2013 Yankees appear to be biding their time milking what they can out of the former stars and waiting for nearly 95 million dollars of their injured payroll (Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez) to return in the future. At a record of 18-12, manager Joe Girardi has impressively held his team together during the early portion of the season and it would not at all be surprising to see them playing in October, once again.

Until then, Girardi is playing cut and paste with his roster of marginal players and past-their-prime sluggers. Nevertheless, the Yankees are the Yankees. To avoid falling to the pratfalls of intimidation, and the history of classic failures from last season extra-inning home run bonanza, to the playoffs failures of 2000 and 2001 is huge even at the fledgeling stage of the 2013 season. As Frank Sinatra’s ”New York, New York” played on cue after the recording of the final out, as it does during every Yankee Stadium home game, it signified the A’s had made a successful escape from New York. With Sinatra’s ode to the greatest city on earth ringing hollow through the depressingly empty stadium, the A’s can finally relax and maybe even catch some much deserved sleep on the flight to Cleveland.