It didn’t go so well at first, though.  He hit .231/.310/.231 over his first 8 games, and it appeared the Arizona desert pixie dust had worn off.  But over the next 4 games he hit .455/.500/.818 and seemed to be recapturing that magical stroke.  It was noticeable, he appeared confident at the plate, and was having good at bats seemingly every time he strode to the dish.  He peaked though with a 3 for 3 game versus , with his .297/.366/.405 line through 12 games.  Through the next 13 games he hit a paltry .182/.250/.182, and perhaps coincidentally, as he went down so did the A’s.

Apr 6, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Oakland Athletics shortstop Eric Sogard (28) drives in a run with a single during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The A’s have righted the ship somewhat though, winning 3 straight games this week, but Sogard hasn’t been a main contributor with 3 singles in 12 plate appearances.  If the A’s were a team in a rebuilding mode, or really any mode other than win now, Sogard would be an acceptable option at second base.  He does play pretty solid defense there, and can move all over the diamond if needed.  But this is a team that has to compete with a once again very good Texas Rangers team who leads the division, and a theoretically talented Los Angeles Angels team that is struggling, but figures to get right at some point.  So the Athletics need to consider the notion that someone else should be getting the bulk of the playing time opposite Jed Lowrie.  And there are three potentially viable options sitting within the confines of the organization, just waiting for their shot.

It wasn’t long ago that Jemile Weeks was considered the untouchable Athletic, a cornerstone of the rebuilding effort, and no one saw the rough 2012 season coming that would put all of that in jeopardy.  Jemile Weeks was sent down to Triple A Sacramento last August, and while he did return in September, his second base job was not waiting for him.  He was in the mix for the job during Spring Training, but an injury to his shoulder derailed those efforts.  Now, he finds himself back in Sacramento, looking to earn another opportunity.  Whether it’s that the organization isn’t seeing what they need to see from him, or if someone in the organization didn’t like his “superstar” comment upon his first demotion last year, we may never know exactly why the bloom is off the rose with Weeks.  What we do know is that when Weeks is on his game, he can be every bit as electrifying for the A’s offense as Coco Crisp is.  So far, Weeks is doing his thing in the minors, with a .305/.416/.362 line in 125 PA over 25 games.  He only has 4 extra base hits (3 doubles and 1 home run), but he’s getting on base at a very impressive clip.  The strikeouts (22) is a little high for a player of his type, but the overall production is a good indicator for Weeks.

There’s also a highly regarded prospect who’s been patiently waiting his first ever chance in the green-and-gold, and he goes by the name of Grant Green.  What exactly has held him back is somewhat mysterious, his bat has always been pretty solid, but his glove has been a disappointment and has left him moving all over the diamond to try and find a comfortable position.  He played the entire 2012 season with the River Cats, and has started off hot for them in 2013.  So far this season he’s hitting .321/.397/.500 with 4 home runs and 5 doubles.  He’s done everything he needs to do in the minor leagues to prove himself, he’s paid his dues and he deserves a shot.  He’s already 25, and he’s not getting any younger.  Regardless of whether he plays every day or not, at this point he needs to be in Oakland before long.

The wild card in all of this is our old friend Hiroyuki Nakajima.  The most high profile addition to the Athletics during the offseason.  He was anointed the starting shortstop before Spring Training began, and promptly lost that distinction with a lack of production during the Cactus League, and put himself completely out of the picture with a hamstring injury that has shelved him for the first month of the regular season.  He appears close to starting a rehab assignment with the River Cats though, so his debut in Oakland could be on the horizon.  We really have no clue just what Nakajima can bring to the table for the Athletics, but he’s been working out at both 2nd and 3rd base so he should be extremely versatile once he gets the hang of those positions.  If his bat picks up to even league average levels, chances are he’d be an upgrade at second base.

Also in the mix are the likes of Adam Rosales and Andy Parrino.  Rosales is in Oakland, and has gotten some starts, but he’s really a utility player.  Parrino had a stint with the A’s, and didn’t do much to impress anyone.  He’ll likely remain in Sacramento until injuries force the A’s to bring him back, which knowing this team will likely take place at some point.  If the A’s sour on Rosales, his time in the organization will likely end as he’s out of options and would have to be designated for assignment to be taken off the 25 man roster.  It’s doubtful at this point that they would want to do that.  So the only option would be to send Sogard down and bring up one of the three aforementioned infielders.  They all have their pros and cons, but as of now Eric Sogard has not built up enough of a body of work in the major leagues to warrant much more time.  If he hasn’t picked things up by the time the A’s leave the Bronx on Sunday, perhaps it’s time to give someone else a chance.

One day Grant Green will finally get to play in front of Section 149. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

The first member of the Athletics organization to show up on this list is shortstop/everything else Grant Green.  The first round pick from 2009 out of USC has had quite an interesting ride thus far in his career.  He appears on this list at number 110, which is not a disappointment because at this juncture the simple fact that he still appears on a prospect list like this is a good thing.  Be it his lack of defensive prowess, or the Athletics lack of decisiveness with him, but he’s bounced all around the diamond, moving from short to second to third to the outfield and back around again.  It’s not much of a shock he’s been inconsistent throughout his career considering his nomadic nature in the field.

Green has finally become well established at the Triple A level, just one quick phone call away from Oakland.  He performed well in 2012 at that level, and seemed primed for a call up at some point in the latter stages of the season.  In 562 PA Green hit .296/.338/.458 for the Rivercats, his 102 wRC+ isn’t spectacular, but he isn’t going to generate a lot of power that will drive that number up.  The most noteworthy number though is his strikeout % which went from hovering at or above 20% for his career to just 13.3%.

When 2013 rolls around there really is no reason not to make him part of the Athletics roster, save for the fact that you can only have 25 players on the roster.  He probably won’t develop into the impact bat the A’s hoped they had acquired when drafting him in 2009, but there’s no doubt about it he can be a useful piece in the puzzle to make another AL West championship run.  At 25 years old right now, Green is teetering on the brink of no longer being a prospect and simply being a Minor Leaguer.  The A’s should take their first chance to see what they truly have with him, there’s no reason not to.  I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, free Grant Green.

July 18, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics shortstop Brandon Hicks (18) hits a walk off home run against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-US PRESSWIRE

Both Miller and Hicks were designated for assignment, so they will go through the waiver process or may be traded within that waiver period.  They may still remain in the organization of they go unclaimed and accept the assignment, but I would imagine they’d elect free agency.  Both of them found themselves on the outside looking in, and may look elsewhere for a better opportunity to prove themselves.

Brandon Hicks of course will be remembered for the huge walk off home run against the Texas Rangers on a Wednesday afternoon, but unfortunately aside from that his big hits were few and far between.  In 70 plate appearances over 22 games Hicks hit .174/.243/.391 with 3 home runs.

Jim Miller was up and down between Oakland and Sacramento all season, and was relegated to mop up duty.  He did fairly well in his role making 33 appearances and registering a 2.59 ERA.  But he pitched around a lot of messes he created with walks, issuing 27 free passes in his 48.2 innings of work.  If he can improve his control, he can be a servicable middle reliever, and assuredly he’ll get his chance somewhere if it isn’t ultimately in Oakland.

Andrew Carignan is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and probably won’t be pitching until next season is well underway.  Carignan made just 11 appearances before hurting his elbow, and had a 4.66 ERA over his 9.2 innings.  He was outrighted to Triple A so he’ll be staying with the organization while he continues his rehab process.

The protection of Green, Ynoa, Peterson, and Leon leaves a few recognizable names open for the taking in the upcoming draft.  Of note are pitchers James Simmons, and Justin Souza, also eligible is outfielder Jermaine Mitchell.  Infielders Tyler Ladendorf and Josh Horton, along with catcher Petey Paramore, and pitchers Travis Banwart and Jared Lansford round out the list of eligible players from the Athletics organization.

Barring another move of some sort that clears space on the roster, the A’s will not be selecting any players in the Rule 5 draft.  They will be surely keeping a close eye on the draft to see if any of their players are taken from them.