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.

March 21, 2013; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks (19) turns the double play while avoiding Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (19) in the fourth inning during a spring training game at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Much of the conversation throughout the latter portion of the offseason and Spring Training has surrounded the middle infield situation.  Presumably Hiroyuki Nakajima was going to be the everyday shortstop, and a combination of Jed Lowrie, Scott Sizemore, and Jemile Weeks would fulfill the duties at second base.  With the strong play of Jed Lowrie, and the struggles of Nakajima at the plate, to go along with the demotion of Jemile Weeks, and Scott Sizemore still working to get his timing back after missing all of last year, only one member of the group seems to have solidified himself as part of the everyday lineup, that one being Lowrie.

The biggest reason Weeks is being sent down though is Eric Sogard.  It seemed as if he had forced his way into the conversation for playing time in the infield, and the fact that he’s apparently leapfrogged Weeks in the organizational depth chart speaks volumes about how the organization views his spring performance.  I recall the words of Bob Melvin during our visit with him at the BlogFest event back in January, when asked about the competition for the second base job between Weeks and Sizemore, he told us they would definitely use Spring Training numbers to evaluate performance because “what else do we have to go on?”

Clearly Sogard’s torrid spring has made an impression on the decision makers with the Athletics, and at this point I would be shocked if he didn’t find his way onto the Opening Day roster, and perhaps even in the Opening Day lineup.

As for Weeks though, the Athletics are pretty clearly intent on making him prove his worth to the team.  At this point though, the battle may be so far uphill that Weeks ultimate future may end up being with another organization.  He still will have options beyond this season though, so the A’s won’t be forced to make a decision that could lead him to no longer being part of the organization until 2 years from now if they use his option next year also.  Their hope may be to have Weeks get everyday at bats in Triple A, and hopefully perform well in order to increase his value on the trade market so he could be used to address needs of the team as the season wears on.

It’s unfortunate that Weeks didn’t become the cornerstone player it appeared he was poised to be in 2012, but that’s what happens when a player like him hits a couple home runs.  He tried to lift the ball too much, and his lack of power meant many lazy fly balls coming off his bat.  If Weeks gets himself back to what made him successful in 2011, he may still have a future, otherwise he may find himself struggling just to make a major league roster in the years to come.

August 19, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks (19) bunts the ball against the Cleveland Indians during the fifth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Weeks burst onto the Major League scene mid 2011 with the A’s. He hit for average, played solid defense, and stole bags at ease. Last season was a completely different story however. Weeks hit what some like to call the sophomore slump. His average was cut by 80 points from above .300 to around .220. His on base percentage dropped and consequently his stolen bases dropped. Coupled with that was the fact that he brought his offensive frustration into the infield on defense and made costly errors.

If that wasn’t all for Jemile in 2012 he also was eventually demoted to Triple-A Sacramento, a move unthinkable at the beginning of the season. He made his displeasure with the move well known to the media making remarks claiming he was a star, he didn’t perform that badly, and that he’d be back soon. These comments did not sit well with the A’s fans as the chemistry the team built was being questioned by a second year player.

However, maybe the fact that he did not get called back up to start, but rather come off the bench sporadically at best made Weeks reassess his stance. Maybe the fact that the A’s won the AL West crown without him planted the motivation to go to work to better himself in the offseason in his head. Maybe he figured out the necessary adjustments in the offseason and got his act together.

Weeks has only played three games this spring, but in those three he has looked like the 2011 Jemile Weeks. He has five hits in eight at bats with a walk, a home run, and two doubles. He was caught stealing once, but the fact that he was even on base to attempt a steal has to be a good sign for A’s fans to see. He also added a sac fly for good measure.

With the second base job up for grabs this spring between Weeks, Scott Sizemore, and Grant Green one of these players will have to grab the opportunity with both hands and take it. Sizemore is still getting adjusted to Major League pitching after missing all of last season to injury. Green has not played in a regular season big league game yet so he may not yet be ready to take the job either. With the way Weeks is playing do not be surprised to see him named the opening day second baseman. It’s his time to shine. So far he is acting like he wants it like never before.