Despite the additions of some key players like Hideki Matsui, David DeJesus, Josh Willingham, Grant Balfour, and Brian Fuentes, the A’s failed to reach the playoffs for the fifth-consecutive season and finished the season 22 games out of first place in the AL West. Oh, and the whole Bob Geren drama also put a damper on the A’s 2011 season as well.

The offense actually performed worse than it did the previous year in 2010. The A’s mustered up just 645 runs, 210 runs fewer than the AL West leading Texas Rangers and as a team hit just .244/.311/.369 during the 2011 season.

In 2010 the A’s managed to score 663 runs and hit .256/.324/.378 as a team. That’s without David DeJesus, Hideki Matsui, and Josh Willingham. Beane’s offseason additions didn’t help the team, they actually hurt the team’s offense in 2011. (more…)

Could Scott Sizemore solve Oakland's third base problem? (Photo Credit: Dino Vournas/AP)

Houston, the Oakland A’s have a problem. The A’s, as most of you probably already know, are in a bit of a rut when it comes to filling the void left by Eric Chavez at third base. Oakland has been paper thin at the position that once belonged to the six-time Gold Glover Chavez, and filling those shoes hasn’t been an easy task for the green-and-gold.

Chavez didn’t produce much during the latter part of his Oakland career, though, as the veteran third baseman was limited to a total of 154 games from 2007-10. During that time he hit just .233/.290/.399 with 18 HR and 71 RBIs. He didn’t spend much time on the field due to various injuries and served as Oakland’s designated-hitter during his final season with the A’s.

From 1999-2006, however, Chavez was an above average player and a powerful presence in Oakland’s lineup. He appeared in 1150 games during that period and hit .271/.350/.490 with 212 HR and 710 RBIs as well. From 2001-06 he collected six-consecutive Gold Gloves for his work at the hot corner.

His career was derailed, though, by various shoulder and back injuries. After signing a contract extension in 2004 worth $66 million over six seasons, Chavez’s production began to drop due to an unlucky streak of bad injuries. His work ethic and demeanor never fade, though.

Since Chavez’s departure, which in my mind, at least, started back in ’07, the A’s haven’t found a good replacement and successor. The A’s tried to answer their problems by acquiring 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, but Billy Beane didn’t exactly strike gold with Kouzmanoff. (more…)

The A’s really haven’t had much depth over at third base, and onceEric Chavezstopped producing, the A’s have been in really poor shape at the hot-corner.3B Kevin Kouzmanoff arrived in 2010 as an answer, at least, initially, to Oakland’s problems at third.

After producing on a rather consistent and solid level for the San Diego Padres, Kouzmanoff didn’t exactly tear it up in Oakland during his first year with the team. After hitting .255/.302/.420 with 18 HR and 88 RBIs with the Padres in ’09, Kouzmanoff’s numbers took quite a dip with the A’s. Kouzmanoff appeared in 143 games during the 2010 season, hitting just .247/.283/.396 with 16 HR and 71 RBIs.

He was supposed to be the answer for Oakland’s third base problem, but he didn’t exactly wow anyone with his first year in Oakland. This year was no different. The veteran player appeared in just 46 games with the A’s this year, hitting just .221/.262/.353 with four home runs and 17 RBIs. His poor offensive showing, coupled with the fact that his defense slipped a bit as well, prompted the A’s to burry Kouzmanoff deep within its Triple-A affiliate team.

Oakland eventually traded Kouzmanoff to the Rockies.  (more…)