Over the last five years, the players that have left the A’s could make up an All Star team. As an A’s fan, you expect it and the latest players to leave are Barry Zito and Frank Thomas. The Big Three are no more, at least not the early 2000s version. Now the A’s are looking at a division that should be pretty tough. The Angels, Rangers and Mariners all made moves that should make them better and the question is, can the A’s keep up.
Ed Williams III seems to think so. In his A’s preview talks about how Billy Beane used Mike Piazza to fill the void that Frank Thomas leaves but he was less optimistic about the A’s being able to fill the spot that Barry Zito leaves in the rotation. Regardless, if Rich Harden can come back and be the pitcher everyone feels he can be, the A’s should be okay.
