Oakland Athletics
Five potential Marcus Semien replacements for A's to play shortstop
Tuesday's free agency-related events sure are ones A's fans would like to forget.
On Tuesday afternoon, longtime A's shortstop and Bay Area native Marcus Semien reportedly agreed to a one-year, $18 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, effectively ending the fan favorite's six-year tenure in Oakland. Minutes later, NBC Sports insider Alex Pavlovic linked former A's infielder Tommy La Stella to a three-year deal across the Bay to the Giants, marking yet another free agent the A's let walk this offseason.
Their external options continued to dwindle, with Andrelton Simmons reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, and the Baltimore Orioles officially inking Freddy Galvis to a one-year deal.
For fans, losing Semien -- a clubhouse leader and an intrinsic factor in the A's three straight playoff berths -- is frustrating enough, especially when the 30-year-old's reported deal falls just $900,000 below the $18.9 million qualifying offer the A's chose to not extend. Now the A's find themselves in quite the predicament -- who can they slot in at the most critical defensive position?
As the A's find themselves without a clear, formidable replacement, here's a look at an array of candidates, both internal and external, to replace Semien at shortstop.
On Tuesday afternoon, longtime A's shortstop and Bay Area native Marcus Semien reportedly agreed to a one-year, $18 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, effectively ending the fan favorite's six-year tenure in Oakland. Minutes later, NBC Sports insider Alex Pavlovic linked former A's infielder Tommy La Stella to a three-year deal across the Bay to the Giants, marking yet another free agent the A's let walk this offseason.
Their external options continued to dwindle, with Andrelton Simmons reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, and the Baltimore Orioles officially inking Freddy Galvis to a one-year deal.
For fans, losing Semien -- a clubhouse leader and an intrinsic factor in the A's three straight playoff berths -- is frustrating enough, especially when the 30-year-old's reported deal falls just $900,000 below the $18.9 million qualifying offer the A's chose to not extend. Now the A's find themselves in quite the predicament -- who can they slot in at the most critical defensive position?
As the A's find themselves without a clear, formidable replacement, here's a look at an array of candidates, both internal and external, to replace Semien at shortstop.
USATSI
Tuesday's free agency-related events sure are ones A's fans would like to forget.
On Tuesday afternoon, longtime A's shortstop and Bay Area native Marcus Semien reportedly agreed to a one-year, $18 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, effectively ending the fan favorite's six-year tenure in Oakland. Minutes later, NBC Sports insider Alex Pavlovic linked former A's infielder Tommy La Stella to a three-year deal across the Bay to the Giants, marking yet another free agent the A's let walk this offseason.
Their external options continued to dwindle, with Andrelton Simmons reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, and the Baltimore Orioles officially inking Freddy Galvis to a one-year deal.
For fans, losing Semien -- a clubhouse leader and an intrinsic factor in the A's three straight playoff berths -- is frustrating enough, especially when the 30-year-old's reported deal falls just $900,000 below the $18.9 million qualifying offer the A's chose to not extend. Now the A's find themselves in quite the predicament -- who can they slot in at the most critical defensive position?
As the A's find themselves without a clear, formidable replacement, here's a look at an array of candidates, both internal and external, to replace Semien at shortstop.
On Tuesday afternoon, longtime A's shortstop and Bay Area native Marcus Semien reportedly agreed to a one-year, $18 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, effectively ending the fan favorite's six-year tenure in Oakland. Minutes later, NBC Sports insider Alex Pavlovic linked former A's infielder Tommy La Stella to a three-year deal across the Bay to the Giants, marking yet another free agent the A's let walk this offseason.
Their external options continued to dwindle, with Andrelton Simmons reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, and the Baltimore Orioles officially inking Freddy Galvis to a one-year deal.
For fans, losing Semien -- a clubhouse leader and an intrinsic factor in the A's three straight playoff berths -- is frustrating enough, especially when the 30-year-old's reported deal falls just $900,000 below the $18.9 million qualifying offer the A's chose to not extend. Now the A's find themselves in quite the predicament -- who can they slot in at the most critical defensive position?
As the A's find themselves without a clear, formidable replacement, here's a look at an array of candidates, both internal and external, to replace Semien at shortstop.