The Oakland Athletics made some puzzling moves this offseason, but their acquisition of Cuban free agent slugger Yoenis Cespedes definitely raised the most eyebrows. Although there were scattered rumblings that the A's acquired Cespedes to be able to flip him for a different package of players, it appeared that a promising new team was beginning to be assembled.
On Monday night, the monstrous home runs that Cespedes has walloped already in the young season seemed to have little-to-no impact on A's home attendance, which was absolutely awful for their game against the Kansas City Royals.
Before Monday's game, Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News spoke to a couple of players about whether they think the front office will be able to allow the team to grow into something legitimate, or whether dismal attendance and lack of confidence will end up breaking the current Athletics apart.
When I asked Jemile Weeks if he thinks this young group could grow and eventually win together, he shrugged and said, "We all hope we can be around each other; it's not our decision who stays and who goes."
It's hard to read inflection into Weeks' comments, but it certainly sounds pessimistic. Hopefully the team will be given opportunities to succeed and the fans will find reasons to come support their team in person.
For all news and information regarding the Oakland A's, please visit Athletics Nation.
