By Matthew Harrington

The collective state of mind projected by the seven Oakland Athletics in attendance at the 2014 All-Star game was that, despite being all business on the field, this team was all smiles and just happy to be in the fold. In the various interviews, Josh Donaldson, Sean Doolittle and Derek Norris all made it seem like playing for the A’s was just a good ole’ time. Winning, after all, is a cure-all for many things. It’s not, however, a consolation prize for one contributor to the first-place squad.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweeted today that sources close to Tommy Milone say the southpaw has requested a trade to a team with an opportunity at the major league level. This comes after Milone’s third demotion to Triple A Sacramento in the last calendar year on Independence Day. At the time of his optioning, the lefty had gone 6-3 in 16 2014 appearances, all starts, with an accompanying earned run average of 3.55.

While preseason injuries to Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin gave the 27-year-old a chance to crack the rotation out of Spring Training, Milone (still in possesion of a minor league option) became expendable after the July 4^th trade that brought Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel over from the Chicago Cubs. While he was 6-0 with a 2.62 ERA over his last 11 starts. With Sonny Gray, Scott Kazmir and Samardzija anchoring the front end while Jesse Chavez and Hammel create a formidable back-of-the-rotation duo there was no room at the major league level for Milone or fellow lefty Drew Pomeranz, also demoted to the River Cats after returning from a broken hand July 13th. Brad Mills, who was purchased from the Milwaukee Brewers for one dollar earlier in the season, also fell victim to the roster crunch and now finds himself a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

While the path to the big leagues appears blocked for Milone, who was acquired along with Derek Norris from the Washington Nationals in 2011 for Gio Gonzalez, he may not have to wait long for another opportunity with green and gold. Over his last ten starts, Chavez has seen his ERA balloon from 2.61 on May 24 to 3.14 after his July 12^th start against Seattle. While a change in roles for Chavez may be unlikely, Hammel’s position could be in jeapordy after going 0-2 in his first pair of starts with the A’s. The righty has allowed seven earned runs over his first seven innings, failing to register more than six outs in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles.

One of the hallmarks that have made the 2014 Athletics the top team in the American League has been the reliance on and faith in positional depth. Dan Straily, Josh Lindblom, Mills and Pomeranz join Milone as pitchers who made a start for the A’s this season but are no longer with the team (or in Mills and Straily’s case, the organization). Few teams, especially teams that play deep in to October, avoid casualties to the rotation due to injuries.

While Milone believes he deserves to be contributing at the major league level, and though his numbers thus far certainly suggest he should be, it is in the best interest of Bob Melvin and co. to keep Milone at their beck and call. With Chavez pitching his first year as a starter following an off-season conversion from long relief, questions surround how his stamina will hold up as the seasons turn from summer to fall. While Kazmir’s past injury woes, ailments that derailed most of his 2011 season and had him toiling for another big league audition in the Independent leagues in 2012, if trouble should again befall the Texan Milone could be plugged into his spot in the rotation.

With the Los Angeles Angels only two games back of the A’s for the AL West lead, the ability to not skip a beat for even one spot start could prove the difference between a bye to the Division Series or a spot in the sudden death Wild Card Play-off game. While Milone may currently be frustrated with the lack of reward for his performance, sticking it out for the good of the team may lead to an emergency role when the A’s need him most down the stretch.