David Forst took over as the GM of the A’s in 2015. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Athletics/Getty Images)
(Michael Zagaris via Getty Images)

A’s fired their general manager as the team plummeted in the Second half

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

With the loss Friday night in Boston, 13-1 against the Red Sox, the Sacramento A’s have lost 29 of their last 33 games.

This morning we learned that the A’s announced the firing of General Manager David Forst, as the team has plummeted in the second half of the season. After 11 seasons as General Manager and 27 years with the organization, the team framed the departure as a “mutual agreement.” Sorry, but I do not buy it; Forst was basically fired during a very difficult season. Management of this A’s team forgot one of the most common things in the game: “Nobody can win without pitching.” I do not care who the GM is; if their pitching is not of Major League caliber, they cannot win. Did they scout well? Who made the decisions for these pitchers? At the end, even if it is not Forst, he is the GM who lost his job; somebody had to pay for the sins.

-Pitching: They ranked #15, which is last in the American League with a combined 5.42 ERA. The team signed Luis Severino to a 3-year deal for $67 million, although he was not a bad pitcher who had good years in New York; he was never an ace, a truly #1. He was the Opening Day pitcher for the A’s. Luis Severino started 12 games; his record is 2-6 with a 4.16 earned run average. 

 Luis Severino is on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. They have some other younger pitchers that still have not found their success. The A’s excellent manager, Mark Kotsay, said early in the season that it would be left to the pitching if they are competitive or not.

-Offense: They ranked #8 in the middle of the pack in the league. As I wrote before this season started, the A’s had a young, talented, and at times intimidating lineup, with the likes of Nick Kurtz, Lawrence Butler, Tyler Soderstrom, and others. There is still room to improve, but they have a good nucleus of young hitters, and good prospects in their minor league system.

Friday the A’s have 46 games left and, resting in fourth place, they run the danger of finishing last, occupied by the Los Angeles Angels. For the record, the last time the A’s finished last, they were in Oakland, and it was in  2023, with a record of 50-112. Manager Mark Kotsay was there; he remembers, and he doesn’t want his team to do the same.

Note: My favorite player of this generation is Mike Trout recently hit a home run on his birthday, the sixth time he has done so during his brilliant career. I was calling the LA Angels games for Fox Sports/Spanish when his very first at-bat in the majors, his debut with the Angels in 2011 at the young age of 19 against the Mariners, he was playing center field, just arrived from Salt Lake City, their AAA farm team. The rest is history, with three MVP Awards, although playing for teams going nowhere, he is still a future Hall of Fame member.

Quote: “Pitching is the art of instilling fear.” -Sandy Koufax.

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🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
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