Signs Of Life In Oakland . . . For Now

It was looking like another tough off-season for Oakland Athletic fans. That's saying something, because the bar for tough off-seasons in Oakland is pretty high, with the ongoing reports that the A's will soon know the way to San Jose from first-hand experience.

This off-season seemed noteworthy in terms of promising an especially mediocre season; and yes, 'especially mediocre' seems a contradiction in terms, but it isn't a contradiction for A's fans. First, rumors are that the move to San Jose will happen soon. And even if it doesn't, some of the most exciting players the A's had are now gone, either via trade or free agency: Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey, Josh Willingham, to name four. And then you have the rest of the division getting tougher, with Albert Pujols going to the Angels and Texas signing Yu Darvish.

So there didn't seem to be many reasons for Oakland fans to care what is going to happen this season, other than the visceral, emotional reasons that no sports fans can really ignore, no matter how disgusted they get with management.

But there are a few interesting things that have happened.

1) Coco Crisp stayed. The free agent outfielder with one of the best names in baseball, expected to leave for richer pastures, actually signed a new contract, giving Oakland a figure of stability atop the lineup.

2) Jonny Gomes signed. The free agent outfielder is a native of Petaluma, so that adds an element of potential hometown heroics.

3) Unexpectedly, the A's signed one of the most talked about free agents of the off season, Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes. Given the propensity of Oakland to hold on to money like an oyster holds on to its adductor muscle, this was startling. I expected him to sign with the Miami Marlins, for many obvious reasons, including the Marlins' willingness to splash cash about this off-season.

None of these reasons really give me extra motivation to attend an Oakland game. If I'm going to the Bay Area for a baseball game this year, odds are it will be a Giants game.

But there is this special bonus reason that intrigues me as a writer.

4) Brandon McCarthy is really, really funny. I didn't know much about Brandon, but he recently contributed a guest column to an SI.com blog, and it was awesome. It would be akin to Nick Hornby signing to play soccer for Newcastle United and turning into a 30 goal per season man.

All these moves could well be with an eye for a future San Jose stadium, which ironically I would dislike, much as I would dislike the Niners in Santa Clara, even though that would put them closer to me. But nevertheless, I'm intrigued enough that I will catch a few A's games on TV this season.

Unless, as rumored, they sign Manny Ramirez, as they are rumored to be considering. That would make me give up on them all over again.