FanPost

A's logo goods for 2015: What names go on the t-shirts?

La Potencia

This month the Athletics have to decide what t-shirts and other logo goods to order, as well as most of the promotional items to give away this season.

In past years they have done about 5 players' names on t-shirts at the start of the season, but only about 2 on desirable secondary designs; i.e., green on gray, etc. Last year you could get Donaldson or Crisp on a lot of shirts, and Reddick and Moss on a few others, but you couldn't get Gray until August, and no promo goods.

I wasted some time thinking about the rankings of the current roster vis a vis logo goods. Returning players always have an advantage over new players at the start of the season because if Jarrod Parker gets hurt in spring training, or Coco Crisp has an off year, you can still sell the shirts. But if Billy Butler doesn't hit, no one will want them.

Here's what I came up with

LOGO GOODS DESIRABILITY RANKING

Returning players

1. Crisp. Easy choice, even after an off year.
2. Gray. Now clearly the ace of the pitching staff, was the only starter (with possible exception of Shark) who didn't contribute to the collapse last year.
3. Doolittle. Will miss the beginning of the year and maybe the whole season, but ranks this high because his longterm contract means he's committed to Oakland.
4. Vogt. I'm not sure the A's have ever produced Vogt logo goods, partly because they were always ready to ship him off weeping to Sacramento. But now he has been handed half the catching job, and it's time for the team to acknowledge his popularity. I'll bet if the A's polled fans, "Who is your favorite player," Vogt would rock the vote.
5. Reddick. The A's have better players but he remains popular.

New players
1. Ben Zobrist. The ultimate Athletic, finally where he belongs. Plus it's a cool name for logo goods. Caveats are that he's 34 and his production could fall off a cliff, plus he's a one-year rental.
2. Billy Butler. Safe choice because he's here for 3 years and not likely to get hurt playing DH. Bonus is that size XXXXL shirts are appropriate.
3. Brett Lawrie. High risk, high reward. If he plays with joie de vivre and stays healthy, he could become a fan favorite quickly.
4. Marcus Semien. Played at UC Berkeley and that's probably good for 200 shirt sales right away. If he can handle short he'll be here six years.
5. Tyler Clippard. Has a freakish delivery, is bespectacled and well-spoken. It's as if Eric Sogard could play. With Doolittle hurt, Clippard probably becomes the closer and could be wildly popular. Major caveat is that he's a one-year rental.

So if the A's front office is ordering 5 promotional items, Gray has to make that list. We should absolutely see a cheaply made Gray promotional t-shirt with an ugly automaker logo on the arm, and my wife, whose married name is Gray, and I will line up hours before the game to secure ours.

A bigger question is the desirable alternate design shirts sold in the 1st floor souvenir shop, often made only at the beginning of the season. Crisp is a given. But then who? I don't see them skipping Gray for Doolittle while the latter is injured, or for Vogt. Reddick would have ranked higher last year but I don't see it now. The question is new players. Would they issue alternate shirts in only Crisp, Zobrist and Butler? Would they? Could they? They couldn't, could they?

Butler, Lawrie and Semien should all be here in 2016 and may have their own expanded fan bases. I think the time for Sonny Gray alternate logo goods is now. Right now.