FanPost

Khris Davis for JBJ

Purely an idea: the A's could move the slugging DH to a Red Sox team that is perhaps the best-positioned in the country to use the weak-armed righty in left field. (This is all predicated on some mystery suitor, perhaps the Giants, swooping in to snag JD Martinez, who's presumably the apple of the Sox's eye as they escalate their Cold War with the Yankees.)

It would save a couple million, help the team get younger, and arguably raise the team's ceiling -- Davis isn't going to be more than a +3 WAR DH, but Bradley is very likely to eclipse that as an outfielder. You may give at least two wins back at DH with Nunez, so is an outfield arrangement with Bradley more than two wins better? (We'll show a range for Bradley.)

DH: Davis +3

CF: Powell +2

RF: Joyce +2

LF: Pinder/Fowler +1

= +8

DH: Nunez +0

CF: Bradley +3-5

RF: Joyce +2

LF: Powell/Pinder +1

= +6-8

So the real problem with this picture is a) Nunez might be terrible, and b) we have three left-handed outfielders (Powell, Fowler, Joyce) and one right-handed outfielder (who isn't really an outfielder). If we use the savings to sign Santana, for example -- unlikely but possible -- with a trade for Stephen Piscotty:

DH: Santana +2

CF: Bradley +3-5

RF: Joyce/Pinder +2

LF: Powell/Piscotty +2-3

= +10-12

Now, does it make sense to block Fowler -- and possibly Mateo and Munoz (both a bit position-indeterminate) -- and invest in Piscotty, Santana and -- most importantly for this conversation, Bradley?

Well, Powell and Fowler are probably already going to compete a bit for time.

As I've mentioned, I don't think the A's should be playing for this year. Especially not now that the AL looks a bit more top-heavy.

But JBJ could have his best years ahead of him. Could Davis? It seems less likely -- he probably is what he is, 240/330 with 40 homers in a good year, and he might not have as much time left at as JBJ at their respective peaks.

Don't mistake this for a "let's trade Davis" post; I'm open to it, but didn't recommend it in my offseason plan. He's a core part of an exciting team. And it might be the case that BOS is more interested in prospects. But if we can move laterally while getting better for the future, I'm in.