Since the 2022 season there isn’t much to distinguish the White Sox (170-403) from the Athletics (255-393) as both teams have hit rock bottom. The Sox have intermittently been listed among the surprise teams before the 41-121, 2024 season. And after an especially horrible 2023 season, the Athletics have made incremental progress.

However, it’s the Athletics (I so want to call them Oakland) recent contract extensions that make me think about the similarities with the Sox. Because of how both teams treat their fans, it’s safe to put them in the same ballpark-organizations that don’t typically pour money into payrolls. I don’t think anyone would call them big market teams.

While I understand the underlying principle behind paying young players while they are still under team control, I was surprised when Oakland/Sacramento/Las Vegas signed Jacob Wilson 7-year, $70m extension the other day. The 23-year-old shortstop only has 486 career at-bats. He joins Lawrence Butler (24 y/o) who signed for 7/$65m after only 500 at-bats, Brent Rooker (31 y/o) and 5/$60m and 1200 ab, and Tyler Soderstrom (24 y/o), 7/$86m, and 300 ab. Obviously, A’s management has identified this core group of position players as ones to build upon. I’m not sure what their motivation is or why this particular time unless it’s to enhance the team’s profile as they move to Las Vegas? Even though nobody is claiming they are ready to compete in the AL West, their championship window is open-and if they don’t repeat the success of the 88-90 teams I wonder if the fans will be satisfied.

While their circumstances are different, they need look only as far as the White Sox who utilized the same strategy back in 2017-20-with their window being slammed shut when they finally moved Luis Robert Jr.

Although they’ll never admit it, the White Sox sought to change their fortunes after the Cubs stole the show and hearts of the media in 2016. The White Sox core four were poised to rival the Cubs Core 4.5 even if they were acquired by different means.

Sox management wanted to take advantage of the situation and buy low and early, with the hopes of getting ahead of the market. Everyone is always looking for a deal and multimillionaire owners ar e no different.

Robert signed his extension 6/$50m when he was only 22 years old before he played a ML game, Yoan Moncada (25 y/o) 5/$70m and 1200 ab, Eloy Jiminez (22 y/o) 6/$43m and no ML experience, and Tim Anderson (23 y/o) 6/$25m and 400 at-bats.

For the record, the White Sox qualified for the postseason twice during their window (once was during the pandemic and the other time they lost to the A’s). Based on this recent experiment I don’t know if the Sox brass will jump the gun with the current crop of young prospects or if they’ll chance waiting through arbitration.

That option/strategy cost the post-WS Cubs or saved them depending on how one looks at their players’ post-Cubs success. If one believes the media reports, the Cubs attempted to sign their core 4.5 after they won the World Series and the horses were out of the barn. For the most part, they were able to move all but one player for young talent.

At first glance, it would appear that the Athletics have identified the correct guys, but there is no guarantee that each hasn’t already hit his peak and that they are paying for past performance. The current crop of White Sox prospects might be more productive than the last crew, but Chris Getz will be responsible for whatever happens next. Kenny Williams, Rick Hahn, and Tony LaRussa won’t get the credit nor the blame and for that Sox fans can be happy.