MLB 12 The Show Franchise: Oakland A's - RebelPaul's Dynasty

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MLB 12 The Show Franchise: Oakland A's

Posted on June 3, 2012 at 10:46 PM.

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The 2012 Oakland A's

There's no questioning the history of the Oakland Athletics. The A's can be considered one of the premier franchises in all of Major League Baseball with 14 World Series appearances and nine titles to their name.

Things aren't all well in Oakland, however. The A's haven't won a World Series title since 1989, and haven't been to the Fall Classic since 1990. There was some success in the early part of the 2000s � four AL West titles (2000, 2002, 2003 and 2006) and a wild card appearance (2001) � but even those years were plagued by an inability to get over the hump.

Since those years, the A's haven't been close to the postseason.

By virtue of its status as a small-market franchise, the A's are at a disadvantage when it comes to luring top-tier talent to Oakland. The A's had a small advantage when the franchise went to use of advanced stats to field a team. Yet in the copycat world of professional sports, most teams now implement the same philosophy, meaning whatever competitive edge the A's had over teams with bigger budgets has essentially disappeared.

With its playoff drought entering its sixth season, Oakland finds itself struggling to stay relevant in the forefront of baseball fans.

The A's went 74-88 in 2011, but the 2012 seasons brings the potential for brighter days.

In March, the A's signed highly touted Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract.

By signing Cespedes, the A's locked up their centerpiece of the future, and the journey back to relevance � and a World Series title � began.