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The Oakland Telegraph
10 September 2032
Player in focus: Alejandro Gusman
Our player profiling expert, Lou Kingatyoukid, is not the sharpest tool in the box. For instance. Earlier this summer he took a short career break from journalism to go travelling. When he returned home to Oakland, he completely forgot he worked here, and took a new job as a risk assessment coordinator in a gasoline and match factory. Fortunately for him, his output of articles was historically so dire that it took our "improving" HR department two months to realise he hasn't been turning up for work. Three industrial accidents later, Lou realised that safety wasn't his area of expertise and suddenly remembered he still had another job. He has now returned to the Telegraph, and has churned out this profile of A's second baseman Alejandro Gusman in a desperate and largely futile attempt to avoid a terrible mid-year review appraisal from his line manager.
Role
Increasingly overpaid second baseman who struggles to hit but walks and steals a lot.
Nickname
None. The OOTP random nickname generator has been rather lazy with some of these A's guys.
Career history
Gusman was drafted as a 17-year-old by Baltimore with the third overall pick of the 2020 draft. He was rated by BNN as the #5 prospect in 2021 and #4 in 2022, reflecting the high ceiling scouts put on the young man. He played in 57 games for the Orioles at the end of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, before being traded to Oakland in a deal which saw the A's balance their budget by shedding the expensive contracts of the excellent but ageing third baseman Jake Lamb and pitcher Yordano Ventura. Gusman played mainly as infield reserve in 2024 as the A's retained the World Series, and then has been a regular starter for the eight seasons since, during which time the A's have won four more world championships. His defense used to be a real weakness, but he worked hard on his game with A's fielding coach Mr Catch, and is now a well above average second baseman. Ahead of the 2030 season he signed a 4-year, $23m per year contract to remain at Oakland, but his performances have steadily declined since then and there is speculation as to whether in the offseason GM Paulie Beane may decide his career at the Coliseum is done and try to trade him. He has led the A's in walks the last five years and in stolen bases the last six years.
Career highlights
5 World Series rings (Oakland 2024, Oakland 2025, Oakland 2026, Oakland 2029, Oakland 2031)
6 AL championship pennants (Oakland 2024, Oakland 2025, Oakland 2026, Oakland 2028, Oakland 2029, Oakland 2031)
5 AL West pennants (Oakland 2026, Oakland 2028, Oakland 2029, Oakland 2030, Oakland 2031)
2 AL all-star selections (2027, 2028)
Hobbies
Excessive use of hyperbole, collecting items from the Lego "Chima" range.
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