Teams Reportedly Inquiring About A's Shortstop Jacob Wilson

At the beginning of the GM meetings, Bob Nightengale of USA Today listed Jacob Wilson as a potential "fabulous trade chip" for the Athletics to consider moving, though there was no attribution that the team was considering such a move. 

At the conclusion of the GM meetings, Nightengale released his notebook from the week and reported that teams have been inquiring about Wilson, along with Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement and Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford, who is expected to be non-tendered later this month. 

While this is the second piece of Wilson trade talk that has been reported, this is also the same reporter first speculating, then reporting that teams are asking about Wilson. That doesn't necessarily mean that the club is looking to unload him or is even willing to trade him. 

It never hurts to listen to an offer, however, and see what kinds of names come up in conversation. Perhaps there is a deal to be made if another club is looking to bolster the A's in another way.

That's not to say that trade talks — if we can even call them that — are far along at all. This is simply to state that for a new front office coming into things, it makes sense to take those calls. 

Taylor Smith's comments this week, saying that he didn't want to do anything too quickly or be too rash, also seem to suggest that he's taking some time to understand the roster, as well as what moves could potentially be made to improve the team. 

As Athletics Roundtable wrote earlier this week, trading Wilson right now would be a head-scratching move that could squash the fanbase the franchise is seeking to cultivate. Signing a homegrown star just to trade him one year into a seven-year deal wouldn't be the best signal to a new fanbase. 

The counterargument is obviously that the team's No. 1 prospect is Leo De Vries, a talented shortstop who may supplant Wilson at short in the coming year or so anyway, so may as well move on from Wilson now, but the A's could also slide Wilson to second and provide an even higher ceiling for the team moving forward by keeping him around. 

Overall, it will depend upon what type of return package is in play in any potential conversation, but keeping this group that has signed on to play long-term with the A's should count for something.