Ken Stabler went from Foley High School and the Alabama Crimson Tide to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But only after the New York Yankees, New York Mets and Houston Astros struck out in their efforts to get “Snake” to play big-league baseball. Each of those teams used a draft pick on Stabler, who was a left-handed pitcher.

The Athletics brought you the Bash Brothers, Run Ricky Run, Moneyball, and some epic pitching mustaches. Its origins are in Philadelphia and had a brief stop in Kansas City, but this team thrived in Oakland. It deserved better than getting uprooted from the East Bay.

For the dozens of participants in Major League Baseball’s Futures Game, a weekend spent immersed with fellow elite prospects can offer a moment’s perspective on how far theyve