At the end of Spring Training, the Cactus League team that, statistically, had the best offensive performance was clearly the Oakland Athletics, who had a +45 run differential, and the best W/L percentage in the western divisions. True, thanks to the Royals and Cubs they're third in the Cactus League standings, but their numbers speak to the fact that the A's are the undisputed frontrunner in the AL West race...and after years of the Astros getting playoff time, I could not be any more here for it.
The A's have always been a favorite of mine in the standings ever since their come-up in 2018, out of nowhere. The Chapman-Olson-Semien years did them well, as did the years of Mike Fiers' acehood and last year's Liam Hendriks masterclass in relief pitching. However, now that Fiers is older, Semien and Hendriks are gone, and the team is culling more from its youth movement, the real test is about to begin.
This season is going to rely on people like Jesus Luzardo, who's been decent in 3 starts out of camp, Sean Murphy, who's gonna be a late roster addition thanks to an injury I believe, and Vimael Machin, who's playing well but is still in search of a position. It's also gonna rely on A.J. Puk, who isn't doing too well out of camp and may not have a place in this team as it is. And there are a lot of minor pieces that could factor into things, like former Phillies prospect Cole Irvin, who's been fantastic in several starts for the A's, and Aramis Garcia, the former Giants prospect who could be a keen backup for Murphy this year.
And even with veteran pieces like Elvis Andrus and Mitch Moreland shoved where they may not fit, the true core of this team is going to impress people this year. The lineup definitely, but I'm confident in people like Luzardo and Chris Bassitt. I know the Astros are still gonna be trying shit this year, as they are prone to, but I'm hoping the A's can pull away on all accounts.
Coming Tomorrow- A set of customs pertaining to some incredibly sad late-camp cuts.
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