Hanging Chad

 

The 2022 Oakland Athletics have to play the Yankees this week, the week they lose Nestor Cortes to the IL. Somehow, between James Kaprielian and J.P. Sears, there might be more Yankee pitchers in the A's rotation than there are in the Yankees' rotation.

I mean, the Yankees are having some trouble lately but looking over this A's team...jeez, is there ANYTHING THERE that could be a match for this team? Sean Murphy is having his best season to date, with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs. Shea Langeliers already has 5 RBIs and 7 hits in 8 games as a rookie. Irvin, Kaprielian and Sears have been solid in starts. 

But like...that's kinda it. The best parts of this A's team are just small circles in a field of nothing. Some good relievers, some good starters, some good hitters. We just had a long run of seasons where the A's competed for the wild card spot, and a 2021 season where the A's had the Astros on the ropes til the sticky end of the year. And now...nothing.

I mean, Chad Pinder was always a spare piece and utility man turned starter in a lot of those old competitive A's team. Everybody leaves and he's now a trusted veteran. He's hitting .236 with 38 RBIs. That's...not terrific. Only Murphy is hitting over .250. 

A lot of middling teams are at least finding the pieces they're gonna bank on for the next several years. The Cubs are putting the pieces in place for future success. The O's have brought up a ton of prospects and trying something this year. The Royals teased all those prospects the week everyone went on the COVID list. The A's...do not have much in that regard. I guess Nick Allen is a good defensive piece right now, but Pache and Smith have failed, Norge Sosa isn't perfect yet, Jared Koenig struggled in his first few starts, and Shea Langeliers, while impressive, is being slotted in as a DH.

The A's might need a few more years of truly atrocious baseball before they even figure out what the next stage is gonna be. Which sucks, but it's kinda necessary. 

Coming Tomorrow- A shortstop who's been everywhere lately and is having his best season in years.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Athletics

 

Okay, so I've been sort of angry at Rob Manfred a lot on this blog, and considering what we're in the process of I have every right to be, but there's definitely a point to him expanding the playoffs to fourteen, especially if so many great competitors get left out. 

For instance, the Oakland Athletics. What a great season, so much momentum throughout, a lot of time at 1st place, great pitching staff especially starting, and a great haul at the deadline...all lost in a down September. In an expanded postseason format, a season like that would not be lost in the shuffle, and a down September would still allow someone like the A's a second chance. And while it does look like the A's might be letting some big players go this offseason, it would have been great to see them outdo the odds in this past playoff schematic. 

Again, the starting pitching was impressive. 2021 saw the rise of former Yankee farmhand James Kaprielian, who finally got a full shot at the bigs this year, and fit right into the rotation. Kaprielian had an 8-5 record, a 4.07 ERA and 123 Ks in 24 games. Looks to be a strong option for the next few years.

2022 Prediction: Top WAR of the rotation. Even more than Bassitt. 

That also left some room for former Phillies farmhand Cole Irvin to slide in and start some games, and he did a decent enough job, with a 4.24 ERA, 125 Ks and a surprisingly negative w/l percentage despite 10 wins. Irvin did start all 32 games, but he does seem to me like a filler pick in between stronger options.

2022 Prediction: Either Irvin loses his place in the rotation due to an injury, or he becomes an unlikely backbone once Manaea and Bassitt get traded. 

The top WAR of anyone in this post was Sean Murphy, which is odd, as Oakland seemed to really need Yan Gomes. Murphy was a gold glove catcher this year, with some exceptional defensive numbers despite only hitting .216. On one hand, Murph is a durable option behind the plate, but on the other, he still hasn't figured out the plate itself.

2022 Prediction: A slightly fuller offensive year, and perhaps an injury.

The other in that duo of relied-upon-but-still-flawed younger A's is Seth Brown, who was an OF-DH piece for them this year, as he's always been, and hit 20 homers and 48 RBIs while still hitting .214. Yes, Brown can hit, but he's not a multi-tool guy.

2022 Prediction: Mostly bench work, but the occasional clutch moment. 

Mitch Moreland, after a strong 2020, was hired as the DH in Oakland, and was expected to just be a steady everyday bat with some power. He was that. He only played 81 games, but hit .227 with 10 homers and 30 RBIs. Nothing to his peak, but exactly what it says on the tin.

2022 Prediction: If anyone picks him up, it'll be a limited role.

Chad Pinder is still a good utility member of the A's, and while he also missed some time to injuries, hitting .243 with 52 hits and 27 RBIs in 75 games. He'll be turning 30 next season, and may have passed his window to become a truly reliable starter, but he's cemented his place in these A's teams, and seems to have a place in future incarnations of it.

2022 Prediction: That said, either an injury or a slump will require Pinder to start some games, and he will impress in a way that will build his free agency case in 2023.

Now onto the deadline acquisitions. The first big one for the A's was Cubs reliever and old-school-looking hurler Andrew Chafin, who quickly became a fan favorite in Oakland. Chafin continued his strong relief numbers, with a 1.53 ERA and 27 Ks in 29 innings. He may not have reached the postseason, but he boosted his free agency case and continued to be one of the more fun middle relievers in the game.

2022 Prediction: I don't think he'll be signed by a contender, but I do think he will make the playoffs. Perhaps not as strong a year as 2022, but one you won't exactly stay mad at.

Yan Gomes was one of two Nationals that came to the team in July, and his acquisition was used as an inkling that Murphy needed help behind the backstop. Gomes did aid the team as a better offensive catcher, hitting .221 with 17 RBIs and 5 homers, but eventually became a backup to Murphy.

2022 Prediction: If Willson Contreras is, in fact, traded, Gomes could be back to starting in Chicago, and he'll be a serviceable option.

The other Nat to make it to Oakland was former Pirates infield hero Josh Harrison, finally back to peak form. Harrison's tenure in Oakland was a little more memorable than Gomes's, as he hit .254 with 47 hits and 28 RBIs in 28 games. Harrison provided an upgrade from the aging Jed Lowrie at 2nd, and provided the infield with a great boost, similar to Tommy La Stella last year.

2022 Prediction: A cheap signing that pays off in a smaller market. My guess is that the White Sox take him.

And finally, after parting ways with them to gain Elvis Andrus, the A's got to have their cake AND eat it too by signing Khris Davis midseason. Davis, on his return to his stomping, and pounding, grounds, hit .255 with 5 RBIs and only 1 of his trademark homers in 20 games. Davis' current career average is at .242, and Davis needs one or two more contact-friendly years to get himself back to that .247 number being a career stat, as I kinda want it to be.

Tomorrow, just about as many from the Toronto Blue Jays

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Athletics

At long last, the Oakland Athletics won a playoff series in 2020. Granted, they proceeded to lose one to a team that finished the season under .500, a team they had no trouble beating during the regular season, but...they beat the Chicago White Sox and won a playoff series. That alone is enough to hang onto for 2021.

But, there were a lot of minor successes across the entire squad this year. First of all, former low-tier DH Robbie Grossman had his best season in years this year, with a club-leading 12 doubles and 40 hits. Granted, he only hit .241, but he got a lot of stuff done in 50 games, and finished with a 1.0 WAR

2021 Prediction: Becomes a bench player for a competitive team, and gets some playoff time. 

In a season where some of the main pitching options were souring, Jesus Luzardo was a mostly efficient starting choice. In 9 starts, Luzardo had a 3.83 record with 3 wins and 59 strikeouts, second-most thanks to Frankie Montas squeaking out one more. Luzardo and Chris Bassitt were the only starters who finished the season with ERAs lower than 4, which is a good sign for the future, I guess.

2021 Prediction: A fuller picture of his abilities, a boost in July and a few Cy Young votes flung his way.

As Luzardo rose, the former Oakland ace, Mike Fiers, fell slightly. Despite a 6-3 record, the 35-year-old had a down year, with a 4.58 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Considering that Fiers already had two nice seasons as an Athletic, it's not the worst way to end a multi-year deal.

2021 Prediction: Mid-market team signs him, he starts 18 games and relieves a bunch more, and on the whole it's labeled an improvement. 

After the hazy, indistinct catching picture of 2019, Sean Murphy arose as the primary backstop for this year, and boy did he make his presence known. Murph hit .233 in 43 games, with 14 RBIs and 7 homers, and boosted the runs column towards a 1.0 WAR. Even if Vimael Machin provided some late competition, by the playoffs, Murphy was on fire, hitting .375 in the wild card series with 2 RBIs, and a helpful homer in the ALDC. 

2021 Prediction: He makes it to 25 home runs and cements himself as a member of this team's core during a killer playoff run.

After an impressive post-trade run in Oakland last year, Jake Diekman doubled down in 2020, with a 0.42 ERA and 31 strikeouts in an injury-shortened 21 games. Dude only allowed one earned run the whole year. At 33, he's probably had one of his strongest years. 

2021 Prediction: Healthier, but a statistical step back.

It took until September for Chad Pinder to arrive in Oakland, and once he did, he made them regret not activating him sooner. Pinder took on a reserve infielder role in the last month of the year, hit .232 with 8 RBIs, and was responsible for seven postseason RBIs, including some that kept the A's-Astros series going all the way to 5 games. Pinder's power kept the A's alive this year.

2021 Prediction: More bench work, slightly less starry, but I still predict some home runs coming late in the season from this guy.

After losing Jurickson Profar to the Padres, the A's decided to give 2nd base to former Astros outfielder Tony Kemp. An odd move, but one that made a bit more sense as the season went on, as Kemp was more of a defensive piece than an offensive one. Kemp only hit 247, but he was a quick defender at 2nd. However, once August ended, the A's had a few more infield options to work with, and Kemp got less and less playing time.

2021 Prediction: Won't stay in Oakland, or as a second baseman, for all of 2021.

On a whim, the A's trade Franklin Barreto for Tommy La Stella, and he does not disappoint in his month with the team. In 27 games he hits .289 with 11 RBIs and 28 hits, improving on Kemp's defensive play, and becoming the primary 2nd baseman going into the playoffs, where he hit .293 with 8 hits and 2 RBIs. For a career utilityman going into 2019, not bad at all.

2021 Prediction: Will be signed as a backup, get some playing time in May, and be traded once some rookie infielder completely takes over. I say Baltimore signs him.

The other veteran the A's went with at the deadline was Mike Minor, who was having a shaky year for the Rangers pre-trade. The A's used Minor both in relief and as a starter, and in both cases he displayed the same uneasy material, keeping a 5.48 ERA in September 27 strikeouts but 13 earned runs. In the postseason he was used primarily in relief, and was scoreless in 3.2 innings against the Astros.

2021 Prediction: He's gonna do well in Kansas City. That organization brought him back, and he'll have a nice return to form without COMPLETELY usurping his 2018-19 numbers.

And then there's Jake Lamb.

Lamb, the once-hot Diamondbacks third baseman had become a burden at DH, and the D-Backs unloaded him before the end of August. The A's, reeling from an injury to Matt Chapman, picked him up and Lamb, like a fish in new water, regained his pop, hitting .267 with 9 RBIs and 3 home runs in 12 games. Lamb had 1 hit in 8 postseason at-bats, though. 

 2021 Prediction: This is the make or break year for Lamb. He's both triumphed and bellyflopped in 2020. Lamb needs a great season in 2021. Whoever signs him, however, is playing quite a risk.

Coming Tomorrow- The little AL East team that could.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Athletics

 The Athletics of the 2010s will be forever remembered for being the most ubiquitous Wild Card team to never make it further than that. The Moneyball II teams in 2012-13 were 1 game away from advancing, both times, but never made it through, both times being felled by the Tigers. And for two straight years, the A's have lost in the Wild Card round to an AL East team; last year's Yankees and now this year's Rays. This year they arguably had a more well-rounded team, too.

Stephen Piscotty had a down year compared to his stronger 2018, as he dealt with injuries, but was still a strong performer, with 44 RBIs in 93 games.
Why Him in 2019?: His strong start paved the way for Mark Canha's wild finish at his position.
2020 Prediction: He will keep his job by the end of the year, but one of his fellow outfielders won't be so lucky.

 Chad Pinder continued his strong bench/extra OF work from last year, hitting .240 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs.
Why Him in 2019?: This was Pinder's fullest season yet.
2020 Prediction: There won't be room for him in Oakland's full outfield plan, so Pinder might have to play some games at 2nd. If the A's get a permanent 2nd baseman, expect Pinder to be gone soon.

 After a few years of partial seasons in Arlington, Jurickson Profar looked to capitalize on his full year as an outfielder in 2018. Despite hitting 20 home runs, Profar hit a measly .218, with only 65 hits in 139 games.
Why Him in 2019?: He managed to have 2 hits in the Wild Card game against Tampa.
2020 Prediction: It's him or Ian Kinsler for the starting 2nd baseman spot in San Diego. Either he has a good year or Kinsler does...and Kinsler's a better player.

 After trying Josh Phegley for a bit, the A's settled on Seth Brown behind the plate. Brown's 26 game audition consisted of 13 RBIs and a .293 average, which gave him the starting gig in the Wild Card game.
Why Him in 2019?: 26 games after debuting, he's good enough to be making appearances in a Wild Card. And he might be a favorite for the starting spot next year.
2020 Prediction: Top 5 ASG voting for catchers.

 Sean Manaea missed several months of 2019, but he eventually stopped by for 5 games in August, notching 4 wins, getting a 1.21 ERA, and striking out 30 batters.
Why Him in 2019?: Cause even short-form Sean Manaea is nasty.
2020 Prediction: A return to ace status, an ASG gig, some Cy Young votes, and some trade talks by 2021.

 In Manaea's place, the A's plotted a few veteran arms, including Marco Estrada and Homer Bailey, but it was Tanner Roark who did the best post-trade deadline, as he had a 4.58 ERA in 10 games as an A, with 50 strikeouts. Not as good as his Reds numbers, but not bad.
Why Him in 2019?: Cause of the notable pair who left the Nats before the ring, he had the better year, and this is how he ended it.
2020 Prediction: A team will try a similar strategy to Cincinnati last year by signing him and letting him build up numbers to bring them up as well. I'd say...Texas has a good shot? Maybe Anaheim? Hell, maybe the Reds again.

And let's end on a sharp rookie- AJ Puk has been in the minors for a while for the A's, and they finally got to see some major league production from him this year. Puk made 10 appearances, had a 3.18 ERA, and struck out 13.
Why Him in 2019?: Cause he might be incredible someday.
2020 Prediction: Puk will start in the bullpen, and potentially get the call to start some games...to much acclaim.

Coming Tomorrow- The young, scrappy and hungry Toronto Blue Jays.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2018: Athletics

Perhaps the biggest surprise of 2018 was the sudden rise of the Oakland Athletics, a team that everyone had marked for death. Using a micro-payroll, homegrown talent, and very cheap free agents, this A's team clawed their way past an ailing Angels team and an unlucky Mariners team to battle the Yankees for the Wild Card spot. While this didn't exactly work well for them, their playoff appearance during an era of doldrums for Oakland baseball was definitely worth celebrating, especially after the tragic dissolution of their 2013 squad.

Despite said dissolution, one of the charter pitchers from said era, Trevor Cahill, returned to Oakland (along with Brett Anderson). Cahill had a comeback year, giving some solid middle-rotation work, and being a reliable arm when other pitchers opted out due to injury. Cahill's a free agent this year, and I expect him to sign with an AL West rival, perhaps the two that REALLY need pitching help about now.

Chad Pinder was a member of the A's outfield platoon that worked so well this year, and he graduated from the bench to being a starter after Matt Joyce's demotion. Like Mark Canha, he's a nice little young outfielder who's great with hits. He also gives the A's some options for 2019, because they have Pinder, Canha, Stephen Piscotty, Ramon Laureano and...

...Nick Martini, who had a mid-season debut and became an occasional member of the A's offense. He's also pretty impressive, and ended with an average just under .300. I feel like if the A's do some concrete moves with this outfield, Martini may be the one that either gets shafted or traded, but he's still sharp.

Daniel Mengden's presence in the rotation was certainly a throwback, as it harkened back to the days of Rollie Fingers' handlebar mustache. His numbers weren't bad either, though he spent some time on the DL, and his numbers waned after a while. Hopefully a full season will be a step-up for him.

Shawn Kelley's story was certainly an interesting one this year- he was dropped by the Nationals out of the blue, after Dave Martinez read a glare Kelley gave him after an allowed home run as a personal threat. So Kelley goes to Oakland and gets to play for Bob Melvin, which is nice. He also gets some serious time down the stretch, and helps his already-low ERA get even lower.

[Fun fact: this was the only picture available of Kelley on the A's. So thank the gods it was a good one]

Another addition the A's made to their strong bullpen was adding the great Fernando Rodney, who had been pitching well enough in Minneapolis, by fulfilling the rest of his 2 year deal. Rodney, at 41, gave some surprisingly sharp stuff in middle relief, keeping an ERA below 4, and only allowing 9 earned runs in 20 innings. Rodney, in his tenth uniform, and his seventh in four years, continued to be one of the more legendary relievers in the game.

Coming Tomorrow- Even after seeing them up close, I was still underwhelmed by the Toronto Blue Jays, but I can't help but admit that they had some serious talent waiting there.