Uncustomed Heroes of 2022: Athletics

 

It's a pretty clear chain of events. The 2021 Oakland Athletics bought hard at the trade deadline, cratered in late August and early September and missed the playoffs. Then they didn't re-sign any of the deadline acquisitions, traded their big pieces away and started over. Therefore, the 2022 Oakland Athletics were the worst team in the AL. Simple cause and effect.

I don't have a ton for Uncustomed Heroes this year, because there weren't a ton of great players on this team, so here are the highlights. 

Stephen Vogt returned to Oakland and played his final season in A's green, as one of the few draws for diehard fans. In 70 games he hit 23 RBIs and 7 home runs, including a classic one in his final game, announced by his kids. What a way to end a career. Vogt was awesome, one of those guys that was always fun in any uniform.

In exchange for Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino, the A's received, amongst other things, two pitchers from the Yankees. One was J.P. Sears, and he came off pretty well in early starts. The other was the more-touted prospect, Ken Waldichuk, who was called up in September and had a 4.93 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 7 starts.

2023 Prediction: Won't be a shoo-in for an opening day starting rotation spot, but will start 20 days and will look like an answer going into 2024.

Speaking of former Yankee farmhands, Dermis Garcia spent about 7 years in the Yanks' system, was let go after the 2021 season and picked up by Oakland on a flier. Garcia, a 24-year-old, was coming off a 2021 where he hit 31 home runs as a member of the Somerset Patriots, and was already hitting .264 with 15 homers by the time the A's called him up. As a 1B-DH type, Garcia hit 20 RBIs and 5 home runs, and came off as a nice power bat going forward for Oakland.

2023 Prediction: 25-homer year easily. With Sean Murphy likely headed somewhere in trades, Garcia might be a holdover bat til the A's figure out who they're gonna be.

While the big addition at the time for the A's after trading Matt Olson was Cristian Pache, the Braves were also willing to part with their 2019 1st rounder Shea Langeliers. Upon a promotion in 2022, Langeliers' bat was very quickly the key piece, with 22 RBIs and 6 homers in 40 games. A lot of his numbers do speak to rookie inexperience, but a full season picture of the catching prospect might be a bit clearer.

2023 Prediction: Again, thinking Murphy's not an A next year, but if this happens, Langeliers isn't gonna be relied upon to start behind the plate immediately, and they'll get a veteran to phase out as the year goes on, like Robinson Chirinos in Baltimore this year. Once Langeliers figures out the majors he'll be THE star for the A's.

Tomorrow, a surprisingly small amount of Blue Jays.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Diamondbacks

Man, a lot went on in Phoenix for them to turn out to be a last place team.

I mostly equate it to a tight, tough division, with the Giants and Rockies sneaking ahead in the last few weeks before the season's end, and also to the diminishing returns of a lot of the D-Backs roster. This was not the greatest D-Backs team, but there was a lot to like about it.

For instance, their star player, Ketel Marte, is still in peak form, and had a fantastic end to the season, finishing with a .287 average, 52 hits and 17 RBIs. Not bad for a shortened season.

2021 Prediction: Back to full dominance, with another ASG nomination, more fantastic contact ability, and some trade offers.

Marte's infield partner, Eduardo Escobar, had a bit of a down year after a breakout, power-friendly 2019. Escobar struggled at the plate, with a .212 average and 20 RBIs. 

2021 Prediction: A rebound, and a more comfortable feel. Like Marte, he may not be insusceptible to the trade deadline.

Nick Ahmed has been with the D-Backs since 2014, which is hard for me to remember since he always seems so refreshing and young [he turned 30 this year]. This was another strong, well-rounded year for Ahmed, with a lineup-leading 1.3 WAR, a .266 average and 29 RBIs. He's signed for another few years, and hopefully he'll remain a strong, consistent veteran presence.

2021 Prediction: Ahmed is finally rewarded with an ASG nomination, and has another high-WAR year. 

After a smashing breakout year, Christian Walker mellowed out in the home run category while still notching 59 hits, 36 RBIs and a .271 average, much-more for contact than his one-sided 2019 numbers. Walker is becoming a reliable player, which is fantastic.

2021 Prediction: A down year, but not enough to be given up on.

After an injury stopped Luke Weaver from finishing his strong start last year, Weaver responded with a fairly mediocre go of things despite staying healthy the whole year. A 1-9 record, a 6.58 ERA and a 1.558 WHIP is not a strong statement post-injury. 

2021 Prediction: A comeback, but mostly out of the bullpen.

After a strong breakout 2019 that got him the starting catching gig, Carson Kelly, similar to Tony Wolters, kind of backpedaled, with a perfectly okay year. Look, he hit .221 with 19 RBIs and 27 hits, it's not really much to report.

2021 Prediction: Either a return to form or backup duty once the D-Backs pick another catching option.

The official DH in Arizona this year was Daulton Varsho, but since he didn't hit, the better DH option this season was Tim Locastro, the backup outfielder in residence who had another strong if underrated year, hitting .290 with 20 hits and 7 RBIs in 33 games. Could be a decent DH option next year.

2021 Prediction: An injury to a starter leads to more playing time for Locastro and more means for other teams to trade for him after the season.

Last season's dual rookie starters returned this year for similar results. Alex Young, unlike last year, had the weaker go of things, with a 5.44 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 12 games, 7 of them starts. 

2021 Prediction: Another similar season split between the rotation and, mostly, the pen.

And unlike in 2019, Taylor Clarke had the stronger year, with a 3-0 record, a 4.36 ERA in 12 games and 5 starts, and 40 strikeouts. If the D-Backs do pick one of these two full time next year...

2021 Prediction: ...it's going to be Clarke, and he's going to make the absolute most of it.

After losing perennial bullpen unsung hero Andrew Chafin, this year's bullpen unsung hero for the Diamondbacks was the strong and sturdy Stefan Crichton. Crichton posted a 2.42 ERA in 26 appearances, striking out 23 and only allowing 7 earned runs. 

2021 Prediction: Will be the frontrunner, and the winner of, the closing gig. Expect 30 saves from this guy next year. 

Stephen Vogt seems to have embraced his role as a perennial backup catcher these days. As his 2020 was nowhere near as inspiringly good as his 2019, he still did what he could backing up Carson Kelly. He bat .167 this season in 26 games. Clearly not his best numbers.

2021 Prediction: Either he retires or somebody else signs him to a minor league deal and he surprises them.

After giving up Starling Marte at the deadline, one of the big MLB pieces that the D-Backs received was Caleb Smith, the Marlins' low-ERA standout of late. In 4 post-August games, Smith did not disappoint, with a 2.45 ERA with 13 strikeouts and a 1.000 WHIP. Good signs of a full season to come.

2021 Prediction: Teams with Gallen and Kelly for a Hydra of tough pitchers the NL West are gonna hate facing.

Coming Tomorrow- They won the World Series. I have a few left that never got posted.

Topps Cards That Should Have Been: The Stephen Vogt Chronicles

I think you all know where I'm going with this, so stick with me.

 Stephen Vogt, one of the more fun catchers of the 2010s, appeared on a lot of Topps cards, especially at his peak in 2015 and 2016, when he made 2 ASG teams. He's also probably on a few now as a beloved NL West backup. But...more often than not, Topps, when it matters most, will forget...to Vogt.

Ironically, the first time they forgot was in 2012. Granted, Vogt didn't have a ton of appearances as a Ray, his rookie year, but he still was an early-season rookie with Tampa, made some April appearances, and was eligible for a 2012 Topps rookie card. But in 18 games, Vogt didn't get a single hit. Therefore, even if they had the entire season to make their mind up, when it came time to release Update in 2012, Topps...did not Vogt.

This would cost them.

It happened again the following year, after Vogt was purchased by the Athletics in the offseason. Suffice to say, Vogt had a few hits in 2013. In 47 games as backup catcher to Derek Norris, he hit .252 with 16 RBIs and 34 hits. Not bad at all. Plus, the A's in 2013 got to advance to the postseason, and Vogt got a crucial RBI for the A's in their losing series against Detroit. 

However, despite a growing fan following that would grow even further in 2014, Topps once again did not Vogt. Vogt had no Topps cards in 2013. His issues would start in 2014, and thankfully, Topps would be a lot more disciplined about Vogt-ing for the next few years.

In 2017, Stephen Vogt has a bad start in Oakland, fails to find the average, and after 54 games of batting .217, the A's release him. 

In July, he's picked up by a competitor.

Granted, not a SUCCESSFUL competitor, but the 2017 Milwaukee Brewers were doing their part to squeeze into the postseason, despite eventually being usurped for a Wild Card spot by the Diamondbacks and Rockies. And once they snagged Vogt out from free agency, Vogt's bat returned. In 45 games with the Brewers, he hit .254 with 8 homers and 20 RBIs. Yes, an injury keeps him away for a month, but he gives the Brewers stability at the backstop that they didn't have since Jonathan Lucroy. 

However, since Topps' print deadline was earlier than usual in 2017, even the early July arrival of Vogt was still too late for Topps to include. For the third time, Topps was unable to Vogt. Yes, they included him in the 2018 set, but by that point Vogt was already too injured to play any of the 2018 season.

I'll add that Topps has also abstained from Vogt-ing in 2019, though they were wise enough to include Vogt in their 2020 set. However, their track record of not Vogt-ing is still disappointing, especially considering how much of a fringe favorite Vogt has become.

So...please don't do what Topps has done, and Vogt, if you haven't already. 

[This is...the cheesiest post I've had in a while, but it made too much sense not to do.]

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Giants

What a weird year of Giants baseball this was.

The team sucked in April, sucked in September, but was surprisingly great in June and July, confusing the hell out of everyone they had to play against. The big stars of the team weren't the guys who were signed to be the big stars of the team, like Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey and Brandon Belt, but fringe guys like Alex Dickerson, Will Smith and Pablo Sandoval.

Brandon Crawford at least had that 8-RBI game, but that was his only real season highlight. This was Crawford's weakest year since his callup, with a .228 average and only 59 RBIs.
Why Him in 2019: That 8-RBI game.
2020 Prediction: A more consistent year, possibly his last full one in SF.

 Brandon Belt fared slightly better, hitting .234 with 17 homers, but for a guy who'd been more powerful in previous years, it just felt very pathetic.
Why Him in 2019?: Started the most games of any SF Opening Day starter.
2020 Prediction: 25-homer year with less strikeouts.

 As the Steven Duggar experiment failed, Austin Slater was launched back into the outfield picture, and while he also batted in the .230s, he at least managed 21 RBIs in 68 games.
Why Him in 2019?: Seems to be an answer in the outfield, along with Yaz.
2020 Prediction: Breakout year upon a full season, and will lead the new youth movement in SanFran.

 The biggest surprise for the Giants was the addition, and subsequent explosion, of former Padres farmhand Alex Dickerson, who hit .290 in 56 games, outdoing any previous SD-based numbers. He also had a .529 SLG, which...wow.
Why Him in 2019?: His arrival signaled a change from ineptitude to brute force in Oracle Park.
2020 Prediction: The magic wears off.

 In a year of rotation disarray, the Giants turned to Shaun Anderson, who sort of alternated with Dereck Rodriguez as long haired inconsistent flamethrowers. Anderson had a 5.44 ERA in 18 starts, with 71 strikeouts.
Why Him in 2019?: Proved youth pitching has a place on the Giants
2020 Prediction: Starts the year in the 'pen, moves up and has some nice starts down the stretch.

 If you want a more consistent option instead of Anderson, take Tyler Beede, who came later on in the year and impressed, starting 22 games and notching 112 strikeouts...despite also garnering 10 losses.
Why Him in 2019: Rare homegrown, young pitcher fitting right in with Shark and MadBum in the high points of the rotation.
2020 Prediction: Will be a strong, low-rotation presence that might get some spotlight if the bigger guns tank.

 One of the best young players to come out of this season for the Giants may have been Mauricio Dubon, a guy they got in a trade for Drew Pomeranz. After landing in the Bay, Dubon had 29 hits in 28 games, batting .279, as well as easing into the 2nd baseman role post-Gennett.
Why Him in 2019?: Proved to Giants fans that life at 2nd can do on after Joe Panik's departure.

 Stephen Vogt is one of those guys you always root for, and after missing a year due to injury, I worried he wouldn't come back to the majors. After doing well enough in the minors, Vogt came in as a backup for Buster Posey, replacing Erik Kratz, and impressed the fans, hitting .263 with 10 homers, and bringing back his bay-area Goodwill.
Why Him in 2019?: Backed up Buster Posey like a pro.
2020 Prediction: Will provide similar power numbers as backup for Carson Kelly in Phoenix.

The Giants were one of two teams to call up a reliever whose sibling was already an established MLB name- Tyler Rogers' brother Taylor has been closing games in Minneapolis, while Brian Moran's bro Colin is 3rd baseman in Pittsburgh. Tyler Rogers had the more memorable year, though, showing off his memorable submariner-style pitching, and posting a 1.02 ERA in 17 games down the stretch.
Why Him in 2019?: Probably the best relief pitching news since Pomeranz, Dyson and Melancon left the bay.
2020 Prediction: Stronger, more consistent relief numbers. In fact, in the wake of Will Smith's departure, Rogers might be looked at for the ninth inning job.

Coming Tonight- They didn't make the playoffs, but they still made for a memorable, resilient 2019 season in Cleveland.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Brewers

Wouldn't have guessed this one, eh?

Not just that the Brewers were able to make a serious run act the playoffs, set up an impressive youth movement and cement a team that could go even further next season...but that Ryan Braun doesn't even seem to be a factor in them anymore.

I mean, yeah, still hits, but after the steroids thing, they haven't been using him as much, which is a relief- he's definitely on the downswing, and he's definitely not the face of the franchise anymore.

The pitching is what made this team great- from a late season return from ace Junior Guerra...

...to the rise of fifth-starter Brent Suter, mastering his innings into September.

Hell, the bench was pretty impressive too, with Jesus Aguilar covering for Eric Thames, and arguably doing a better job than he did at the plate.

Eric Sogard was a huge surprise, coming in mid-season and absolutely owning every one of his plate appearances, even after disappointing in Oakland. He came back late to keep the momentum going. Speaking of DFA'd from Oakland...

This guy was definitely a nice pickup, even with Manny Pina behind the plate. He picked up some momentum, got back to hitting, and was a huge bench presence for the Brewers as they made their postseason run. Thankfully, Vogt gets to play for Milwaukee for another year.

Coming Tomorrow: [exasperated groan]

The Deciding Vogt

(Yeah, pun's a stretch, but I don't care)

CONGRATS, STEPHEN VOGT! You've made your 2nd All Star Game in a row just by being one of the few guys on the A's who can still hit for average.

That's the thing. Stephen Vogt, when he came up, was doing little things right, all the while everyone around him was being traded or going somewhere else. Once Donaldson, Moss and Cespedes all left, Stephen Vogt was one of the best offensive options...and he made the opportunity count, by leading the RBI charts for most of April and May last year, and making his name as a nice-hitting catcher as well as a nice defensive catcher.

It's sad that most of his team is either not hitting or hitting strictly home runs (and not for average), and even the surefire pitchers like Sonny Gray and Rich Hill are slumping a bit. But look, if you're given a platform to be the best, regardless of the fact that you're one of the only ones who can, you take it.

He's got a nice fan following in Oakland, and he's definitely made a name for himself with this 2nd ASG nomination, probably putting him ahead of his predecessor, Derek Norris. I don't know if he's gonna be able to stay in Oakland for much longer, but if he does, at least the fans will enjoy his stuff.

Coming Tonight- A pretty impressive closer for a team that's been gaining a ton of traction lately.

Custom Card of the Night: Vogt Edition

Stephen Vogt was one of those names I learned through Topps Bunt.

Yeah, for a good two-month period, I was a member of Topps Bunt. And while I'm the farthest thing from a spokesperson, I'll say that this stint in Bunt did introduce me to a lot of good baseball info. By the way, I'm gonna write up a lot of things that happened during my Bunt experience sometime soon, because there is a lot to tell.

Through Bunt, I did find out about a lot of under-the-radar players that I didn't know about following the game. People like Luis Valbuena, Juan Lagares, and Steven Souza, guys who are RULING this season, popped up as rare inserts in Bunt.

One of those guys was Stephen Vogt, and I figured out that he was a utility guy, not necessarily an everyday guy, in the A's system. He'd appeared in some games in 2014 (as Derek Norris' backup mostly), and he got some nice numbers in the batter's box. It was enough to warrant an inclusion in Bunt's special DIRTY HELMET insert set, which was numbered to about 900 copies, and swished around like wildfire during a certain week in November, after which it was basically forgotten.

So I kept seeing Stephen Vogt pop up in Bunt, even if he didn't get an actual base card, I was like 'I should keep a tab on this guy, just in case he gets big.' And sure enough, this year Derek Norris was swapped to the Padres, and Vogt became the only option at catcher, which the A's management was more than happy with.

Vogt has been off to a nice start, posting great numbers in the Home Runs and RBI columns, and just being a great force at bat. Plus, he's sort of been pushed to the center of this A's lineup, as one of the main forces of power now that Donaldson, Norris and Cespedes are gone, and Crisp is injured. So right now, Stephen Vogt, the Man with No Name, is powering a team that came close to the playoffs last year. It's funny how it all turns out.

Coming Tomorrow- Another Chicago Cub, this one being the unofficial team captain.