San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
A’s defensive versatility called upon to fill spots
Ariz. — Several sources of recent A’s lineup stability are gone this spring, leaving behind open spots and a host of candidates to fill them.
“We’re definitely looking at a different landscape than previous years in terms of having a solidified first baseman, third baseman. The outfield group right now has changed as well,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said this past week. “So everyone is getting an opportunity to get their feet on the ground and go perform in these positions.”
The A’s no longer have Matt Olson and Matt Chapman anchoring the corners of the infield. Mark Canha, an outfield regular the past few seasons, is now a Met. So is Starling Marte, who finished last year as the A’s everyday center fielder.
Injuries have curtailed right fielder Stephen Piscotty’s past three seasons. Center fielder Ramón Laureano will miss the season’s first month for a steroids suspension. The combined result is a list of lineup questions. It’s possible some will have more than one answer.
That the A’s value defensive versatility isn’t new. But it could take on added emphasis this spring as they build a roster featuring fewer players with everyday major-league experience. In the first week of Cactus League games, the A’s played a number of roster candidates at multiple spots in the field.
“It definitely gives you options,” Kotsay said. “Versatility is a good thing. If there’s an opportunity to put them at a position where they’ve had some experience, we’re doing that.”
Catcher (Sean Murphy) and shortstop (Elvis Andrus) are the rare positions that appear spoken for. Tony Kemp has started solely at second base this spring but also played left field for Oakland last season and has the kind of position flexibility that seems prevalent in camp.
Chad Pinder, a utility player across six A’s seasons, is a prime example. Pinder has played mostly left field in spring games but made one start at third base, where the A’s must replace Chapman.
“This is an opportunity for a lot of guys including myself, a lot of young guys,” Pinder said. “We’re almost in the same boat as far as the opportunities.”
Pinder came up as an infielder but said he now feels “most comfortable” playing outfield. The A’s have also started Kevin Smith and Sheldon Neuse at third base in games where they’ve used major-league lineups. Smith, acquired from Toronto in the Chapman trade, played mostly shortstop in the Blue Jays’ system but 78 of 89 innings at third in a brief call-up last season to Toronto.
Neuse, a March 16 waiver claim, has played at second and third base and left field in major-league stints with the A’s and Dodgers. He owns a .207 average over 121 major-league at-bats.
“You’ve got to be able to hit your way into the lineup,” Neuse said. “Defensively, I feel comfortable anywhere. I got to play a little bit of outfield last year and so took that into preparation this offseason. I think my versatility helps me, it allows me more opportunities to get in and hit. That’s the ultimate goal; you’ve just got to hit.”
At first base, the A’s must replace their top hitter from 2021 in Olson. Seth Brown, Eric Thames, Dalton Kelly and Billy McKinney have all made Cactus League starts at first base. Brown is the only one of that group on the 40-man roster and has played most of his spring innings in right field. As Oakland’s lineup projects now, Brown, who hit 20 home runs in 281 at-bats last year, could be in the middle of the order.
Brown posted a second-half .864 OPS and said he benefited from “keeping the effort level down in my swing.” His offseason work involved cranking up the velocity on a pitching machine and taking a “little, soft swing … just trying to keep that effort level at the point where it doesn’t get out of control and it’s still smooth and easy.”
Kelly and McKinney have drawn starts in left and right. Thames is returning from Achilles surgery and has played only at first base and DH. Stephen Vogt is a veteran catcher, but Kotsay notably led with first base in listing options where Vogt could see playing time.
As Kotsay noted, the outfield is in flux. Piscotty could still claim right field but has yet to play a spring game due to left shoulder discomfort. Aside from Laureano, Skye Bolt and trade addition Cristian Pache have drawn starts in center. Bolt plays all three outfield spots. Drew Jackson, a non-roster invitee, adds to Oakland’s camp depth — he has played every position except catcher in the minors.
“It’s kind of bred in our DNA to be versatile players,” said Bolt. “And it all funnels back to opportunity, just being multiversed in the field so it can get you a spot in the batter’s box.”
However the pieces to the lineup puzzle fit together, the A’s will have to also find ways to score. They are projected by FanGraphs to finish last in MLB in runs scored.