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A’s: Following playoff disapointments, a run to World Series is the goal
In plain terms, the A’s have been successful over the last three years. But no one in the organization is happy with what they has accomplished yet.
Three consecutive trips to the postseason is a mark of success; a few Major League Baseball teams that have toiled in the bottom of the barrel of late would be pleased at those results. But the A’s want more — what team wouldn’t after flirting with an extended postseason enough times and fallen short each time? A successful season won’t be one unless the A’s can at least get beyond the American League Division Series and, yes, make the World Series.
Why that series in particular? The A’s haven’t won a championship series game since 1992, when they took two games in a 4-2 series loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2020, their wildcard victory over the Chicago White Sox was their first postseason series win since 2006, when they swept the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS only to
be swept by the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS.
The A’s recently have been at success’ doorstep. They’ve barely been able to get the strength to knock down the door. Their last World Series victory came in 1989 in a sweep of the San Francisco Giants in the rubble of the Loma Prieta earthquake.
Manager Bob Melvin appears to be the right skipper to head the A’s arduous journey back into relevancy. He’s entering his 11th season as manager, and already taken two iterations of this team into the postseason six different times.
They have the talent, too. But that talent has yet to reach its full potential. They’ll need some highceiling players to touch their ceiling. The A’s core players need to take a step, which means their best players need to move on from being sneaky good to spotlight-stealing stars.
All eyes are on Matt Chapman and Matt Olson to lead the charge at the plate and defensively — if they can put together standout seasons, they’re the X-factors that can take the A’s over the top.
On the pitching side, seasons in which Jesús Luzardo and Frankie Montas can reach their highest potential can also help the A’s off the postseason schneid. They both have the stuff to be some of baseball’s best pitchers, but need the time, health and consistency to get there.
If the A’s want to succeed, their best players need to broaden the targets on their backs. Not only that, those players need to dodge the darts.
The A’s bullpen will also need to outperform its 2020 season. Yes, the bullpen had a 2.72 ERA last season, the best ERA in baseball. But they faltered in the postseason, often a central part of each of the three losses against the Houston Astros in the ALDS. The front office did well to construct a new-look bullpen that prioritizes diversity of arms angles, speeds, arm slots and pitch type. It’s modeled after the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpens — bullpens that were central to the team’ success in deep postseason runs. Can that bullpen execute in the regular season and become a different beast in the postseason?
In this core’s postseason runs so far, the A’s haven’t been able to flip the switch. The postseason beast is still sleeping.
CLOSER TO START SEASON ON INJURED LIST >> The A’s will be without new closer Trevor Rosenthal for at least 10 days to start the season. Rosenthal was placed on the 10-day IL with shoulder inflammation. He missed a portion of spring training dealing with a slight groin injury. The shoulder injury is retroactive to March 30.
With Rosenthal out, Jake Diekman or J.B. Wendelken could fill in as the closer. Both were considerations to fill the role until the A’s grabbed Rosenthal in the offseason’s final hours. Diekman, a left-handed reliever with a nice slider, gave up a total of two runs in 21 appearances in 2020. He didn’t allow a single run this spring. Wendelken is a right-handed option who emerged as a high-leverage pitcher last season.
The battle for the fifth starter spot also crystalized with a flurry of moves that resulted in A.J. Puk and Daulton Jefferies being optioned to minor league camp. Without an official announcement yet, that could mean Cole Irvin will be slotted in the rotation.
Irvin, 27, was acquired in the offseason from the Phillies after a troubling first few big league outings last year. But the lefthander sparkled in camp, putting together 18 innings of two-run baseball over five games. He bested Clayton Kershaw and spun a 10-strikeout gem against the Dodgers ace in his final spring appearance.
Puk is still working his way back from September shoulder surgery. The tall left-hander hasn’t thrown in a big league game since 2019, when he came out of the bullpen for 11 innings after his August call-up that year.
Jefferies had a rough big league debut in 2020 against the Rangers, but looked on the cusp of another shot after putting together 18 strong innings with 24 strikeouts this spring.
To make room on the Opening Day roster, in an expected move, the A’s also placed starter Mike Fiers on the 10-day IL with a lumbar strain retroactive to March 29.
In an another expected move, infielder Jed Lowrie’s contract was also selected. The veteran will be the primary second baseman this year, though he will be closely monitored because he’s coming off knee surgery. Lowrie signed with the A’s on a minor league deal this offseason, so the team designated switch-hitting outfielder Skye Bolt for assignment to make room for Lowrie on the 40-man. BELOVED A’S EQUIPMENT MANAGER PLANS TO FINALLY RETIRE >> For as long as the A’s have been in Oakland, Steve Vucinich has been in their clubhouses.
After 54 years, the longtime equipment manager plans to step down next March. This 2021 season, and spring training in 2022, will be his last on the job. He’ll leave having matched Hall of Famer Connie Mack’s total years with the franchise, Mack as the Philadelphia Athletics manager.
“54 years is plenty,” Vucinich said. “I want to walk away with my health and on my own terms.”