Improved roster, Lucroy addition instill optimism
With questions about rotation, A’s look to move up
MESA, ARIZ. >> The A’s leave Arizona feeling good about an improved roster that has them believing they can sneak up on some people, even in one of the toughest divisions in baseball.
Players have been talking playoffs since FanFest, and those surprising beliefs were only strengthened with the addition of two-time AllStar catcher Jonathan Lucroy this spring.
As the A’s prepare for a three-game Bay Bridge series with the Giants as the final tune-up before Opening Day against the Angels Thursday, manager Bob Melvin said the final spots in the bullpen and the outfield are still to be determined.
But a number of the big questions surrounding the club entering spring training have been answered.
1. WHO’S IN THE STARTING ROTATION?
Multiple injuries to A’s pitchers have resolved the starting rotation battle by default.
Jharel Cotton is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier in the week, and Paul Blackburn has a forearm injury that will keep him out to begin the season. That leaves the A’s limping into Opening Day with five remaining options to fill out the rotation.
Kendall Graveman will get the start on Opening Day. Sean Manaea will follow as the No. 2 starter. Daniel Mengden, Andrew Triggs, and Daniel Gossett are left as the remaining options for the final three spots. This leaves the A’s dangerously thin when it comes to staring pitching depth. Should one of those five get injured early, things could get dicey.
Top pitching prospect A.J. Puk was the most impressive starter in camp, but after a poor outing on March 15 against the Mariners in which he was tagged for four runs in 2 innings, he was sent to minor league camp just a few days later. It was reported that Puk would be shut down for a couple of weeks with biceps soreness, but Melvin chose not to comment on those reports. Assuming the injury is not serious, given the state of the depleted pitching staff, there’s still a good chance Puk makes his way to the big leagues by June or even sooner.
Recent free agent signee Trevor Cahill is likely to be inserted into the rotation in April, but having just appeared in his first appearance of the spring on Thursday, the right-hander will need a little more time to build up his arm strength. Brett Anderson, who was recently signed to a minor league deal, could also make his way back to Oakland, but he has yet to appear in a game this spring.
2. WHO STARTS THE SEASON IN CENTER FIELD?
The belief entering spring training was that as long as Dustin Fowler showed he was fully healthy from the devastating knee injury he sustained in June, he would get that starting job in center field. Fowler looks to be healthy, but Boog Powell isn’t going out without a fight.
Fowler is batting under .200 through 16 games, while Powell is at .256. The A’s have repeatedly said they don’t look too much into spring numbers, and Fowler has looked good swinging the bat over the past week, but Melvin has yet to officially name a starter at the position.
“We haven’t made a decision there because we feel like Fowler is coming along at a pace where he’s swinging the bat a lot better now,” Melvin said.
The fact that no starter has been named yet leaves open to the possibility of Fowler beginning the season in the minor leagues. This would allow him to gain some confidence at the plate, while Powell holds down the spot with the big club.
Jake Smolinski and Mark Canha have had impressive spring at the plate, but only one can have that fourth outfield job. With Smolinski the more experienced center fielder, he is likely the player to officially take that spot in the next few days.
3. IS BRUCE MAXWELL THE STARTING CATCHER?
The A’s ended up benefitting from this year’s bizarre free-agent market, signing Lucroy to a one-year deal on March 12.
Lucroy will be the primary catcher, with Maxwell sticking around as a back-up. Melvin had maintained throughout the offseason and spring that the club was content with Maxwell behind the plate, but the opportunity to add Lucroy on an affordable deal reported at $6.5 million was just too good to pass up.
“No knock on the other guys, but experience is experience,” Melvin said. “I think he’ll be a good resource for all of our other catchers as well. But I think for our starting pitchers in particular, if we can’t go out and get ourselves a starter, this is the next best thing. He has a great reputation for being a terrific leader behind the plate.”
Maxwell still has legal issues to deal with stemming from aggravated assault chargers last November. His settlement conference is set for April 13. If no settlement is reached, Maxwell has a trial date set for Aug. 9.
4. IS KENDALL GRAVEMAN READY FOR THE ‘ACE’ ROLE?
Graveman has taken the role of “ace” on the staff very seriously, acting as a leader for the young rotation.
The 27-year-old righthander held several early morning meetings with all the pitchers in camp.
“I think we’re gonna put forth some things to challenge each other and compete against each other. Healthy competition is good,” Graveman said. “Greg Maddux, (Tom) Glavine, (John) Smoltz, those guys when they were pitching with the Braves were always competing. Whether it was on the golf course or playing a game of cards, Whatever it might be, healthy competition goes a long way in being successful as a starting staff.”
Graveman ended his spring on a great note, tossing 5 shutout innings against the Dodgers with seven strikeouts and no walks in his first pairing with Lucroy.
5. HOW DOES MATT OLSON RESPOND IN A FULL SEASON?
Olson is batting .275 with two home runs through 18 games this spring. While he may have set unrealistic expectations for 2018 by belting 24 home runs in 189 at-bats last season, the A’s are confident that Olson will develop into a cornerstone of the franchise along with third baseman Matt Chapman.