DIAMOND DANDIES
Who’s on third for A’s alldecade team? Donaldson, Chapman share hot corner
OAKLAND >> The 2010s saw moments both wildly spectacular and painfully disappointing: a couple no-hitters and a perfect game, bottom-dwelling teams echoing in an empty Coliseum and 90plus win teams toeing the line between greatness and despair.
Like any other decade, the A’s ushered in a slew of breakout stars and then ushered them out the door in trades when cost-effectiveness demanded it. The decade is over, and Oakland has seen the gamut of talent run through those old concrete halls. And the 2019 team that was saw its postseason hopes dashed quickly is certainly full of names that will usher in the 2020s on a high note.
So, let’s break down the all-decade team of the 2010s.
Catcher Kurt Suzuki
Before the World Series title in Washington, before the Game 2 home run off Justin Verlander, years before his stay in Atlanta and All-Star stint in Minnesota, the now 36-year-old was a fresh catching prospect in the Oakland A’s system. Suzuki made his debut for the A’s in 2007 and, by the early 2010s, was one of the team’s most beloved players.
Suzuki was traded to the Nationals in 2012 for catching prospect David Freitas. Suzuki was a decent hitter (.258/.318/.399 in his first five years with the A’s), but was an expert game caller, beloved in the clubhouse, and one of the better defensive catchers the franchise had this decade.
First base Matt Olson
Olson’s debut seasons came in the very latter part of the decade, but the 25-year-old already etched himself as the A’s best first baseman of the 2010s — and, more importantly, the ceiling is high enough to make him the best first baseman of the 2020s, too.
On Olson’s shelf in three seasons: Two Gold Glove Awards and a fourth-place finish in the 2017’s Rookie of the Year voting. He’s dominant on both sides of the ball — the sweet-swinging lefty hit 89 home runs in 359 big league at-bats, including 36 dingers, leading all American League first basemen in a shortened 2019 season (he missed 35 games). But don’t let the 6-foot-5 frame fool you — he’s extremely nimble and athletic at first base, making the unlikely plays at that corner look breezy.
First base has been a relative dark hole this decade, no matter how bad the A’s wanted Daric Barton to happen.
Second base Jed Lowrie
Lowrie spent a decent chunk of the decade in Oakland. One season with the Houston Astros in 2015 intersected a five-year tenure with the A’s, including an All-Star nod in 2018 at the age of 34.
Lowrie had his best and most consistent years with the A’s, slashing .271/.341/.413 with a .755 OPS in five seasons. Lowrie was a quintessential versatile piece — a switch hitter who also played shortstop.
Third base
TIE, Josh Donaldson, Matt Chapman
The A’s are rich with third base talent this decade. We’ll allow ourselves one tie for this list, and it’s got to go to Matt Chapman and Josh Donaldson. One, a talent that soared in Oakland only to slip away in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays — a move driven by cost, or by a rift between Donaldson and Billy Beane, if not both.
But, in his years in Oakland, Donaldson moved from behind the plate to third base and thrived in the Coliseum’s foul territory expanse, bouncing from 4 DRS and a 5.2 UZR in 2012 to 20 DRS and 6.6 UZR in 2014. But, it was in Oakland that he transformed into the “Bringer Of Rain.” Donaldson dominated the middle of the decade, becoming the A’s RBI machine and frequent walkoff hero.
Donaldson finished fourth in the 2013 American League MVP voting, and finished eighth the following year. He’d finish first, of course, in his first year with the Blue Jays.
But Chapman, since his call-up in 2017, has quickly positioned himself not only as one of the best third basemen in the game, but a potential face of the A’s franchise (a designation that should depend on the organization issuing a longterm contract extension.)
The statistics say one thing, but his impact on this team runs deep.
Not only has Chapman demonstrated clutch-moment poise. Manager Bob Melvin attests that Chapman took the captain’s reigns (He’s earned the “Chaptain” designation from some fans). Plus, he is , no big deal.
Shortstop Marcus Semien
The Bay Area native and Cal grad struggled for years before breaking out as an MVP finalist last season. His dedication to the process earns him the all-decade nod.
At this point, Semien’s path to his stunning 2019 is widely known. An offseason working with infield wizard Ron Washington smoothed over the shortstop’s costly defensive blunders, turning him into a Gold Gloveworthy shortstop.
But his improved plate discipline was the true turnaround. Since traded to Oakland in 2014, Semien went from a strikeout machine to an imposing, selective force at the plate.
Left field Yoenis Céspedes
You’re thinking about Yoenis Céspedes. You open YouTube, ready to relive his best highlights, and start typing Yoenis Cés--... the algorithm has populated immediately below the search bar what you were looking for: Yoenis Céspedes throw.
That iconic cut-down of Howie Kendrick at home plate is emblematic of Cespedes’ Oakland legacy: He was spectacular in his two and a half years, good for the highlight-reel defensive plays with his rocket arm and game-changing offensive ones with that sweet, quick swing.
He was the Rookie of the Year runner up in 2012; represented the A’s in the 2013 Home Run Derby — and won it. He ushered in some relatively unexpected postseason runs before being traded in 2014 to the Boston Red Sox.
Cespedes’ Oakland time came and went in a flash, kicking off a career that’s taken him to Detroit and New York — but he left the city with some sweet memories.
Center field Coco Crisp
Some fan favorites come back for the special events, others don’t necessarily leave. Walk the Coliseum’s press box halls and you’ll catch a familiar face in different garb. In 2019, Crisp traded in his cap for slacks and filled in as a part-time radio color commentator along with Ken Korach and Vince Cotroneo.
He’s part of this team’s fabric despite spending the middle chunk of his career in Oakland, sandwiched between stints in Cleveland, Boston and Cleveland again.
He is the catalyst for one of the A’s most memorable postseason wins of the decade, hitting the walk-off single in Game 4 of the 2012 ALDS.
Crisp was just cool, a quick and spectacular centerfielder. He was speedy, stealing 162 bases over five seasons with the A’s — with a league-leading 49 in 2011. He hit .256 in his career with the A’s.
Right field Josh Reddick
In his four-plus seasons with the A’s, Reddick cultivated somewhat of an eccentric reputation. He was brash — both in his personality and his postseason celebration clothing choices — and daring, bringing the fans just a little closer with his walk-up song, “Careless Whisper.”
Reddick was (and is) known for his diving catches and some unlikely putouts, but had some pretty solid hitting seasons in Oakland. In 2011 he batted .280 and in 2015, .272 with 77 RBI.
DH Khris Davis
His strange 2019 aside, Davis carved himself into one of the better designated hitters in the game, winning the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in 2018. And for that, Khrush is undoubtedly the A’s DH of the decade.
Since joining the A’s in a 2016 trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, Davis absolutely refused to keep the ball in the yard (again, until this last season...). In 2016, he hit 42. In 2017, he topped himself with 43. And in 2018, he topped them all with a league-leading 48 homers.
Starting pitcher RHPs Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray made his way to the big league stage toting with him hefty portions of potential; he was the A’s first round pick in 2011 and called up two seasons later.
Gray’s was relatively inconsistent in Oakland, mired by injury, before being shipped off to the New York Yankees in a trade that netted Dustin Fowler, Jorge Mateo and James Kaprielian. But Gray’s highs were fun. His 2015 stood out in particular: He finished third in Cy Young voting after recording a 2.73 ERA and two shutouts.
Closer Sean Doolittle
Doolittle was one of the long-bearded faces of the A’s this decade; he made himself known as the outspoken and dominant closer with a sharp wit.
Before being traded to the Washington Nationals, where he won a title in 2019, Doolittle spent fiveplus seasons in Oakland where he collected 36 saves with a 3.09 ERA and a 2013 All-Star nod.
He was a true headbanger.
Manager Bob Melvin
The everlasting manager of the decade, Melvin takes home the All-Decade managerial nod with little competition (Sorry, Bob Geren).
The A’s have yet to win a postseason series under his guidance, but this provides us a space to revel in his accomplishments at the helm.
In nine seasons in Oakland, Melvin led these A’s to two AL West division titles, back-to-back Wild Card berths and four 90plus win seasons.
Melvin is the longesttenured manager in baseball (with his current team), and is 44th on the all-time wins list with 1,224.