Discipline could help determine 2B starter
MESA, ARIZ. >> Let’s start with a mundane stat that speaks volumes: Franklin Barreto had two walks in the Oakland A’s 8-7 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday at Hohokam Stadium.
With half the team in Las Vegas to play the other half of the Indians, Barreto and Jorge Mateo paired up together in the middle infield — Mateo at shortstop, Barreto at second. Plate discipline is the most essential work in progress for both middle infielders. The race to second base could come down, in part, to each player’s progression.
The issue is the same. But it manifests differently in each.
Mateo’s swings in the Oakland A’s first few Cactus
League games were a bit “reckless,” as bench coach Ryan Christenson put it.
“But the last few games he’s made the effort to tighten up his zone discipline. Which is evident, we’ve noticed that,” Christenson said. Since a particularly wild first two games against the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants, Mateo has settled in nicely at the plate. Through six games and 13 at-bats, Mateo’s tallied four walks with two strikeouts. He’s started to keep more of a deciphering eye for chase pitches.
Mateo had two walks and no strikeouts on Saturday with a stolen base — flashing his plus speed.
The 24-year-old infielder has yet to make his big league debut. Christenson and the A’s staff have only seen Mateo up close in spring training.
The prevailing mantra for young hitters like Mateo and Barreto is that patience is key. A’s MVP finalist Marcus Semien’s transformation into one of the games most aggressive hitters with a keen deciphering eye has become manager Bob Melvin’s go-to success story.
“Bob uses Marcus Semien as an example for all these guys,” Christenson said. “Semien looks for the ball down the middle of the plate, and if it’s not there, he’ll take it.”
Barreto has 209 big league plate appearances, so there’s some room to analyze his tendencies. The 24-year-old has struggled to lay off the breaking ball chase pitch. In 2019 he whiffed on 44.1% of the breaking pitches he saw. In 2018 he whiffed on 54.7% of them, so there’s been some improvement. He had a 41.4 total whiff% in 2019.
“Frankie is always working on that as well,” Christenson said. “Mainly working on that bat-to-ball skills, putting the ball in play and recognizing that slider, which has been his kryptonite over the last few years.”
Comparatively, second baseman Tony Kemp — who should get a solid chunk of platoon starts at second base, at least — had a 28.8 wiff% last season on breaking balls. (Whiff% is a statistic that looks at swings and misses as it relates to the total percentage of swings a batter takes in an average at bat). Vimael Machin, the other lefthanded hitter that should occupy the 26th spot on the active roster, is known best for being a contact hitter. Last season in the Cubs’ minor league system, Machin tallied 69 walks to his 62 strikeouts.
But, plate discipline minutiae aside, Mateo and Barreto are neck-and-neck in high-ceiling defensive ability. Both are considered solid second basemen and shortstops. The team sees Mateo’s arm as a bit stronger than Barreto’s. Barreto has the potential for a bit more power in his bat. But, scouts say Mateo has the most complete tool set of the two.
“It’s going to be a great competition to the end of this camp,” Christenson said. “It’s going to be fun to watch.”
DAULTON JEFFERIES INJURY UPDATE >> Jefferies looked shaken. One pitch sent a jarring cramp through the A’s No. 12 prospect’s right bicep. One thought overcame him, though.
“At least it’s not my elbow,” Jefferies said. This injury, he attests, feels like a strain. Jefferies had an MRI on his bicep on Friday and still hasn’t gotten the results.
The 24-yearold right-hander — projected to contend for a spot in the starting rotation as a keen strike thrower — had to undergo Tommy John surgery just two starts into his Athletics career in 2019. Jefferies is triggered by fear he might induce another career-altering injury.
“When I had Tommy John, I didn’t feel a pop or anything,” he said.
He’s still keeping up his normal non-throwing exercises. But he’s getting antsy. He hasn’t thrown again since he felt the cramp — a new feeling.
“I shouldn’t be out for very long,” Jefferies said. “I need to like, get going and move. I hate sitting here.” YUSMEIRO PETIT AND JOAKIM SORIA’S FIRST SPRING OUTINGS >> The two righthanded relievers have been pillars of this A’s bullpen. Their heavy regular-season workloads precluded a slow roll into Cactus League games.
“We know what they bring to the table, it’s about getting them into the spring training flow. They’ve paced themselves, being smart. They’re veteran pitchers, and we just want to see them ready for opening day,” Christenson said.
Petit and Soria looked in midseason form on Saturday. Petit dealt one inning and struck out one batter and allowed one hit. Soria dealt one inning and struck out two, allowing one run. GAME ACTION >> The A’s played a split squad series against the Cleveland Indians. In their 8-7 win, the squad in Mesa had outfielder Robbie Grossman hit his first home run of spring, a two-run blast into the left field lawn to score Barreto, who had walked to lead off the inning.
Paul Blackburn got the start, dealing three scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
In Las Vegas at the Triple-a Aviators’ home field, the A’s beat the other half of the Indians squad 8-6.