Olson ready to prove 2020 was a fluke
Looking back now, Matt Olson didn’t like his 2020 season. He’s looked at himself on film at the plate and did not like the swing that was looking back.
“To put it bluntly, I stunk last year in my opinion,” Olson said in a call with reporters on Tuesday. “I don’t think that represents the caliber of player I am. I’m excited to get out there and prove that’s not the player I am.”
Olson worked with hitting coach Darren Bush to identify and work through some of the mistakes he was making in 2020. He noticed he was putting himself in a bad position at the plate and that his bat was too horizontal. He had himself swinging around his body, rolling over stuff and unable to stay through the ball.
His timing had to be near perfect to hit one right. At least when the timing was perfect, he showed flashes of what makes him great. Next to the dismal .195 average and 31 percent strikeout rate, Olson continued to hit the ball hard. When he struggled — which was often — he found ways to draw walks and get on base. He hit 14 home runs in 60 games, at one point his seven-hit streak were all home runs.
Olson is a slow-starter. So in a season that ended before it began, Olson was one of many star players who could not get going at the plate. Manager Bob Melvin pointed to Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich as another strong hitter who fell into strikeout and average woes at the plate.
“It’s tough to evaluate last year,” Melvin said. “Matt is a type of guy that gets off to some slow starts.
And if you got off to a slow start last year, you’re basically at the halfway point after a month. I think he’s going to have a normal year this year, like he typically does in 162 games.” MITCH MORELAND SIGNS >> The A’s made official news that broke last week: Mitch Moreland, 35, signed a oneyear, $2.25 million deal for the 2021 season. Moreland fits perfectly a role the A’s needed to fill as a lefthanded-hitting designated hitter — who can play a little first base and pinch hit.
Up until his 2020 with the Padres, Moreland played his entire career in the American League — with Texas and Boston — and was designated hitter for just 69 games in nine seasons. But, with Olson firmly at first base, he could see way more time at DH against right-handed pitchers.
An A’s killer throughout his career — batting .271 with a .859 OPS against Oakland in 95 games — Moreland will come to the other side. Much to Melvin’s relief.
“He’s absolutely worn us out,” Melvin said. “Tired of watching him hit balls of that back wall in Oakland in center field.”
The A’s designated righthanded pitcher Paul Blackburn for assignment to make room on the 40-man for Moreland.
LIVE BP STANDOUTS >> Jesús Luzardo’s first pitch clocked in around 98 mph, according to Melvin. That’s not only a good sign, but impressive. James Kaprielian looked fully healthy and threw the ball well. As did Burch Smith, who is coming off a forearm strain sustained last summer.
“Coming off injury you always have a little bit of a concern on how the ball is going to come out, but similar things that we saw last year,” Melvin said. “Good high fastball, breaking ball, changeup. Just good to see him have a smile on his face and throw to hitters coming out feeling good about it.”
Second-round pick Jeff Criswell impressed, too, with a live arm and better control of is breaking ball than he had in his bullpen sessions. Criswell has a potential starter mix of pitches and could be a name to watch in years to come.
“Those are the type of guys we’re looking for right now and trying to evaluate,” Melvin said. ROSENTHAL EXPLAINS DECISION >> Through a flurry of moves in the final hours, the A’s sent a bat signal that they weren’t sitting on their hinders despite a slow offseason. That’s what sealed the deal for Trevor Rosenthal, who ultimately sign a one-year, $11 million deal (with deferrals) to be the A’s closer for the 2021 season.
“The fact they wanted to do something on top of that showed me the commitment they had to winning this year and putting out the best possible product they could,” Rosenthal said Tuesday. “I saw it was a good opportunity to have success with so many options in the back end.”
The merits of a one-year deal for a 30-year-old reliever four years removed from Tommy John surgery who has bounced between four teams since his recovery: It provides him the opportunity to bet on himself and chance to reset his market for the next round of free agency. Rosenthal throws 100-plus mph and gave up a grand total of five runs over 23.2 innings with the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres in 2020.