Olson ‘stunk’ last year and ready to prove ’20 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 horizon
tal. 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. 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 righthanded 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.” 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.”