Lowrie role affects bench
infield depth (possibly Vimael Machin) and a group of backupoutfielder candidates including Seth Brown, Luis Barrera, Rule 5 pick Ka’ai Tom and early spring standout Buddy Reed.
“I guess we see where Jed is physically,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said Monday when asked how the secondbase picture will influence bench makeup. “That’s probably what it revolves around.
“I don’t think it changes the complement, at least at this point. We feel pretty good about Jed.”
Baserunning was the last hurdle Lowrie had to clear before games, so his mobility bears watching. A’s hitting coach Darren Bush said Lowrie’s swing, at least, appears healthy.
“He looks great,” Bush said. “He’s using his lower half really well. … He needs atbats, but as far as his batting practice and his cage work goes, he looks great. It’s the same swing that I saw the last time he was here playing for us.”
Kemp played second base Monday and has made all five of his Cactus League starts there. Melvin said the A’s still plan to move Kemp around and “you’ll see him in the outfield a little more.” Pinder, in five games, has played third base, shortstop, right field and DH. That list does not include the two positions he has played most in the majors, left field and second base.
“The guys you have on the bench need to have some versatility,” Melvin said. “You have limited moves, and when you have limited moves, you want to make sure some of these guys can do multiple things. … In this game, you’re seeing more and more of these guys are able to do that.”
Pinder’s versatility endears him to the A’s, yet can inhibit regular playing time. “I like moving around the diamond, I don’t mind it,” Pinder said at the start of camp. “But just to be able to get more atbats would be great, and that’s
“The guys you have on the bench need to have some versatility. You have limited moves.” Bob Melvin, A’s manager
something that I’ll have to prove and earn through spring and the beginning of the season.”
Settling a final outfield spot could take time. Barrera joined the A’s late because of a visa issue and just began playing in games. Tom has an oblique injury and likely won’t play in games until midMarch; he must make the A’s roster or be offered back to Cleveland, his former team. Reed stood out the first week, but Melvin acknowledged there are “certainly some guys ahead of him.”
Competition also continues for the backupcatcher job to Sean Murphy, who is returning from collapsed lung surgery but expected to be ready for Opening Night. Simplified, Austin Allen is the more batfirst option, Aramis Garcia the more catchfirst choice and Carlos Perez is “sneaky in his production,” Melvin said.
“All of them have different attributes,” Melvin said. “And we really don’t know where we’re going with that one yet.”