Confident A’s ready to swing for fences
Team believes it has enough pop to make a deeper run
MESA, ARIZ. >> When the A’s gather at Hohokam Stadium on Monday for their first workout of the spring, they’ll be opening a new campaign with something that had been missing for a few years — confidence.
This isn’t the hope-we-make-the-playoffs type of confidence. This is the we’ve-been-there-before type of confidence.
The A’s are coming off a season in which they not only reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014, but they also went blow-for-blow with the Houston Astros, winning 97 games and earning respect.
Opposing teams no longer lick their chops when they see Oakland on the schedule. As many teams learned last year, the A’s have put together an explsoive offense. They amassed 813 runs last season — only Boston, the Yankees and Cleveland scored more — and the production has Oakland thinking they can extend this season beyond the wild-card game.
“I don’t think we have a target on our back, but I think people know what we’re capable of now,” pitcher Sean Manaea said. “There’s gonna be power throughout the lineup. The ultimate goal is to win a World Series and I think that’s a very real possibility.”
The Oakland bullpen ranked third in the majors in ERA last season (3.37), and although the A’s lost one good arm in Jeurys Familia, they gained one in Joakim Soria, who should adequately fill the eighthinning role and also has closing experience.
There is plenty to be excited about with the A’s, but
the state of the rotation is one cause for concern. Here are five big questions for the A’s.
1. WILL KYLER MURRAY PLAY BASEBALL? >> This doesn’t necessarily affect this upcoming season as Murray would likely spend the entire year in the minor leagues, but it will certainly be a national headline over the next few days.
Here’s what we know: Report date for position players is Feb. 15 and the A’s expect Murray to be among that group arriving in Mesa. That optimism surely took a hit last week, when it was reported that Murray would be attending the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis Feb. 26-March 4, less than two weeks after his presumed arrival to A’s camp.
During last month’s A’s FanFest, Billy Beane said the club had not discussed the possibility of allowing Murray to leave camp for the combine and then return. The A’s would probably like to do whatever it takes to prevent completely wasting their No. 9 overall pick from the draft, but unless Murray gets to the combine and completely stinks it up or measures extremely lower than expected, that first-round projection by most NFL Draft experts isn’t likely to change.
As of now, Murray’s chances of sticking to baseball appear to be in serious danger.
2. WILL JESUS LUZARDO
CRACK THE STARTING ROTATION? >> Luzardo has turned into the organization’s prodigy. Some coaches
FIRST EXHIBITION GAME A’s vs. Mariners, Feb. 21, 12:05 p.m., Mesa, Ariz.
claim his stuff looks better than the Zito-HudsonMulder “Big Three.” Others compare him to stars such as Johan Santana. Clearly, expectations can’t get much higher for the 21-year-old left-hander.
But could he really begin the season in the majors? A’s manager Bob Melvin can see it happening.
“I think he is ready,” Melvin said during December’s MLB winter meetings. “What we saw in spring training last year, we ran him out there against a formidable lineup on purpose, and he’s the type of
kid who has a presence on the mound that you typically don’t see from a younger guy... We’re gonna bring him to spring training with an opportunity to start with us.”
Luzardo blazed from Single-A to Triple-A in 2018 on an innings limit of around 120 innings. Without much better options to start the season, the A’s may look to make sure any innings limit placed on him this year begins in the majors if he continues to impress this spring.
3. WHO WILL MAKE UP THE STARTING ROTATION? >> The way things stand right now, Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada are the only two locks. In the rotation, Luzardo will face competition from
Daniel Mengden, Frankie Montas, Chris Bassitt, Paul Blackburn and Parker Bridwell for the final three spots.
This all could change if the A’s decide to add another starter via free agency, which Beane said club continues to look into. Plenty of solid options remain. Clay Buchholz and Gio Gonzalez remain on the market. The club also had contact with Edwin Jackson about a reunion after last year’s successful bounce-back year. 4. IS THIS REALLY WHAT THE
A’S ARE DOING AT CATCHER? >> The signing of Chris Herrmann in December wasn’t received with much enthusiasm from A’s fans, but he along with Josh Phegley are currently expected to platoon
the starting catcher role to begin the season. Top prospect Sean Murphy will begin spring with the big league club, but having only three games at TripleA under his belt and coming off a year that was cut short due to wrist surgery, it’s unlikely he lands on the Opening Day roster.
As hard as the A’s are looking at adding a starting pitcher, Beane said next on the list is adding a catcher. Matt Wieters, who the A’s have been reportedly shown interest in, remains available along with a plethora of backup-type catchers.
Jonathan Lucroy didn’t sign with the A’s last season until Cactus League play was already underway, so could another catcher fall into their laps for a second consecutive season?
5. ARE MATT CHAPMAN’S
HAND ISSUES A THING OF THE PAST? >> The A’s star third baseman appears to be on the cusp of being mentioned in the same breath among the game’s elite players,
but that all depends on him staying healthy.
Hand issues began to bother Chapman last offseason, requiring multiple cortisone shots both in spring training and regular season, the latter landing him on the injured list for over two weeks. Chapman underwent surgery on his right thumb shortly after the season ended last October, and the A’s are hoping the procedure put any nagging discomfort to rest.
Chapman underwent a second surgery on his right shoulder in December, but the A’s are not expecting that to impact his availability this spring.
After going on a tear following the All-Star break last season when he hit .309 with 14 home runs and a .961 OPS, leading all of baseball with 25 doubles, 52 runs scored and 42 extrabase hits in the second half, Chapman has established himself as a darkhorse candidate for AL MVP this season.