Post by Strategist on Jan 7, 2020 3:20:26 GMT
2018 Review:
Record: 64-98 5th in AL West. R/G Scored: 15th (AL) R/G Against: 13th (AL)
Starting the Offseason:
Lineup: A lineup that was going to feature 2 big hitters in the middle in Paul Goldschmidt and Rhys Haskins. The only other spot filled with an above average regular was SS with Didi Gregorius. They did have Luke Voit in the minors to bring up to fill at DH. So the A's had holes to fill at C, 2B, 3B, CF, and RF but had a ton of cap space and put it to use signing C Rene Rivera, 3B Eduardo Escobar, 2B Freddy Galvis, and RF Mark Canha to bolster the lineup. These signings made the lineup much better from top to bottom and one that could give it a chance to fight for at least a wild card spot.
Rotation: The rotation needed a lot of work. The only pitchers coming into the season with an above average projection were Zach Davies and Jordan Montgomery. Although Mike Leak, Steven Brault, Zach Eflin, Jerad Eickhoff, and Chad Kuhl all provide slightly below average options to fill out the starting rotation. Really the rotation had a bunch of options but it needed an Ace and maybe a #2 guy to be ready to compete with the top teams in the AL. With his activity in the FA market I am sure he looked at trying to sign SPs but probably didn't want to pay the price as most of the top SP signed for 25+ mil/yr. So no moves were made during the offseason to upgrade the rotation.
Bullpen: Had elite closer Sean Doolittle and solid setup man Aaron Bummer but after those 2 there was a lot to be desired. Did go out and sign Justin Miller and traded for Blake Parker which added some much needed depth. As a whole still was lacking where it needed to be to compete especially with a weak rotation.
Early/Mid/Late Season: Traded Zac Davies 3 weeks into the season. I am guessing that he knew that he team wasn't quite good enough to compete this season so was willing to move Davies for a prospect and Kurt Suzuki. Also moved James McCann early in the season for a prospect. Would be competitive the first 2 months of the season going 19-20 thru May. A June swoon, 7-20, tanked the season. This lead Scott to place several players on the trade block eventually trading away Doolittle and Goldschmidt getting Jose Abreu and some good prospects in return. Would actually turn the season around and finish 45-31 to finish with a 81-81 record finishing 3rd in the AL West and 5th in the WC standings just 5 GB.
In Conclusion:
Lineup: 6th (AL) in runs scored. Performed well. Gregorious crushed to the tune of .303/.354/.502 31 HRs 117 Rs and a 131 OPS+. Hoskins was decent with 39 HRs. Everyone else was average to above average. The offense was the biggest reason this team played .500 ball.
Rotation: 10th (AL) in starters' ERA. Struggled even while pitching in a pitchers park. The best of the bunch was Eickoff going 14-7 with a 3.80 ERA. Worst of the bunch Kuhl going 5-13 with a 8.09 ERA.
Bullpen: 10th (AL) in bullpen ERA. Needs even more help after trading away Doolittle.
This team should have a ton of cap space again this offseason with only 79 mil on the books currently. Maybe they can remake there pitching staff in a similar way they did their lineup this offseason.
Trades Overview:
SP Daniel Ponce De Leon and RF Jose Azocar to SD for SP Charlie Neuweiler and RP Blake Parker - Moved relatively unheralded prospects for bullpen depth Parker who pitched ok with a 3.91 ERA.
SP Zach Davies to ATL for C Kurt Suzuki and 1B Chad Spanberger - A little confused by this trade as Davies was his best pitcher although not great and still had 3 years of team control left. Spanberger had a great 2018 in rookie ball.
C James McCann to TB for Christopher Bec - Moved a backup catcher and got a low tier prospect.
1B Paul Goldschmidt to NYY for 1B Jose Abreu, 2B Shedric Long and 1B Edwin Rios - Pretty good haul for a rental in Goldy. Abreu is a FA as well but Long has been a fringed top 100 prospect for a few years now and Edwin Rios is a unherald prospect but one that has hit at every level and even played well in 28 games at the major league level this season.
RP Sean Doolittle to TB for RP Buck Farmer, RP Caleb Frare, C Jamie Ritchie, and RP Randy Rosario - Trading an elite arm with 2 years of control left I would have thought would have gotten a little more. All the RPs could be useful and Ritchie has been solid hitting in the minors but has yet to get a chance in the majors. So this trade could work out.
FA Overview:
C Rene Revera 1 yr 2.3 Mil - Great defensive catcher. Never played for the A's. Claimed off of waivers by BAL. D-
3B Eduardo Escobar 4 yr 69.6 Mil - Above average hitter, Above average defense at 3B, and positional flexibility to play SS/2B as well. Hit .263/.332/.439 18 HRs 83 RBIs 85 Rs and 109 OPS+. Just solid all around season. I think good price for his production. He preformed well IRL so his projection should be just as good or maybe even better than for this season. Overall good signing. A
SS Freddy Galvis 5 yr 59.1 Mil - Signed to play 2nd base where he rated out as an elite defensive option. His hit tool is suspect though and it was worst case scenario in year 1 hitting .196/.256/.288 and a 48 OPS+. I don't mind the 5 yr contract all that much because players don't ussually lose defensive value quickly. What bothers me a bit is the 11 mil a year. He has struck out over 21.8% of the time 3 of the last 4 years. Had an OBP under .300 3 of the last 4 years. He will hit better than he did in the sim this season but I don't know if he hit well enough to justify his contract. D+
LF Mark Canha 2 yr 6.94 Mil - For as much as I worry about the Galvis contract this one has turned out to be a great signing. Hit .240/.329/.480 with 31 HRs 97 RBIs and a 117 OPS+. Has him for another season as well where he should be solid again. A
RP Justin R Miller 2 yr 9 Mil - Pitched ok witha 4.28 ERA 110 Ks in 62 GP and 69 IP. Not sure how well he will be rated next season. C+
Overall B+. Had some great signing and really only one poor one that may be a negative on the books for 4 more seasons. I think overall the A's would take their combined performance. With a bunch of cap space again I suspect the will be big players in FA again.
Record: 64-98 5th in AL West. R/G Scored: 15th (AL) R/G Against: 13th (AL)
Starting the Offseason:
Lineup: A lineup that was going to feature 2 big hitters in the middle in Paul Goldschmidt and Rhys Haskins. The only other spot filled with an above average regular was SS with Didi Gregorius. They did have Luke Voit in the minors to bring up to fill at DH. So the A's had holes to fill at C, 2B, 3B, CF, and RF but had a ton of cap space and put it to use signing C Rene Rivera, 3B Eduardo Escobar, 2B Freddy Galvis, and RF Mark Canha to bolster the lineup. These signings made the lineup much better from top to bottom and one that could give it a chance to fight for at least a wild card spot.
Rotation: The rotation needed a lot of work. The only pitchers coming into the season with an above average projection were Zach Davies and Jordan Montgomery. Although Mike Leak, Steven Brault, Zach Eflin, Jerad Eickhoff, and Chad Kuhl all provide slightly below average options to fill out the starting rotation. Really the rotation had a bunch of options but it needed an Ace and maybe a #2 guy to be ready to compete with the top teams in the AL. With his activity in the FA market I am sure he looked at trying to sign SPs but probably didn't want to pay the price as most of the top SP signed for 25+ mil/yr. So no moves were made during the offseason to upgrade the rotation.
Bullpen: Had elite closer Sean Doolittle and solid setup man Aaron Bummer but after those 2 there was a lot to be desired. Did go out and sign Justin Miller and traded for Blake Parker which added some much needed depth. As a whole still was lacking where it needed to be to compete especially with a weak rotation.
Early/Mid/Late Season: Traded Zac Davies 3 weeks into the season. I am guessing that he knew that he team wasn't quite good enough to compete this season so was willing to move Davies for a prospect and Kurt Suzuki. Also moved James McCann early in the season for a prospect. Would be competitive the first 2 months of the season going 19-20 thru May. A June swoon, 7-20, tanked the season. This lead Scott to place several players on the trade block eventually trading away Doolittle and Goldschmidt getting Jose Abreu and some good prospects in return. Would actually turn the season around and finish 45-31 to finish with a 81-81 record finishing 3rd in the AL West and 5th in the WC standings just 5 GB.
In Conclusion:
Lineup: 6th (AL) in runs scored. Performed well. Gregorious crushed to the tune of .303/.354/.502 31 HRs 117 Rs and a 131 OPS+. Hoskins was decent with 39 HRs. Everyone else was average to above average. The offense was the biggest reason this team played .500 ball.
Rotation: 10th (AL) in starters' ERA. Struggled even while pitching in a pitchers park. The best of the bunch was Eickoff going 14-7 with a 3.80 ERA. Worst of the bunch Kuhl going 5-13 with a 8.09 ERA.
Bullpen: 10th (AL) in bullpen ERA. Needs even more help after trading away Doolittle.
This team should have a ton of cap space again this offseason with only 79 mil on the books currently. Maybe they can remake there pitching staff in a similar way they did their lineup this offseason.
Trades Overview:
SP Daniel Ponce De Leon and RF Jose Azocar to SD for SP Charlie Neuweiler and RP Blake Parker - Moved relatively unheralded prospects for bullpen depth Parker who pitched ok with a 3.91 ERA.
SP Zach Davies to ATL for C Kurt Suzuki and 1B Chad Spanberger - A little confused by this trade as Davies was his best pitcher although not great and still had 3 years of team control left. Spanberger had a great 2018 in rookie ball.
C James McCann to TB for Christopher Bec - Moved a backup catcher and got a low tier prospect.
1B Paul Goldschmidt to NYY for 1B Jose Abreu, 2B Shedric Long and 1B Edwin Rios - Pretty good haul for a rental in Goldy. Abreu is a FA as well but Long has been a fringed top 100 prospect for a few years now and Edwin Rios is a unherald prospect but one that has hit at every level and even played well in 28 games at the major league level this season.
RP Sean Doolittle to TB for RP Buck Farmer, RP Caleb Frare, C Jamie Ritchie, and RP Randy Rosario - Trading an elite arm with 2 years of control left I would have thought would have gotten a little more. All the RPs could be useful and Ritchie has been solid hitting in the minors but has yet to get a chance in the majors. So this trade could work out.
FA Overview:
C Rene Revera 1 yr 2.3 Mil - Great defensive catcher. Never played for the A's. Claimed off of waivers by BAL. D-
3B Eduardo Escobar 4 yr 69.6 Mil - Above average hitter, Above average defense at 3B, and positional flexibility to play SS/2B as well. Hit .263/.332/.439 18 HRs 83 RBIs 85 Rs and 109 OPS+. Just solid all around season. I think good price for his production. He preformed well IRL so his projection should be just as good or maybe even better than for this season. Overall good signing. A
SS Freddy Galvis 5 yr 59.1 Mil - Signed to play 2nd base where he rated out as an elite defensive option. His hit tool is suspect though and it was worst case scenario in year 1 hitting .196/.256/.288 and a 48 OPS+. I don't mind the 5 yr contract all that much because players don't ussually lose defensive value quickly. What bothers me a bit is the 11 mil a year. He has struck out over 21.8% of the time 3 of the last 4 years. Had an OBP under .300 3 of the last 4 years. He will hit better than he did in the sim this season but I don't know if he hit well enough to justify his contract. D+
LF Mark Canha 2 yr 6.94 Mil - For as much as I worry about the Galvis contract this one has turned out to be a great signing. Hit .240/.329/.480 with 31 HRs 97 RBIs and a 117 OPS+. Has him for another season as well where he should be solid again. A
RP Justin R Miller 2 yr 9 Mil - Pitched ok witha 4.28 ERA 110 Ks in 62 GP and 69 IP. Not sure how well he will be rated next season. C+
Overall B+. Had some great signing and really only one poor one that may be a negative on the books for 4 more seasons. I think overall the A's would take their combined performance. With a bunch of cap space again I suspect the will be big players in FA again.
