By the time October arrived, the A’s understandably were pointing toward the future for sources of optimism.
A crop of young talent provided a late-season adrenaline shot for a franchise that stumbled through a disappointing 2016 season that looked far too much like the 2015 version. Oakland again finished in the American League West cellar, and there’s no secret why that happened.
The A’s finished last in the league in runs, second-to-last in team ERA and tied for the second-most errors committed. Throw in a team record number of injuries that contributed to those woes, and it’s no wonder the A’s were eager to turn the page.
Not fired up about reliving a 69-93 season? This 2016 look-back will also serve as a glance ahead to some key storylines for the A’s moving forward:
MVP: The A’s roster looked pretty much set when they swung a trade just before spring training to land Khris Davis from Milwaukee. After a slow start, the left fielder turned in one of the best power-hitting seasons in Oakland history with 42 homers and 102 RBI. Davis hit 19 homers by the All-Star break, then really turned it on in the second half. His 23 homers after the break fell one short of the franchise record (Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx hit 24 in 1933 and Mark McGwire matched that in 1996). Davis has expressed interest in playing for either the U.S. or Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and he’ll be fun to watch in international competition no matter what country he represents.
CY YOUNG: The more you think about it, rookie reliever Ryan Dull deserves major consideration for this award. He posted a 2.42 ERA with a .186 opponents’ batting average and 0.87 WHIP in 70 appearances. But the award goes to starter Kendall Graveman. Where would this injury-ravaged rotation have been without him? The right-hander led the A’s in wins (10) and innings (186.0), and he threw the staff’s only two complete games, including his first career shutout.
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BEST OF TIMES: It didn’t get any better than a May 17 victory over the Texas Rangers at the Coliseum. Davis hit a walk-off grand slam off Shawn Tolleson, capping a three-homer night for the slugger. He punctuated his celebration by stopping short of the plate, making like a Splash Brother and shooting his helmet into the crowd of euphoric teammates waiting for him. Davis became just the second player in major league history to have a three-homer game with the final shot being a walk-off slam. The Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto also did it in 2012.
TURNING POINT: The A’s were 13-12 as April closed, treading water and looking capable of being in the AL West mix. But they lost nine of their first 10 to open May and they wouldn’t draw closer than three games under .500 for the rest of the season.
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT: That five A’s pitchers, including two relievers, would finish with more victories than Sonny Gray, who went 5-11 with a 5.69 ERA. Whether he can rebound is a major key for this team looking ahead to 2017. There’s some quality young talent that’s emerging among the starters, and the possible return of Chris Bassitt from Tommy John surgery early next season could also provide a boost. But this rotation, as it’s constructed, won’t flourish unless Gray can resemble the form that made him a Cy Young finalist in 2015.
THE GREAT UNKNOWN: How much stock can the A’s put into the late-season performance of some of their promising rookies? That’s a key question as they try to map out their offseason strategy. For instance, starter Jharel Cotton was terrific over five September starts, posting a 2.15 ERA with 23 strikeouts and just four walks in 29 1/3 innings. He appears to be a front runner for next season’s rotation, but that assumption is based on a very small body of work. The same goes for second baseman Joey Wendle. His impact was greater than his offensive numbers would suggest (.260, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .600 OPS in 28 games), and he impressed defensively. Was that enough for the A’s to hand him the keys to the second base job? If so, what does it mean for veteran Jed Lowrie, who’s under contract for one more season?
KEY AREA TO FIX: Clearly, the A’s need to upgrade their outfield. Davis, in left, is the only guaranteed starter, and there’s a case that even he’s better suited to designated hitter because of a subpar throwing arm. Center field in particular is an area the A’s will target, as neither Jake Smolinski nor Brett Eibner demonstrated they’re a long-term fix. Ian Desmond, Carlos Gomez, Austin Jackson and possibly Dexter Fowler will be among the available free agents. The A’s are hopeful Mark Canha can return from hip surgery and be a factor in right field. There will also be a right fielder on the open market worth considering — Josh Reddick.
THE BIG PICTURE: Rookie third baseman Ryon Healy likely locked up a spot — somewhere — in the 2017 lineup, and other young players such as Wendle, Cotton and catcher Bruce Maxwell showed promise. There’s others who have gotten their feet wet in the bigs or are knocking on the door in the upper minors. A decision facing the front office is whether to hitch the wagon to this wave of young players, let them play and make their mistakes and live with those results, or aggressively pursue veteran upgrades via free agency and trades. If the recent past is any indication, expect the A’s to try to import help from the outside until some of their high-level prospects force their way into the big league picture.
