PHOENIX - The Oakland Athletics headed back to the Bay Area following their last-ever Cactus League home game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium with more questions than when they arrived in Arizona almost seven weeks ago.
Almost all of that has to do with the rotation, with Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin, two of the stalwarts the last two seasons beginning the season on the disabled list. Parker won’t pitch this season thanks to Monday’s Tommy John-style ligament replacement surgery. Griffin is in the midst of three weeks of rest for his elbow before he can resume throwing.
The Athletics have patched as best they can with Tommy Milone, who has won 25 games the past two seasons but who’d seemingly been pushed out of a talent-rich rotation, and Jesse Chavez, who was going to be a middle reliever before the current contretemps. And if others downgrade the Athletics chances of three-peating as American League West champs, they don’t.
“We have guys we know will step up and fill in,” starter Dan Straily said. “That’s what we do here. This team is all about picking up for everybody else.”
While the rotation situation is front-burner material,there are plenty of other issues awaiting resolution.
There are four players other than Parker and Griffin starting the season on the disabled list, and three of them could be back mid-April. Relievers Ryan Cook and Fernando Rodriguez and outfielder Craig Gentry all remained in Arizona as the club flew north. They will take part in minor league games for another week or so but should be ready on or shortly after their first day or roster eligibility April 5. (The fourth, reliever Eric O’Flaherty, is due back midseason).
With those three players sidelined, however briefly, there is room on the roster for Sam Fuld, who will be the backup center fielder while Gentry is out. Fuld has a clause in his contract that would give him the option to be a free agent if he wasn’t on the opening day roster. Since he will be, the A’s have him in the organization for at least two months.
The opening day composition of the bullpen isn’t as clear. The A’s are fairly sure Cook will be ready the first weekend of the regular season. Until then, it seems that either one of two lefties, Joe Savery or Drew Pomeranz, will get the call with Manager Bob Melvin saying “it’s unsettled.”
Also unsettling is the .154 batting average turned in the spring by left fielder and cleanup hitter Yoenis Cespedes. He says the numbers are a result of trying to change his swing and go with a shorter stroke and that he’ll be ready once the season starts.
Other swing alterations have been more successful. Catcher Derek Norris, who is trying to go shorter as well - batting coach Chili Davis said Norris’ conversion is a model Cespedes could follow - has had the ball exploding off his bat to the tune of a .436 average, 3 home runs and 11 RBI.
So, too, has first baseman/ designated hitter Brandon Moss. He has a .375 batting average and team-best 4 home runs and 14 RBI.
“I think we’re right where we need to be,” Moss said. “A lot of us have our swings right where we need them to be, including me. I’m usually a slow spring starter, but I’m feeling good now. We all are. We’re ready to go.”
Gray was supposed to start in a minor league game Wednesday because the A’s didn’t want him to face Angels hitters he will see five or six times in the season. When the Angels brought a lineup devoid of most of its starters, the A’s altered course and had Gray and John Jaso take part in the Phoenix Muni finale.
Sports, Pages 22 on 03/28/2014