The A’s entered this season with a strong core of starting pitching, but the team was hit hard early on this year by several injuries to their starting staff.
Losing starters Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson for the season definitely didn’t help Oakland, but the team has seen several starters including Brandon McCarthy step up and contribute.
McCarthy, 28, entered the season fighting for a spot in Oakland’s starting rotation. He ended up beating out Rich Harden, Josh Outman, Bobby Cramer, Tyson Ross, and a few other eligible candidates after a solid spring training.
After missing much of the 2010 season, McCarthy has emerged as one of the A’s most reliable starters this season. In 21 starts this year, he’s gone 8-7 with 3.41 ERA. He’s also managed to log 142.1 innings of work so far this year.
It’s certainly encouraging to see McCarthy pitch well this season, especially when you consider that he battled with shoulder problems in 2010.
The A’s signed McCarthy to a one-year deal this past offseason, but I’d like to see the team offer McCarthy a deal to return to Oakland in 2012. In fact, I’d like to see both McCarthy and Harden back after this year.
Both pitchers have had their share of injuries over their respective careers, but the two pitchers have performed well enough this season for the A’s to bring them back into the fold next year.
Injuries seemingly always play a role in every season in Oakland, and having extra arms to help out now and again would certainly be a good idea.
McCarthy has performed well this season, and has proved to be an excellent acquisition this season for Oakland. The A’s would be foolish—in my mind at least—if they didn’t at least explore a possible deal to bring McCarthy back in 2012.