A’s Pitching Continues to Impress

Oct 10, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Dan Otero (61) pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning in game five of the American League divisional series playoff baseball game at O.co Coliseum. The Detroit Tigers defeated the Oakland Athletics 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland A’s are an amazing team that has had a reputation for finding success through their pitching, and it’s looking like they are going to keep that reputation in 2014. It may be too early to properly evaluate the pitching staff, especially with so many of the pitchers being used are minor league guys, but I’m going to do it anyways.

In the A’s first game against the Angels this Spring, the A’s pitching staff all provided shutout innings with the exception of Phil Humber. In almost every game the every pitcher that has gone out has provided shutout innings except for one. Every game has one pitcher, ususally a non roster invitee that allows runs but no one else does. This means that the A’s pitching staff is looking pretty good early on. Some guys such as Jesse Chavez already appear to be in midseason form.

Some might argue that the other team’s hitters just need to warm up, but a few of the guys are already doing great, such as Mike Trout. The game before the one against the A’s, he hit a grand slam. The A’s managed to strike him out twice.

Some might also argue that most of the guys that pitch the later half of the games are minor leaguers or non roster invitees. But that would still mean that the A’s have good talent coming up in a couple of years and are on their way. That means the club will continue to have success.

Those minor leaguers can also be used as trade bait for the A’s to get some talent now instead of later, should the need arise. A great example is Grant Green. He had a fantastic spring with the A’s, and come the trade deadline, the A’s traded him for Alberto Callaspo who came in and impacted the club in a good way.

So the good pitching early on is a good sign of things to come. If they are this good now, how good will they be when the season rolls around? My guess is a whole better.