Oakland Athletics Should Promote These Five Players In September
Jul 22, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics left fielder Jake Smolinski (5) looks back to first base while advancing to second on a throwing error by Toronto Blue Jays third baseman
Josh Donaldson(not pictured) during the fourth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Jake Smolinski
Let’s start with the obvious one.
When Jake Smolinski was acquired from the Texas Rangers back in May, it looked like the Oakland Athletics were picking up a rival team’s leftovers. What came next was certainly unexpected. From the time he began playing at Triple-A Nashville to the time that he was called up to the A’s in July, he pulverized Pacific Coast League pitching. When he left Nashville, he was batting .420/.469/.750. The A’s really had no choice but to promote the waiver acquisition during a time that the team desperately needed help on offense against left-handed pitching.
Smolinski came to Oakland, played 11 games, and batted .320/.379/.640 (that’s a 1.019 OPS) for the Major League club. He did so well that the A’s … sent him back to Nashville.
He has had 18 at-bats since being sent back to Nashville, through which he is batting .389 and has a pair of walks and home runs.
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Forget September call-ups. Bring Smolinski back to the A’s now. He has proven that he is above Triple-A pitching, and there is nothing left to be gained by leaving him in the minors. He is at the peak of his development at that level, and he will only get better by facing Major League pitching at this point.
Smolinski’s only weak split during his brief stint with the A’s were his hitting numbers while on the road. In away games, his average was .182 compared to the .429 that he hit while at home. This may be an indication that the Coliseum is better suited for his particular hitting style. Even then, these numbers are based on a small sample size, and it would be reasonable to assume that even his away-game numbers would eventually rise to a level that is more indicative of his ability.
Smolinski has already auditioned for the club, and he should already be in.
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