How Will the Oakland Athletics’ September Call-Ups Affect 2016 Roster?
September 1 is right around the corner, and that means reinforcements are on the way for the struggling Oakland Athletics.
Often the players who get called up are either borderline players trying to make a good impression or young players the front office is trying to get a good look at. This September, though, we will see players who will make an impact in the 2016 season.
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Fans of the Athletics have already gotten a taste of Aaron Brooks and it started off sweet, but had a bitter aftertaste. It’s not a secret that Brooks will be back in the rotation once the rosters expand, but how he performs over the final month of the season might earn him a spot on the 2016 opening day roster.
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He might not end up in the rotation like he has been this season because of the possible returns of Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin, but if Brooks is as effective down the stretch as he was early in his brief stint with the big club you can expect to see him in a swing man role similar to the one Travis Blackley filled during the magical 2012 season. Brooks has proven to be effective and if he can contribute out of the bullpen and spot-start if there is a minor injury, he could end up as an important piece to the success of the 2016 team.
Sean Nolin as a September call-up might be a bit of a reach because of his inability to stay healthy this season, but A’s fans might catch a glimpse at the third piece in trade that sent Josh Donaldson to Toronto.
If Nolin gets the call, it will be important for A’s fans to get a close look at the 25-year-old lefty because even if he doesn’t start in the 2016 rotation he will essentially be the sixth man in the rotation. When injury strikes the rotation, like it always seems to do, Nolin will be the first one called up to fill in.
Early in the season it appeared that Tyler Ladendorf might be a staple in the offense for the 2015 A’s, but like Nolin, injuries set the utility man back.
If Ladendorf can continue to impress the way he did with the big club, it is easy to see where he will fit in with the 2016 club: anywhere.
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In his five games for the A’s, Ladendorf played in four different positions – making him a highly versatile piece that manager Bob Melvin could use in the same way he used Ben Zobrist this season. Zobrist is an established big leaguer who has proven time and time again that he can be that versatile and still produce offensively, while Ladendorf is not. Ladendorf will need to showcase his offensive skills over the season’s final month, and if he can he might be the 2016 opening day starter at third base, shortstop, second base or even in the outfield.
The one player A’s fans should be looking forward to the most this September is Joey Wendle. Acquired for Brandon Moss from the Cleveland Indians, Wendle has made a lot of noise at AAA Nashville and some view him as the second baseman of the future.
That future is coming fast and could be here for the start of the 2016 season. Wendle is hitting .286 and has driven in 51 runs while scoring 66 times in 125 games. His big downfall is high strikeout numbers, but strikeouts are no longer viewed as negatively as they have been in the past.
Of all the people listed, Wendle is the least likely to get the call because he’s not currently on the 40-man roster. Still, a call up for Wendle would be beneficial to the club so that Billy Beane and the front office can get a view of what they have in their future second baseman because the future is now.
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