In 2014, Oakland Athletics’ GM Billy Beane made a lot of changes to the roster. This included shipping off the majority of their strong bats like Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Donaldson, and Brandon Moss. With a lineup full of mostly young rookies leading the charge throughout 2015, it quickly became clear that long balls and power hitting was not their strong suit.
This season, the A’s are 16-32 in one-run games. Additionally, they are 6-10 in extra innings. During many of these games, Oakland has had runners in scoring position and the opportunity to take the lead. However, the offense just could not produce.
The season may be winding down in a few weeks, but the Athletics are still playing to win. Interestingly enough, their offense has been improving. Even though the A’s once again traded away some of their better players at the trade deadline this year like Ben Zobrist, Tyler Clippard, and Scott Kazmir, Oakland was able to somehow swoop in and acquire some power bats mid-season.
Two of the most notable additions who have been making an impact offensively are Jake Smolinski and Danny Valencia. Smolinski, who originally made his debut with the Texas Rangers, was acquired off waivers on June 21. Even though he has struggled this season, he has been slowly improving since coming to Oakland.
While with the A’s Triple-A affiliate this year, Smolinski batted .349/.402/.628. Additionally, during his short stints at the O.co Coliseum since his acquisition, he has been batting .217 with a .700 OPS. This may seem low, but compared to his .133 batting average and .470 OPS with the Rangers this season, his offense at the plate has greatly improved.
When it comes to Valencia, the Toronto Blue Jays should have never let him go. However, the Jays had no more room on their roster as they stocked up for a postseason run during the trade deadline. Even though Valencia is currently dealing with a shoulder injury, Valencia batted over .300 in April, June, and August. He has 57 RBI this season with an .829 OPS.
Additionally, some of the Oakland Athletics’ rookies are starting to step up. Most notable would be Mark Canha. Canha dealt with a respiratory illness throughout the first half of the season, but has since recovered and is truly an offensive force at the plate. When it comes to RBI, 38 out of his 64 were hit in the second half of the season. Also, his batting average has improved from .229 at the end of May to .259 right now. When Canha is healthy, his bat can definitely produce for the A’s.
Along with these mid-season additions and overall improved players, the A’s have their staple power hitters in Stephen Vogt and Josh Reddick. Reddick and Vogt lead the team in RBI this year with 73 and 67 respectively. If both can remain healthy, they are reliable hitters who can drive in runs.
Oakland’s offense will be the deciding factor in the A’s success or failure next season. With Ron Washington working with the infield on their defense, it is clear that the offense is the last piece of the puzzle that needs to be improved in order for the Athletics to have a winning season in 2016. If the Oakland Athletics can maintain this kind of offensive success they have been showing recently in 2016, the chances of them having a good season are high.
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