Oakland Athletics’ Offseason Options: Shortstops
Sep 20, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien (10) gets an RBI with a hit during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Last week, we looked at five possible second baseman that could provide a positive impact within the Oakland Athletics. Today will focus on the other side of the middle infield, a position that for the majority of the season has been manned by Marcus Semien. With these lists, I’m not necessarily suggesting that the A’s front office bring in a specific individual to completely replace a current Athletic. However, there are some quality free agents coming up who have skill sets that match the green and gold style of play and could be beneficial to the 2016 campaign.
Having said that, the shortstop position has struggled mightily to carry its weight – especially early in the season – offensively and more importantly, defensively. A .253/.304/.385 slash line isn’t terrible for one’s first full season in the bigs, but Semien could have definitely benefitted from having a veteran teammate to take some of the pressure off him and learn from. Not in the way that he split time with Alexei Ramirez with the Chicago White Sox – because he basically just filled in whenever Ramirez needed a day off – but he needs someone to challenge him on and off the field, essentially being a positive influence.
Semien’s ‘trial by error’ season hasn’t gone as badly as it could have and in comparison to the rest of the shortstops around the league. He has somewhat held his own offensively. He’s tied for seventh in home runs (13), eighth in hits (133), and also eighth in runs scored (61) in comparison to the rest of the MLB shortstops. Despite his efforts, he has still struggled to provide a consistent performance conducive to a playoff team, which is what the A’s strive to be in 2016.
Now it’s time to check out the five possibilities.
Next: A Familiar Face
Sep 8, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Jimmy Paredes (38) is forced out on the first part of a double play by New York Yankees second baseman Stephen Drew (14) in the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Stephen Drew / 33 years old
Positions: Shortstop and Second Baseman
Bats: Left, Throws: Right
Height: 6’ 0”, Weight: 190 lb.
This former Florida State University product has always been one of the most dependable shortstops around. He has played in over 120 games in all but two – excluding his midseason call-up his rookie season – years of his 10-year career. Averaging 16 home runs and 68 runs batted in over an 162-game span should speak volumes, and the A’s have already had a glimpse of his underrated skill set. In 2012, Oakland traded for Drew in order to sure up their infield for a then-playoff run. Defensively, he was better than Cliff Pennington while also providing some pop at the top of the lineup.
He’s currently under contract for just $5 million this year with the New York Yankees, but could possibly be expendable with the talent the Pinstripes have in their farm system. Now, while Drew has primarily played second base for the majority of the season, I’ll bet he could dust off the rust to play shortstop relatively quickly. Also, being able to split time with Semien would benefit them both. With his non-overwhelming price tag as well, giving the ex-Athletic a call certainly couldn’t hurt.
Next: The Second Shortstop
Sep 7, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (13) gets set to bat in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Asdrubal Cabrera / 30 years old
Positions: Shortstop and Second Baseman
Bats: Both, Throws: Right
Height: 6’ 0”, Weight: 205 lb.
Cabrera is not far removed from being one of the premier shortstops in the game. While he may not be able to reproduce the production from 2011-12 (totaled 41 HR’s & 160 RBI’s) or the ESPN Top 10 plays (see below), he is still a more than serviceable option to play up the middle. He has also one of the younger shortstop free agents and with no prior major injuries; you can pretty much pencil in 130+ games from him year in and year out.
Not only that, but he’s also the only switch-hitting shortstop on the market – not named Pennington – which would give Oakland’s offense even more flexibility. With the additional ability to slide over and play second would still provide Semien with opportunities to play at short, but also explore other positions as well. The only problem is that with his relatively cheap $7.5 million contract in 2015, his services will likely be pursued by a variety of teams that can offer more than the A’s.
Next: The Cream of the Crop
Sep 17, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond (20) hits a two run home run against the Miami Marlins during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Ian Desmond / 30 years old
Position: Shortstop
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6’ 3”, Weight: 215 lb.
This former 3rd rounder is easily the best from this year’s shortstop free agent class. However, this also makes him easily the most desirable and likely the most expensive. Having earned three silver slugger awards in a row for hitting 20+ HR’s and driving in 70+ RBI, Desmond will certainly be a hot commodity. However, this does not mean he is out of the A’s range because the market will dictate his price tag.
Should teams choose to focus on his struggles on the defensive side (143 errors over the past six years) as well as his declining batting average (.280 in 2013 – .232 in 2015) along with increased strikeout rate (22.1% in 2013 – 26.8% in 2015), he may not get as big of a payday as some might think. However, the A’s should still give him a look based on his potential and the fact that he would easily be the most talented shortstop to wear a green and gold uniform since Miguel Tejada. $11.5 million – his current annual salary – may seem like a lot right now, but the investment definitely could be worth the production.
Next: A Backup From Across the Bridge
Apr 11, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Joaquin Arias (13) is congratulated by second baseman Matt Duffy (50) after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Joaquin Arias / 31 years old
Positions: Shortstop, Third Baseman, and Second Baseman
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6’ 1”, Weight: 165 lb.
At one point, Arias was a more highly touted prospect than another former Yankee second baseman (first name Robinson, last name Cano) and was the choice of the Texas Rangers as the secondary piece in the 2004 Alex Rodriguez trade. While it didn’t work out as I’m sure the Rangers wanted, Arias has become a nice utility option for a trio of teams and has earned himself two rings with “that team” across the bridge.
Getting to test free agency for the second time, he might want a change of scenery and the A’s could definitely use a service-type role he can provide. Arias would be a cheap way to take some pressure off of Semien if Oakland wants to keep him at shortstop – which is the direction it looks like they’re going to take. Giving Marcus more days off, while also being able to mix in Joaquin at third and second base gives more flexibility to manager Bob Melvin, which is never a bad thing.
Next: An Old Oakland Native
Sep 6, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins (right) steals second as San Diego Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte (26) loses control of the ball during the fifth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jimmy Rollins / 36 years old
Position: Shortstop
Bats: Both, Throws: Right
Height: 5’ 7”, Weight: 175 lb.
Not many people know this about J-Roll, but the former-MVP is an Eastbay native. That’s right, Rollins grew up in Oakland and the A’s might be able to provide him an opportunity to end his baseball career right where it started, should he not retire at the end of this season. Don’t think of it as another Mike Piazza or Nomar Garciaparra situation from the middle 2000’s because Jimmy can still play. While his batting average has dipped (.213), he’s still got pop (13 HR’s) from both sides of the plate and has shown that he can remain healthy (136 games played) at age 36.
Also, with Corey Seager coming up for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Rollins will likely become expendable at the end of the 2015 campaign, giving ample opportunity for Oakland to pounce and pick up one of the greatest shortstops and leaders of this generation. I’m sure he would be a great mentor for Semien (also a Eastbay native) and I could see his current $11 million salary coming down quite a bit, making him an actual possibility for the green and gold.
Next: Oakland Athletics: Four September Call-Ups Who Have Impressed Thus Far