Oakland Athletics Roundup: Key Prospects for 2016; Saying No To Yoenis Cespedes; Plus, RHP Dylan Covey
Oakland Athletics Roundup: Thursday, October 29
Arizona Fall League is well underway, and the Oakland Athletics have received a mixed bag of results from their prospects. The hitters are on fire. Renato Nunez is batting .286/.333/.619, and Chad Pinder is hitting .353/.389/.824. Nunez has four home runs, while Pinder has two. Jaycob Brugman isn’t having quite that level of success, as he’s managed to hit just .212/.257/.303, but he has plenty of time to turn it around.
Meanwhile, the pitchers have not fared so well. Sean Manaea has allowed 13 hits and three walks in just 12 innings, en route to nine runs over the course of three games. Brendan McCurry has allowed eight hits and walk, as well as four earned runs, in four games and five innings. And Aaron Kurcz has been one of the worst pitchers on the team, permitting six hits, four walks and five earned runs in four innings.
The AFL can very much be a hitters’ league, and these are some of the best minor league bats in the game, so batters typically do fare better than pitchers. However, the A’s pitchers still need to get back on track sooner rather than later. All of the AFL pitchers are facing the same kind of competition, and comparatively, the A’s staff is struggling.
In Case You Missed It:
A’s Prospects Who Could Make an Impact in 2016 – Which Oakland Athletics’ prospect will make the biggest splash next season? In this week’s edition of our featured question, the Swingin’ A’s staff answers that question. Be sure to check it out, vote in our fan poll, and voice your opinion in the comments section.
A’s Should Absolutely Not Target Yoenis Cespedes – Everyone loves Yoenis Cespedes, but is he a good fit for the Athletics? Not everyone thinks so – including this author. Before you get mad, be sure to check out the reasoning behind it.
A’s Prospect Update: RHP Dylan Covey – Dylan Covey is not a name that is frequently mentioned on top prospect lists, but perhaps it should be. Steven Luke tells us about Covey’s results since being drafted, and how he might impact the A’s in the future.
#Athletics:
A MOOOOOOON SHOT for Mesa's Renato Nunez (@Athletics) high up on the berm in left cuts the Saguaros lead to 2-1. #AFL15
— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) October 28, 2015
No wordless signs needed for this one... HAPPY BIRTHDAY BoMel! 🎉🎈🎂 pic.twitter.com/i9GEhgihzX
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) October 28, 2015
Sheep beyond RF was a real thing at one point for the Kansas City Athletics, another Charlie Finley production. pic.twitter.com/nLb420Ouzz
— Stirrups Now! (@uniformcritic) October 28, 2015
Around the Web:
BoSox Injection: Sonny Gray Is Long-Term Solution for Rotation – FanSided’s BoSox Injection proposes a trade: one that would send ace Sonny Gray to the Red Sox.