Oakland Athletics Featured Question: Can the A’s Really Trust Coco Crisp?

Sticking With Crisp is a Sign of Rebuilding

Scott Harris: Ideally, I would love for the A’s to acquire a high OBP left fielder with 20+ SB speed on the base paths to bat 2nd in the lineup behind Billy Burns. However, the fact that the front office came out and said that they plan to rely on Coco in left field next season tells me that they really are committed to next season being a rebuilding year and plan to use platoons and prospects to man left field if (or more likely when) Coco gets injured.

Mark Canha will likely see a good amount of time in left field when he’s not playing first, Stephen Vogt could be used there in a pinch, and Craig Gentry will be looking to turn things around after a rough 2015. Among the younger players on the roster, Tyler Ladendorf and Jake Smolinski may also get a look in left. From the minors, Colin Walsh, Chad Oberacker, Josh Whitaker, and Jaycob Brugman could also be called up to provide depth in the outfield if needed.

Like I previously stated, I believe the A’s pitching (assuming they make moves to strengthen the bullpen) will rank near the top in the American League and I think the A’s organization shares the same opinion. However, they will wait until the trade deadline to see how everything plays out in the AL West before they make any moves to strengthen the roster.

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