Oakland Athletics Roundup: Thursday, November 19
Oakland Athletics ace Sonny Gray did not take home the Cy Young award on Wednesday night, with the honors going instead to the Houston Astros’ Dallas Keuchel. The lefty Keuchel has a similar career path to that of last year’s AL Cy Young winner, Corey Kluber. Both players were little-known minor leaguers, undervalued prospects and mediocre starters when they first debuted. They went on to become not just their teams’ best pitchers, but to be named the greatest starters in the American League.
The National League award went to Jake Arrieta, who also had a similarly rough start to his career before settling in during the last two years and knocking out perennial favorite Clayton Kershaw, as well as the stellar Zack Greinke.
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The underdogs are defeating the proven winners, which is a nice change in the world of baseball, where top prospects on big-market teams often get all of the attention. Of course, most Athletics fans probably wanted Sonny Gray to win, but Keuchel was a terrific second choice. The hard work that got him to where he is, combined with a season of excellent results, made him the absolute most deserving candidate for the Cy Young.
In Case You Missed It:
Five Things That Went Wrong in 2015 – What happened to the A’s last season? Samantha Riley points out five things that just didn’t go right for Oakland, forcing them to finish the season with the worst record in the American League.
Featured Question: Can the A’s Really Trust Coco Crisp? – In this week’s featured question, the Swingin’ A’s staff answers the question of whether or not the Athletics’ decision to stick with Coco Crisp rather than seek outfield help is a smart one. The responses are almost unanimous. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments!
Trade Rumors: Pitcher Jesse Chavez Is a Hot Trade Topic – Jesse Chavez trade rumors are abundant, given that the A’s are fielding inquiries from a multitude of teams. Samantha Riley provides more info on Chavez’s potential departure.
The A’s Need to Get Scott Kazmir Back – Katrina Putnam argues that Scott Kazmir needs to return to Oakland, given that he’s one of the best free agent options available that could still fall into the Athletics’ budget. Why not take a risk on re-signing the former A’s lefty?
#Athletics
Yep, ex-#Rays ace @DAVIDprice14 has Astro with him for @MLBNetwork Cy Young interview; and #Athletics Sonny Gray pic.twitter.com/Odbo41oABv
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) November 18, 2015
Gray, you're Grayt! ☀️☁️ Finishing third for AL Cy Young Award is stellar. Congrats to @kidkeuchy on his win. pic.twitter.com/i93PyjNWQs
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) November 18, 2015
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FanSided: Make Sure an A’s Fan is Crowned Fan of the Year – By now, you’ve probably seen this contest mentioned on Twitter or Facebook. But there’s still time to enter! Why are you the A’s number one fan? Submit your entry for a chance to win and be featured in Sports Illustrated.