Handing out hardware to the 2022 Oakland A’s
The 2022 season is finally in the Oakland A’s rearview mirror.
It was a disaster in many aspects. The biggest stars on the team were sent away during the preseason just to save some money. Others were dealt away at the deadline. Most of what was left either was not that great to begin with or cheap enough that the A’s could justify keeping them on the roster.
The best and worst of the 2022 Oakland A’s
There were plenty of lowlights as would be expected with any 102 loss team. And yet, there were highlights as well as several players that took advantage of the opportunities presented to them. A core started to develop out of the 64 players to suit up for the A’s last year.
There were plenty of negatives and a few positives for the 2022 Oakland A’s. Let’s hand out some hardware for the regular season.
Oakland A’s MVP – Sean Murphy
Someone needed to step up considering the gaping leadership void on the A’s. Sean Murphy did exactly that.
He took over as one of the leaders on the team, seizing control of the pitching staff while working on improving at the plate. Murphy ended up posting a strong .250/.332/.426 batting line in his 612 plate appearances, belting 18 homers and a team leading 37 doubles. He had another strong year behind the plate as well, leading to a 3.5 bWAR total that easily outpaced the next best mark on the team.
This may also be the last time that Murphy wins this award. He is likely to be traded this offseason given the A’s catching depth behind him and his first trek into arbitration. If so, he saved his best for last.
Oakland A’s Most Surprising Player – Elvis Andrus
After years of being one of the worst regulars in the game, Elvis Andrus suddenly found competence.
The A’s certainly needed that production considering that the lineup had the same power as the Stone Age. He had a surprisingly useful .237/.301/.373 batting line in his 386 plate appearances, hitting eight homers and 24 doubles, his 96 OPS+ his best mark since 2017. Although he was let go on August 17, his 1.4 bWAR was tied for the fifth best mark on the A’s this season.
Absolutely nothing was expected from Elvis Andrus this season. The fact that he was relatively competent is one of the biggest surprises in the majors, let along the A’s, this season.
Oakland A’s Cy Young – Cole Irvin
Paul Blackburn may have been the A’s All Star, but he also faded once the first half was over and was eventually lost for the season due to injury.
Instead, it was Cole Irvin who was the most consistent pitcher for the A’s this season. He allowed more than three runs in just nine of his 30 starts, posting a solid 3.98 ERA and a 1.160 WHiP over his 181 innings. Irvin also moved in the right direction in terms of his strikeout and walk rates, notcihng 128 strikeouts with just 36 walks.
While Irvin may not be a top of the rotation starter for a playoff contender, he can be a solid piece moving forward. For one year at least, he was the A’s Cy Young winner.
Oakland A’s Reliever of the Year – Zach Jackson
Another pitcher who was given a chance because the A’s needed to fill out their bullpen, Zach Jackson took the opportunity and ran with it.
After cracking the Opening Day roster, Jackson worked his way into becoming a key part of the A’s relief corps. He finished the season with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.271 WHiP over his 48 innings, striking out 67 batters with 33 walks. His command issues were mitigated by a .175/.315/.232 opponent batting line in 202 plate appearances as he induced weak fly balls and kept the ball in the yard.
The A’s have surprisingly built a solid bullpen core over the course of the 2022 season. Jackson is going to be a part of that going forward.
Oakland A’s Most Disappointing Player – Cristian Pache
Some of the luster had fallen off of Cristian Pache over the years. There were questions as to whether or not he would hit enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Nonetheless, he was one of the centerpieces to the Matt Olson trade.
And it turned out that Pache was exactly what the critics said he would be. Despite getting plenty of chances, he just did not hit, posting a .166/.218/.241 batting line in his 260 plate appearances, hitting three homers and five doubles. Even his excellent defense could not save his place in the lineup.
The A’s needed to see far more from Pache this season. He will still get chances, but he will need to prove himself soon.
Oakland A’s Worst Player – Pache
The A’s certainly had plenty of candidates, but Pache was at a different level of mediocrity.
His 34 OPS+ was the worst of any player who received at least 200 plate appearances this season. If that is extended to 150 plate appearances, he is tied for the third worst mark, with only new teammate Ernie Clement and Jose Barrero struggling more at the plate. Everyone knew that Pache might be a work in progress offensively, but that level of futility is astounding.
And it stands out, even on a team that had plenty of struggling players. It also underscores the thought that, at best, Pache will be a backup outfielder, someone who gets a couple of starts a week at most but primarily exists as a late inning defensive replacement. After his showing this year, even that could be out of reach.
Which members of the Oakland A’s had memorable seasons, either positive or negative, in your minds? Let us know in the comments.