#30
I'm off to a bit of a late start, but it doesn't feel like March unless I am feverishly writing my baseball preview articles. This season is set up to be a wild one, with only maybe 5 or 6 teams not realistic contenders for a playoff spot. Of course we start at the bottom and work our way to the top.
If we are talking about the bottom of the MLB, there's only one place to start in almost every aspect. The Oakland A's ... or Las Vegas A's ... or maybe the Sacramento A's ... are a dumpster fire in almost every way. Oakland has shown they don't want to support them, Vegas isn't sure they want them, they don't have a place to play when their lease ends after this season, they have the worst owner in baseball, they have the worst roster in baseball, they have the worst stadium in baseball ... instead of begging the team to stay, fans are begging the owner to sell the team. I don't know if I have ever seen a professional franchise in a worse spot than the 2024 A's. Let's see if there's anything to look forward to...
#30 - 5th in AL West
MIH - Shea Langeliers
MIP - Shintaro Fujinami
PTW - Ken Waldichuk
FP - In the next 12 months, it will be announced that the A's are moving to Las Vegas.
2023 Results
#30 - 50-112, 5th in AL West
Highest WAR (Position) - Zack Gelof
Highest WAR (Pitching) - JP Sears
Very little good happened for the A's in 2023. The hitter they've been waiting to pop was below average, their most exciting pitcher was traded mid-season after less than a year with the team, and their most touted prospect is starting the season on the 60 day IL. They barely averaged 10,000 fans a night, and they did indeed announce their upcoming move. The only real sparks they had were second baseman Zack Gelof and speedster outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who look like they could be budding stars.
Additions / Subtractions
The roster has finally reached the studs, and it's time to start the rebuild. No stars were dealt because there were no stars left. So the A's were quiet this off-season, adding a few veterans here and there just to fill out the roster. So enter starting pitchers Alex Wood and Ross Stripling, who are sure to be dealt mid-season for prospects. They also added utility infielder Abraham Toro to replace Tony Kemp. That's about it.
Most Important Hitter
JJ Bleday
This roster is full of unfulfilled potential, and JJ Bleday might be the best example of that. Once a top prospect in the Marlins system, Bleday was traded last off-season for flamethrower AJ Puk, both sides hoping the change of scenery would help them reach their lofty expectations. So far, Bleday hasn't found it, hitting .195 with a 91 OPS+ in only 82 games. If he figures things out and shows why he was the 4th overall pick in 2019, the A's might start to resemble a respectable lineup,
Most Important Pitcher
Ross Stripling
Let's face it, at this point in the A's development, the most valuable players are the veterans on 1 year deals that could have good first halves and be flipped for prospects at the deadline. The most intriguing of these candidates is Ross Stripling. Once an All Star in 2018 with the Dodgers, Stripling had a really good 2022 in Toronto but a disappointing 2023 in San Francisco. Now he's entering his age 34 season looking for a bounce back season. If he starts strong, he will be a valuable trade chip, especially with his versatility and experience as a bullpen swingman.
Prospect to Watch
Mason Miller
Not only are the A's stripped down for a rebuild as they get ready to leave Oakland, but their farm system is one of the worst in the league, ranking 25th with only one top 100 prospect. Their highest prospect that could impact the big league club is pitcher Mason Miller. The 25 year old righty has a huge fastball that dazzled in 10 games in Oakland in 2023. Due to some arm issues, the A's will be trying him in the bullpen to start 2024 and might develop into their closer.
2024 Prediction
5th in AL West
It's gonna be bad. Really really bad. Add to that the fact that it will probably be the team's last season in Oakland, and it might be the worst season in MLB history. Unless ownership turns over a new leaf, Oakland will be happy to get rid of them and Vegas won't really be happy to have them.
Fearless Prediction
Esteury Ruiz will flirt with 100 steals.
No one has stolen 100 bases in a season since the days of Rickey Henderson and the 1980's. With the new rules that took effect last year, and a team that will be out of contention on Opening Day, a speedster like Ruiz will have a chance to run with abandon and go for a big steals number. The only question is if he could get on base consistently enough to swipe that many bags. Last year, he had 67 steals with only a .309 OBP. If he becomes just an average hitter and on base guy, Oakland might actually have something to cheer for.
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