A's Fans Need to See These Oddly Specific Things in 2023
Clearly the Oakland A’s have a lot to work on next Spring. They’re coming off a historically bad losing season, and the fan base has responded with deserved ambivalence. Rookies filled in for looks at an everyday position, and there is still a ways to go for this club to look like a Major League team.
No one is expecting the A’s to be in contending shape so fast, but here are a few little pieces that could help reinstate confidence and excitement for this young club, assuming these players remain on the roster.
Nick Allen - Hold Defensive Tags at Second Base
Allen is an Olympian whom A’s fans have been hearing about well before his debut in 2022. For years his name has held a reputation as an incredible prospect, particularly on the infield dirt. His fielding percentage at both SS and 2B topped out over 97% (according to baseball-reference), and he turned almost 60 double plays in his first professional season. Fans and journalists have been quick to agree that his bat needs to catch up to Pro-level, but that could be remedied by time and seeing more competitive pitching.
There is something that he can actively focus on as the A's potential everyday shortstop…Nick Allen needs to hold the tag on close sliding plays. In 100 games, he tallied 10 errors, which is not great. We can be kind and attribute that to first year jitters and learning how to play next to a revolving door of teammates.
However, twice in the last two weeks of the season, there were plays where a runner slid past second base and instead of keeping contact, Allen swiped his tag and held up his glove in reverie. These do not count as errors on the books, yet it was frustrating to see during a season where outs were often hard to find. After A’s fans lost their beloved Marcus Semien, and veteran Elvis Andrus was DFA’d, these mid-game details highlight that golden child, Nick Allen, is, in fact, still a rookie. While we wait for him to show more prowess at the plate, this is a quick-fix that will help secure wins in the future.
A.J. Puk - Stop Hitting Batters
Puk has been sidelined by injury time and time again, every time coming back to the team in what feels like a new trial run. While his health seemed more reliable, his showing in the 2022 season raised more red flags. Over three seasons, Oakland has seen Puk try out different roles and looks (last season he buzzed his recognizable shoulder-length flow). As a starter or in relief, he consistently delivers speed to the plate, but all the time we have spent rooting for “the next Randy Johnson” has made these stops and starts even more frustrating to fans.
In a pseudo-closer role last year, Puk hit 10 batters. When you add his six wild pitches, his inconsistency lost more games than fans can tolerate. He blew five of his nine save opportunities, and a handful of them with only an out left in the ballgame. Obviously the greater problem is control, but putting extra runners on base is a real problem. Puk can’t be trusted in close game situations with free passes, and if he can’t find the glove, he’ll have to find another new role on this A’s roster.
Dermis Garcia - Let it Fly!
Dermis Garcia played in less than 40 games at the big league level this past year but is already turning heads. The 24 year old from the Dominican Republic stands 6’3” and made his debut with Oakland in mid-July. He is easy to root for: he plays a sturdy first base, delivered some clutch hits, and, importantly, has an impressive beard.
There is one piece he can still unlock in 2023 and that’s the big bomb. In the NBC Sports broadcasts we have heard Dallas Braden share that Garcia’s batting practice display is awesome. Apparently in BP he is hitting homeruns into Mt. Davis that are only rivaled by promotional fireworks displays, but they haven’t translated into game time yet. He hit five in his short stint with the A’s this past year, and 13 with the Aviators in AAA. With more regular playing time this coming year, he could hit upwards of 25 homeruns with ease, and hopefully with some Statcast-busting power.
Christian Pache - Feel like a Big Leaguer
The Atlanta trade for Matt Olson was one of the final moves of the 2021-2022 shortened offseason, and took with it one of the team’s most familiar faces. Fans were desperate for some positive news and Christian Pache was the biggest name of those received in the deal. He is young, active on social media, and just *looks* cool, with tattoos and golden guy-lights. Immediately he became a fan favorite.
Pache made the opening day roster, alas he didn’t deliver much at the plate. After a subpar showing the first few months, and a meh performance at AAA, he started to warm up at the end of the year upon returning to Oakland.
Hopefully that boosted his self-assurance for next year because he doesn’t have the presence of a Pro just yet. He looks like one, but we need to feel it. Both in plate discipline, and communication in the grass, he has to step into those white cleats with authority. Center fielders are the captains of the outfield, and even though he will likely be flanked by players his elder, it’s time for Pache to hold court confidently at Rickey Henderson Field.