Who's On Second: The A's Game This Time Around

Through a dozen games, Tony Kemp and Vimael Machin may have the early edge in the competition for the most competitive lineup spot on the Athletics roster.

Now that we are a dozen games into the Cactus League season and coming up on the halfway point of spring training games, it’s a good time too look at one of the few competitive lineup spots on the Oakland A’s roster.

That would be second base, where the A’s have up to a half dozen options. None of them are proven, obviously, or there wouldn’t be a competition.

The A’s were doing this a year ago, too, and while they got 20 homers out of Jurickson Profar, the rest of his game didn’t make for a compelling case for retention, and he was traded to San Diego.

Oakland added Tony Kemp in a trade with the Cubs, picked up Vimael Machin in the Rule 5 draft and have three holdovers candidates in Franklin Barreto, Jorge Mateo and Sheldon Neuse. Lurking in the background is jack-of-all-trades Chad Pinder, who is prized for his versatility and not necessarily the first guy the A’s want playing regularly at second base.

The weekend in Las Vegas was very good to Kemp. He had three hits on Saturday while playing second base and had two more on Sunday while serving as the designated hitter. Kemp may have the inside track to the job, both because he’s a left-handed option in a sea of right-handed hitters and because manager Bob Melvin isn’t moving him to the outfield.

Kemp is versatile enough. He has 129 starts in the big leagues as an outfielder and just 32 at second base. With outfielder Stephen Piscotty sidelined by a rib injury, it would be natural move to give Kemp some time filling in there. Melvin isn’t having that.

“We have the ability to (move Kemp to the outfield), but we want to take a harder look at him at second base,” the manager said. “(Outfield) is kind of easy for him. It’s getting him enough reps at second.”

Kemp isn’t the only second baseman flexing some muscle. It was Machin’s start Sunday at second that moved Kemp into the DH role. Machin went hitless, but even so is averaging .300 in the 20 at-bats he has seen so far this spring. Melvin has said the left-handed hitting Machin has an “advanced bat.”

It will have to be for him to make the team, because he only has 26 games played above the Triple-A level. If he doesn’t make the team, the A’s have to offer him back to the Cubs under Rule 5 guidelines, so the A’s, who don’t like letting talent getting away, have an impetus to keep him.

So far, so good. But the A’s have the same retention issues with Barreto and Mateo, both of whom are out of options and will likely be lost to the A’s on waiver claims if they don’t make the roster.

Barreto has had a so-so spring to date, bringing a .250 average for his 20 at-bats into Monday. He drove in three runs in two games over the weekend, but only had one hit. He’s a veteran at this; Barreto has been up and down with the A’s the last three years and has been a candidate to make the opening day roster the last two seasons.

Of all the competitors, Mateo has had the poorest spring so far – three hits, all singles, in 16 at-bats (.188). However, he’s coming off a strong Triple-A season, including a .289 average at Las Vegas, 29 doubles, 14 triples, 19 homers and 24 steals.

Perhaps the least talked about of the competitors is Neuse, who played in about two dozen games as a rookie for Oakland last year, including 20 games (13 starts) at second base. But Neuse, like Barreto and Mateo a right-handed hitter, is getting about the same amount of playing time, 19 at-bats. And he’s got a .316 average after a 2-for-4 game Sunday against the Royals.

Neuse’s downfall in terms of the second base competition might be that, unlike Barreto, Mateo and Machin, can be optioned back to the minor leagues. The A’s aren’t feeling pressure to get him on the roster, and that may play against him.

As for Pinder, he’s on the team, no question about that. But he is an option in the outfield with Piscotty hurt and after 26 homers and 74 RBIs coming off the bench in 2018-19 – he’s played every position other than pitcher and catcher with the A’s each of the last two years – the A’s are comfortable having him in a position where he can start pretty much anywhere or come off the bench as needed.