2012 Oakland Athletics Predictions
Written by Steve Janus - Google +
The Oakland A’s finished third in the AL West with a 74-88 record in 2011. The organization doesn’t appear to be ready to turn things around in 2012. GM Billy Beane traded away three of the teams best players in Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and Andrew Bailey to load up on prospects for the future. While they were able to add Cuban sensation Yoenis Cespedes, there just isn’t enough talent on this team for the A’s to compete with the likes of the Rangers and Angels in this division. Let’s take a look at the projected starting lineup, starting rotation, and closer situation for the A’s in 2012.
Projected Lineup
Kurt Suzuki (Catcher) -Suzuki has failed to live up to the big contract he signed after hitting .274 with 15 home runs and 88 RBI in 2009. His home run numbers have remained constant, but his average and RBI totals have taken a huge hit. Suzuki hit just .237 with 44 RBI in 134 games last season.
Brandon Allen (First Base) – The A’s acquired Allen in a trade with the Diamondbacks last season. He has played sporadically in the majors up to this point, but has yet to really show a lot of promise. A big reason he figures to get a long look this season, is the fact that he has hit 20 or more home runs in each of the last four years in the minors.
Jemile Weeks (Second Base) -Weeks was one of the few players the A’s were unwilling to part with this past offseason. The 25-year-old hit .303 with 50 runs, 26 doubles, 36 RBI, and 22 steals in just 97 games last year. It may not be this season, but Weeks is primed for a breakout year sooner rather than later.
Cliff Pennington (Shortstop) -Pennington hit just .264 with eight home runs and 58 RBI in 2011, but there is reason to believe he will put up even better numbers in 2012. While his triples and steals were down from 2010, he improved in just about every other category.
Luke Donaldson (Third Base) – Donaldson will get an unexpected shot at showing what he can do this season. Scott Sizemore was the A’s projected third baseman, but a torn ACL has him on the shelf for the rest of the season. Donaldson has just 32 career at-bats in the big leagues all coming back in 2010. He doesn’t have a ton of power and will likely hit for a low average, making him a less than enticing option at the hot corner.
Yoenis Cespedes (Left Field) – While a lot of people will come into 2012 with the idea that Cespedes will become an instant star in the big leagues, it usually takes Cuban players a couple years to adapt to really showcase their potential. Some question whether Cespedes will even be ready to play come opening day. He has the potential to be a 5-tool threat, but hard to expect a lot in his first season in the big leagues.
Coco Crisp (Center Field) -Crisp was finally able to stay healthy in 2011 after playing just 124 games the previous two seasons combined. However, he really doesn’t do a whole lot besides rack up a ton of steals. Crisp swiped 49 bases last year, but hit just .264 and has very limited power when he does make contact.
Josh Reddick (Right Field) – The A’s landed Reddick in the deal that sent Bailey to the Red Sox. The 25-year-old hit .280 with seven home runs and 28 RBI in 254 at-bats with Boston last year. Those numbers don’t exactly have me pegging Reddick for a breakout year, but he will get his chance to show what he can in a full season.
Seth Smith (Designated Hitter) – Smith never really lived up to his potential but he should give the A’s a solid bat for the time being. Smith hit .284 with 15 home runs, 59 RBI, and 10 steals in 2011, but it seems unlikely that he will be able to keep it up now that he isn’t playing the majority of his games at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Projected Rotation
Brandon McCarthy (RHP) -McCarthy was impressive in his first season with the A’s. The 28-year-old went just 9-9 in 25 starts, but posted a respectable 3.32 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. With the losses of Cahill and Gonzalez, McCarthy is being counted on to be the ace of the staff in 2012.
Dallas Braden (LHP) – Oakland is hoping Braden will be back to full strength after missing most of last year with a shoulder injury. The 28-year-old showed some promise in 2010, going 11-14 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 30 starts, but there are plenty of reasons to be concerned. Braden isn’t an overpowering pitcher, which mean he will likely struggle if his shoulder isn’t a 100% recovered.
Bartolo Colon (RHP) – Colon appears to still have a little bit of life left in his 38-year-old arm. He went 8-10 with a 4.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 26 starts with the Yankees last year. While the A’s are basically counting on him to just eat up some innings, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Colon surprises and pitches better than expected in Oakland.
Justin Parker (RHP) – Parker figures to get a chance to show what he can do this season. The 23-year-old is one of the promising young arms the A’s acquired this offseason. Parker made his debut last season, throwing 5.2 scoreless innings with the Diamondbacks, but that is the only appearance he has made in the big leagues. The A’s are counting on him to be a top of the rotation starter in the future.
Brad Peacock (RHP) -Peacock was acquired in the Gonzalez trade with the Nationals, but he too figures to be a couple years away from making a big impact. In two career starts and one relief appearance the 24-year-old posted a 0.75 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 12 innings of work, but its hard to expect a lot out of him in 2012.
Projected Closer
Brian Fuentes (RHP) – Fuentes should be able to give the A’s a reliable arm in the 9th inning. The veteran reliever has a pretty strong history of shutting the door on opposing teams. Fuentes saved just 12 games in limited opportunities last year, but totaled 183 saves from 2005-2010.
| 2012 Oakland Athletics Odds | |
| World Series | +8000 |
| AL Pennant | +4000 |
| AL West |
+3000 |
| Total Regular Season Wins | O72.5 (+105) |
| U72.5(-135) |
Over/Under Total Home Runs in the 2012 Regular Season
Yoenis Cespedes – 18
Over/Under Total Stolen Bases in the 2012 Regular Season
Coco Crisp – 42.5
Over/Under BA in the 2012 Regular Season
Yoenis Cespedes – .271
Over/Under Total Wins in the 2012 Regular Season
Brandon McCarthy – 11.5
Bartolo Colon – 10
Over/Under Total Saves in the 2012 Regular Season
Andrew Bailey – 35.5
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