Top 4 Position Battles For Athletics
The Oakland Athletics will have the full team report to Spring Training in just about a week and a half with a handful of positions up for grabs.
The outfield is locked up. Barring any injuries, newly acquired Khris Davis will be in left field, last year's rookie breakout Billy Burns will man center, and fan-favorite Josh Reddick will hold down right field.
As for the infield, the starting job for three out of the four positions will be earned in spring training. It's expected that Danny Valencia, a mid-season acquisition last season, will start at third base.
There will also be a competition for playing time at the designated hitter position. Manager Bob Melvin has been known to mix and match at DH depending on match-ups and who needs a night off from the field, but his two veterans, Billy Butler and Coco Crisp, may take up most of the time DHing.
Here's a break down of the four biggest position battles for the Athletics during Spring Training:
1. First Base: Yonder Alonso - Mark Canha
More than likely, first base will be a platoon position to start the season with Yonder Alonso facing right handed pitchers and Mark Canha facing the lefties.
Canha, a rule 5 player last season, came out of no where in Spring Training and showed off his power. He stayed with the big league team for the full season and hit for an average of .254 with 16 home runs and 70 RBI in his rookie year.
Alonso, on the other hand, is a six-year veteran who came into the league as a top prospect, but hasn't performed at the level expected out of him.
Although he's a big guy, the power hasn't been there for Alonso.
The best part of his game is his ability to get on base, which is one of the main reasons the Athletics acquired him this past off-season.
Neither player will be in the running for a gold-glove, but they can both hold their own defensively.
Canha has more versatility with the ability to play the corner outfield positions, as well as third base in a pinch.
Melvin loves to use platoons, but if Canha continues to develop off of his rookie season, he could force the manager to play him every day.
2. Second Base: Jed Lowrie - Eric Sogard
This one might sound a bit familiar. These two players also competed for playing time up the middle for two seasons in 2013 and 2014.
For those two seasons, Jed Lowrie started a majority of the time at shortstop. At this point in his career, he's going to be limited to second base. His range has dwindled and his arm strength has never been an asset.
Eric Sogard has always been a fantastic defensive player. His biggest downfall is ability with the bat. He's a career .239 hitter, but he's a valued player because of his ability to play good defense at second, shortstop, and third base.
Lowrie has the best chance to start the season as the second baseman, but he's not an everyday player with how prone he is to injuries.
Sogard should have his spot on the roster locked in, but it will primarily be as a utility infielder.
3. Shortstop: Marcus Semien - Jed Lowrie
Marcus Semien spent the entire 2015 season as the staring shortstop, but his 35 errors had the team questioning if his offensive production is worth the defensive risk.
The team even brought in Ron Washington, who helped turn former Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez into a gold glover, to help Semien with his mechanics.
He will enter Spring Training slated in as the starting shortstop, but if he doesn't show improvement defensively, he can find himself on the bench, or even moved over to second base.
It wouldn't be ideal for Lowrie to play shortstop, but he would be the next best option for the Athletics.
4. Designated Hitter: Billy Butler - Coco Crisp
This is the story of two veterans who just don't have it anymore on defense, but they can still produce at the plate.
Coco Crisp has always been an important player for the A's. When he's hot, the team typically follows right behind him.
Crisp really struggled in 2015. He only played in 44 games and hit for a career low .175 average.
Butler also had a down season last year. He signed a two year deal before the 2015 season and was expected to hit around .300 and drive in 90 to 100 RBI.
He only hit .251 with 66 RBI.
The Athletics will most likely platoon the two veterans until one of them shows signs of having a bounce back season. Both players will be important for the Athletics if they want to improve from last season.
The best case scenario is both players hit well and force Melvin to find them both time in the lineup, even if that means playing in the field.