12 Things We Learned About the 2012 A's From FanFest
There are an awful lot of interesting quotes coming out of this weekend’s FanFest. But what have we actually learned about the 2012 A's from FanFest?
1) Manager Bob Melvin thinks it’s likely that Brandon McCarthy will be the A’s opening day starter, with Bartolo Colon following right behind him, according to Susan Slusser.
2) Dallas Braden would like to be back by opening day, but Joe Stiglich reports that pitching coach Curt Young is expecting to have him back in action in mid-April.
3) Jane Lee thinks that Braden will slide right in behind McCarthy and Colon when he returns in April, forming the core of the A’s 2012 starting rotation.
4) Since the A’s won’t actually need a fifth starter until April 17, by which time Braden is expected to be back, Curt Young views the last two spots in the rotation as being up for grabs. And Lee lists Graham Godfrey, Tyson Ross, Tom Milone, Brad Peacock and Jarrod Parker as the legitimate contenders vying for the final two spots in the rotation.
5) Brett Anderson now isn’t expected back before August, according to Slusser.
6) The closer - and the entire bullpen - situation is as murky as ever.
7) While denying speculation that recent acquisitions mean that prospects Michael Taylor and Chris Carter will end up back in the minors again this year, assistant general manager David Forst indicated that there was still a fifth outfielder and designated hitter spot open on the roster, according to the Associated Press.
8) Based on Forst’s quote, we can assume that most of the other offensive roster spots seem to be locked up in the minds of A’s brass (with the likely exception of the backup catcher and backup infielder positions).
9) Forst’s quote also seems to indicate that Taylor and Collin Cowgill are in competition for the fifth outfielder spot. But based on current comments from Bob Melvin (specifically mentioning Cowgill as a fifth outfielder candidate without referencing Taylor) and past quotes from Billy Beane (saying he’d like to see Taylor show more consistency at Triple-A before he was ready to earn a major league spot), Cowgill probably has the edge.
10) The fact that Forst didn’t say there was an opening at first base when asked about Carter seems to indicate that the A’s probably view Daric Barton, if healthy, as the likely default choice at first base, which leaves Carter, Brandon Allen and Kila Ka’aihue as the primary competitors for the designated hitter spot.
11) The A’s seem to be warming up to the idea of giving Manny Ramirez a test drive in the designated hitter spot once he’s completed his 50-day suspension, according to both AP and Susan Slusser.
12) And finally, even if the A’s do get approval for the move to San Jose, they now don’t expect to be able to begin play in a new stadium before 2015 or, more likely, 2016, according to both Slusser and Lee.
Based on the information gleaned this weekend, I think we can expect the A’s 2012 offensive roster and starting rotation to shape up something like this…
C: Suzuki
1B: Barton
2B: Weeks
SS: Pennington
3B: Sizemore
OF: Reddick
OF: Crisp
OF: Smith
OF: Gomes
DH: Carter/Allen/Ka’aihue/Ramirez
SP1: McCarthy
SP2: Colon
SP3: Braden
SP4: Godfrey/Ross/Milone/Peacock/Parker
SP5: Godfrey/Ross/Milone/Peacock/Parker
So how would you like to see things shape up from here?
24 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Oh yea, the AL West is in the bag
I really enjoyed myself at Fanfest, thanks for the report.
"-i never said half the things i said." --Yogi Berra
Is this bag in the vicinity of the Coliseum?
by player20 on Jan 30, 2012 5:29 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
The A's are in the bag and the bag's in the river.

There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Feb 2, 2012 9:55 AM PST up reply actions
"Follow the smell of sewage and turn left"
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Rotoworld Says
“Daric Barton (shoulder) said that he won’t be able to field until mid-March.”
So 1B might be more open than you think.
HA!
I sure hope so. Daric is a good kid I’m sure but I do not really want to see him back. I like Allen, and I really believe in his potential. He’s never going to have a .315 BA, but if he can learn to take get as many walks as Barton, than his power alone makes him an upgrade. His D is just as good as Barton’s to.
This Message brought to you by Lew "what's an RBI?" Wolff, and John "I own a whatball team?" Fisher.
Allen's defense was pretty stellar, at least by the eye test.
Pickin’ machine!
by Billy Frijoles on Jan 30, 2012 1:49 PM PST up reply actions
I have no problem with his defense at 1B
the only question – and it’s a big one – is whether he can hit at the MLB level.
yeah. He showed initial promise but once the film went around he was exploited.
He failed to make any kind of adjustment, although the A’s gave him a long look and consistent playing time. Hopefully he can take that next step. Maybe Chili Davis can help?
by Billy Frijoles on Jan 30, 2012 5:23 PM PST up reply actions
That shouldn't be a problem.
As I recall, the entire A’s infield wasn’t able to field at the start of last season.
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Feb 2, 2012 9:56 AM PST up reply actions
NicoWorld also notes, "Chris Carter won't be able to field until ever."
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I like how Brandon Allen handles 1B and would like to see him get some work in LF
the latter, preferably at AAA. I’m not really that interested in having him DH. Of course, the real question with Allen is his ability to hit consistently at the major league level.
This is also the question for Chris Carter, who has not really had more than a cup of coffee in the bigs. He’s had even less opportunity to do so than Allen.
The fact that stood out for me was that Chip Hale
Was the guy who hit the ball Rodney McCray was trying to field when he ran through the wall. See it here.
Visit my blog the Todd Van Poppel Rookie Card Retirement Plan!!
Two things I noticed
Brett Anderson is lean and muscular as opposed to his usual Stay Puft Marshmellow man look
Tyson Ross looks like he could break you with his pinky. The man has really hit the weight room!
A Kouzmanoff for the rest of us!
Good
He was getting too fat, even for Oakland.
What? Too soon?
This Message brought to you by Lew "what's an RBI?" Wolff, and John "I own a whatball team?" Fisher.
Ewwww...
Re: (3) – Braden needs to “slide in right behind Colon?” Please, everyone, be more careful while we make the necessary mental adjustments to having a man named Colon on our squad (and a Cowgill, too, I can hardly stand it).
If the A's go with Ramirez at DH, will we ration the phrase "Just Manny being Manny" in game threads?
My guess is it will come up a lot ;-)
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Feb 2, 2012 9:57 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

by 

























