Oakland Athletics
2017 Record: (75-87) 5th in AL West
Off Season Transactions:
Traded for Stephen Piscotty from the Cardinals
Signed Brandon Moss in Free Agency
Projected Starting Rotation:
Kendall Graveman – He is a decent pitcher who doesn’t have much strikeout capability. He isn’t going to be a guy that we are going to look to pitch because of the lack of upside. He also isn’t going to be someone that we’re not going to really want to take bats vs either. If you want to take a bat vs the left-handed side of the plate because the right-handed bats are induced into a lot of ground balls and the hard contact is limited.
Sean Manaea – He is going to be a guy you can pitch in the right matchups when he is facing a left handed heavy lineup. He is very good vs left handed hitters but can give up damage to the right-handed hitters. If you’re going to take a hitter against him make sure it’s a righty.
Paul Blackburn – He got called up last year and when he was up he pitched pretty well. He pitches to contact and doesn’t strikeout many hitters at all. He induces a lot of ground balls from both sides of the plate. I don’t think I will be pitching him all that much but at the same time I would only take a hitter or two against him rather than considering a stack.
Jharel Cotton – He will be a guy we can take hitters against. He is a fly ball pitcher and gives up a ton of home runs. You can take righties and lefties against him. Definitely viable to stack against him as well.
Daniel Mengdon – Pitched pretty well last year as well and falls into another category as one of those guys who we aren’t going to really target hitters with and not really going to want to pitch him either. Not a lot of strikeout upside with him.
Bullpen:
Middle of the road bullpen who we’re not going to attack or be scared of.
Starting Lineup:
Marcus Semien (SS) – Is a decent shortstop option for cheap in the right matchups. He can be used when facing righties and lefties. He actually hit righties and produced better vs them last year but the hard contact and everything vs left handed pitching was there so I am comfortable taking him vs both.
Matt Joyce (OF) – A guy you’re only going to ever take vs righties as he hits from the left side and left-handed pitching really limits him. He has really high upside though vs right handed pitching and will be a good option this year facing right handed pitching.
Jed Lowrie (2B) – A switch hitter who is a better option when he is facing right handed pitching and he gets too bad from the left side of the plate. At a weak position, he definitely has the ability to be one of the top scoring second baseman on a given slate.
Khris Davis (OF) – Strikes out a shit ton but hits for massive power. Has huge upside every time he touches the dirt. He actually hit better last year vs right handed pitching but the hard contact vs left handed pitching was over 50% making both matchups favorable and Davis playable on every slate.
Matt Olson (1B) – Strikes out a lot as well but just like Davis he crushes the ball. I am not expecting him to keep pace with what he did at the end of last year but he smokes the ball and is still a great option on slates he faces right handed pitching.
Stephen Piscotty (OF) – All I can really say is he hits the ball hard vs left handed pitching but he is a ground ball hitter which really limits his upside especially now that he is in an extreme pitcher’s park. Probably won’t roster him a ton.
Boog Powell (OF) – Usually sits around min price so could be a salary relief option but he isn’t going to give you upside.
Matt Chapman (3B) – Is a decent cheap option at 3rd base who isn’t going to hit for average but has power when facing either a righty or a lefty pitcher.
Bruce Maxwell (C) – An okay punt catching option. Hits the ball hard.
Playing Field:
Oakland Coliseum
Ball Park Factor- 24th
Definitely a pitcher’s ball park and has to be a good poke to get it out of here.
“Must Knows” of the Oakland Athletics going into 2018 MLB DFS:
They have a lot of good young pitchers and hitters on this roster who were able to get their feet wet in the Bigs last year. Look for a couple of these guys to really improve this year and make valuable DFS options.
