[Greencollarbaseball]

2020 Oakland Athletics

End of September report

Oakland cruises to the division title at 92-67 with 3 games left to play. Leading the 2nd place Mariners by 14 games. Oakland also locked up the second best record in the AL, behind the 95-64 Red Sox.

Leading Cy Young candidate Kylie Finnegan and top MVP choice Matt Olson, finished the final day of September with style. Matt Olson hitting his major league leading 50th homerun to help Finnegan earn his AL leading 16th win. Not that Finnegan needed help as he No-hit the Rangers to lower his era to 2.20.

On the hitting side of things, Dominic Costa had a nice month hitting .340 to see his average raise back up to the .270's after seeing it drop all the way down to .260 in July and August.

So now for the stats,

BATTING:
1: DH/CF Charlie Tilson .269/4/24
Tilson took over the leadoff role when Costa started to struggle. He is a constant threat on the bases with his 93 spd and has 25 steals in 86 games.

2: 2B Dominic Costa .273/33/84
After a brief stint near the bottom of the lineup, Costa is back near the top and has continued to drive the ball. Reaching 30+ homeruns and 30+ doubles for the third season in a row.

3: RF Bryce Harper .261/23/53
After missing 64 games last season due to injury Harper has had a decent bounce back season while playing in 140 games. His average and RBI aren't where they need to be for a player making $30mil a year, but hopefully next season he will be able to reach the numbers that he had prior to coming to Oakland. Averaging .295/32/90 in his two seasons in Colorado.

4: 1B Matt Olson .276/50/122
Quite possibly the most powerful left handed bat in the game, Olson's batting average is finally starting to catch up to his power. In only his 4th season Olson has amassed 144 career homeruns in 1900 at bats.

5: LF Wil Myers .267/23/77
The second longest tenured athletic, behind Jesse Hahn, Meyers continues to play solid baseball. In his 5 years in Oakland, Myers has averaged. .278/25/74.

6: 3B Matt Chapman .261/20/49
In his first full season, after playing in 83 games and hitting .195/9/30 in 2019. Chapman is finally showing why he was Oakland's top rated prospect for the last several seasons.

7: CF Mel Rojas .274/8/35
After coming out of nowhere to bat .283 last season, second year player Rojas is having a slight sophomore slump as his numbers are down across the board.

8: C Steve Butler .251/4/29
Butler has taken over every day catching duties from Yan Gomes who has struggled all season with his bat and his defense. Though both players will most likely be released at the end of the season.

9: SS Ozhaino Albies .357/0/9
Receiving a call up when Lindor was lost for the rest of the regular season, Albies made the most of his time in the big leagues. The switch hitter is batting .375 from the left side and .333 from the right as well as playing stellar defense with 0 errors in the 21 games he's played in.

Significant bench players;
Marlon Andrews .255/8/22
Being that Andrews can play 7 different positions he is really a 10th starter as he has amassed 408 AB's throughout the season.

Renato Nunez .230/7/23
After starting the season fairly hot Nunez's inability to consistently get on base has led to dwindling at bats for the right handed slugger.

PITCHING:

SP Jesse Hahn 13-12 3.93 ERA
After winning 19 games last season Hahn has really struggled this year. This season marks the first time he has amassed double digit losses and if he doesn't win his final game it will be the first time he doesn't finish the season above .500

SP Michael Santos 8-9 3.49 ERA
For the second season in a row Santos has failed to reach 10 wins. Though this season has been an improvement as Santos has posted career highs in innings, strikeouts, K/9, WHIP, and a career low ERA.

SP Raul Alcantara 11-9 2.91 ERA
After never topping 70 innings in a season, Oakland made Alcantara a starter no the big right-hander responded with 11 wins, 135 strikeouts and a 1.18 WHIP in 173.1 innings.

SP Kyle Finnegan 16-4 2.20 ERA
Having what possibly could be his breakout season. The top vote getter for the AL Cy Young, Finnegan is leading the AL in Wins (16), Era (2.20), fewest losses (4), WHIP (0.91), pitching WAR (7.5), innings (213.0), fewest HR allowed (12), and he's third in strikeouts (215). And to top it all he no-hit the rangers in his final start of the regular season.

SP Ty Blach 15-8 2.55 ERA
Like Finnegan, Blach has posted career highs/lows in Innings (204.2), wins (15), era (2.55), and WHIP (1.05). Oakland is looking a rewarding these two with starts in games one and two of the ALDS.

RP Curtis McClendon 9-3 1.28 ERA
Coming over from the Cubs in the offseason the 22 yo fireballing McClendon has been brilliant all season. Touching 101mph on dozens of occasions this fastball along with a devastating slider has helped him strikeout 90 batters in 84.1 innings and hold opponents to .155 combined batting average. He will most likely become the closer next season.

CP Dellin Betances 42 SV 2.32 ERA
Coming over from NYY Betances has amassed 66 strikeouts in 50.1 innings with a WHIP of 1.01. He is currently third in the AL in Saves.




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