Five players & five plotlines

BY MARTIN GALLEGOS

MattChapman

When you’re in preseason MVP talks, you better perform well. Chapman, 25, may only be entering his second full big league season, but he already has command of the A’s clubhouse as one of the team’s leaders. Just as his presence in the lineup makes everyone else better, Chapman’s defensive genius will be depended on to save runs at the hot corner throughout the season. The A’s are getting a nice replacement for Jed Lowrie in Jurickson Profar, but the loss of Lowrie’s production as the A’s No. 3 hitter for most of 2018 means Chapman will need to do some more heavy lifting on offense this season.

MikeFiers

In a rotation full of bounceback hopefuls and unproven youngsters, Fiers will need to bring some stability to the rotation. Fiers, 33, was about as consistent as they come after arriving from Detroit via trade last August, going 5-2 with a 3.74 ERA in the 10 games he pitched for Oakland.

KhrisDavis

Davis has easily gone over the 40-homer mark in each of his past three seasons. The A’s will count on him to continue that production in 2019 in the heart of the lineup as their cleanup hitter.

BlakeTreinen

Treinen was arguably the most dominant closer in baseball last year, earning his first All-Star nod and leading one of the best bullpens in baseball. The A’s will lean heavily on their bullpen and it starts with Treinen making the ninth as stress-free as possible.

Trade Bait

Khris Davis: Davis will be a free agent after the 2019 season. Given his tremendous power bat, he would be enticing to plenty of American League clubs looking for a boost at the trade deadline.

“They probably won’t trade me if we’re doing good,” Davis told reporters early in spring. “So we better do good so I don’t get traded.” Davis was half-joking when he said this, but he knows the way the A’s do business. Should the A’s be well behind in the playoff race come July 31, Billy Beane will be standing by the phone looking to see what prospects he can net in exchange for the prolific slugger.

MarcoEstrada

Estrada has something to prove this season. Coming off the worst season of his 11-year big league career, Estrada is in search of a bounce-back season. Possessing one of the best changeups in baseball, the A’s are hoping the right-hander can get closer to his 2016 All-Star form and bring some more stability to the rotation.

If opening-day starter Mike Fiers (top) can remain as consistent as last year and closer Blake Treinen (below) can continue his dominance, the A’s have a chance to get back into postseason contention once again.

Plotlines

How the starting rotation performs It seems like this is always a focal point with the A’s, and this year is no different. We know the offense can score runs with the best of them, but can they squeeze enough out of this current rotation? Mike Fiers is the likely No. 1, with veterans Marco Estrada and Brett Anderson to follow. The final two spots are question marks, with Daniel Mengden, Paul Blackburn, Jesus Luzardo, Frankie Montas, Chris Bassitt and Parker Bridwell all in competition for jobs. In order to even approach the success they had last year, the A’s will need to find some consistency in their starting five.

When does Jesus Luzardo arrive ?

Looked at as the savior of the rotation after an impressive run through the minor leagues last season, Luzardo has created quite the buzz for himself. Luzardo finds himself among those battling for a spot in the rotation this spring. If he’s not lined up on the third base line at the Coliseum come opening day, the countdown will be on for the hard-throwing lefty to make his major league debut.

Matt Chapman and the MVP-pub?

After an impressive first full season in the big leagues, Chapman has garnered some preseason hype as a dark horse contender for AL MVP. Chapman earned the extra publicity after going on a 2018 second-half tear that saw him hit .309 with 14 home runs and a .961 OPS after the All-Star break and lead the majors in doubles (25), runs (52) and extrabase hits (42). Having had two surgeries in the offseason, the Gold Glove third baseman needs to prove he’s fully healthy and ready to take off as the baseball star everyone expects him to be.

What is up with Khris Davis?

Aware of his impending free agency after this upcoming season, Davis was open about his desire to get a contract extension with Oakland. The slugger would like to get at least a three-year extension, even willing to take less money if it means more years. With more home runs than any player in MLB over the past three seasons, Davis has established himself as a fan favorite. If he leaves, it would be a tough blow to the franchise.

Are we close to a new ballpark in Oakland?

Almost on cue following one of the most successful A’s seasons in recent memory, Dave Kaval capitalized on the momentum by announcing plans for a new stadium near Howard Terminal. Kaval is thinking big. He’s even planning a gondola to get fans over 880 and to the stadium.

It all sounds like a spectacular idea, but A’s fans have heard this song before. Kaval will need to get one step closer to a shovel in the ground this year in order to really get people believing.