Infielder Jed Lowrie has a $6MM club option on his contract with the A’s, and while the exercising of that option has long seemed like a foregone conclusion, he’s remained a highly speculative trade candidate. Speaking to the media following the conclusion of the regular season, however (via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle), EVP of baseball operations Billy Beane and general manager David Forst instead strongly suggested that Lowrie would be back as the A’s regular second baseman in 2018.
Though A’s top prospect Franklin Barreto made his Major League debut in 2017 and could eventually push starting shortstop Marcus Semien over to second base, it seems that scenario won’t play out immediately in 2018. Barreto is, as Beane pointed out, still just 21 years of age (22 in February). He has received plenty of attention on prospects list, and he posted a strong .290/.339/.456 as one of the youngest players in the Pacific Coast League this year. But, Barreto hit just .197/.250/.352 in 76 plate appearances this year – a far cry from the manner in which young teammates Matt Olson and Matt Chapman more authoritatively seized spots in Oakland’s lineup moving forward – and Slusser writes that the A’s are inclined to give him further seasoning in the minors.
“You’ve got those two dynamics, which is actually ideal,” Beane said. “I want a young player to sort of push, where his performance is so good that he sort of pushes himself in. But Jed Lowrie had an absolute amazing year, one of the best years probably this side of Jose Altuve as any second baseman in baseball.”
Lowrie certainly was superb for the A’s in 2017, hitting .277/.360/.448 with 14 homers, 49 doubles and three triples over a career-high 645 plate appearances. He also turned in passable defense at second base, with both Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved pegging him as only slightly below average in the field.
While a strong offer for Lowrie’s services over the winter could always alter the thinking of the Oakland front office, the comments from Beane and Forst seem to largely indicate that Lowrie is indeed a firm Plan A for Oakland in 2018. Some doubters will recall reports that the A’s wouldn’t trade star third baseman Josh Donaldson in the same offseason that he was dealt to Toronto, but those comments were made anonymously by an Oakland official — as opposed to on-record statements by the team’s top decision-makers. More recently, Beane and Forst drew a hard line in November 2015, stating on record that they could not foresee trades of Sonny Gray or Josh Reddick that offseason, and they indeed held onto them through the winter. Both, of course, were eventually traded at a later date.
That was a given. Barreto is surely not ready he’s going to be a stud but no reason to rush him.
Yeah, no reason, the brain trust will finish close to the bottom next year, but they can make another movie!
you’re using the fact that someone made a movie against them? not there fault someone saw profit in telling there story
Not their fault it was a great story to tell either
I’m pretty sure it was just a joke.
If the price is right he is a goner.
Prospects are just prospects until they perform. Cheap major league talent like Lowrie is perfect for keeping the seat warm until someone steps up and proves ready to take over.
Beane on Barreto: “I hope he can come up and hit really well, so I can trade him for a bunch of random prospects before we ever sniff being competitive. Have fun, A’s fans.”
He is going to look good in the new stadium when they raise the world series flag on opening day in the new stadium.
I hope so but recent news has the Laney College site as not happening. So it brings up the concern again that they may leave Oakland. Doesn’t refute your statement, I just hope that new stadium is in Oakland!
Hey Reverie if you had any clue it has very little or nothing to do with Bean trading guys! It’s Mr. Fisher not wanting to spending!!! If your owner tells you that this is all the money you have to work with well I’d say it’s pretty hard to keep guys also. And that’s why MLB is taking their revenue sharing money away!! They should have long ago! He doesn’t care about winning he just cares about collecting his $45 million a year he roughly profits!!!! Bean also said earlier this year he voiced his frustrations to Mr. Fisher and said now he has he’s word so we will see. But I think and hope in the next year or 2 when all the revenue sharing money is gone he will sell!!
“Jed Lowrie had an absolute amazing year, one of the best years probably this side of Jose Altuve as any second baseman in baseball.”
Cano, Murphy, Merrifield, Schoop, Gordon and Dozier say hi….lol
I think he was referring that Jose Altuve had the best year of the bunch but Lowrie was right up there with the others that you mentioned.
Let’s face it, Lowrie had a good year on a bad team. He will be trade bait at the deadline next year. But there are several better 2B. Good year? Yes. One of the best this side of Altuve? No. There were several that had better seasons and a few more that would have had more productive seasons if they weren’t injured such as Kipnis and Turner if you count him as a 2B. Even Chris Taylor had a similar season out of nowhere.
Is Turner Trea Turner? If so, why would you count his as a 2B when he is a SS/CF?
“He has received plenty of attention on prospects list, and he posted a strong .290/.339/.456 as one of the youngest players in the Pacific Coast League this year. But, Barreto hit just .197/.250/.352 in 76 plate appearances this year ”
Second sentence should specify “major league plate appearances”, reads poorly as is.
Lowry had a career year, not likely in 2018, trade lowry and semian put wendke at 2nd and barreto at ss. Olson at 1st chapman at 3rd, these players won it all at Midland i 2015 and at nashville in 2016, play them all together in 2018 and they will win.
Agreed…