In a few weeks, we’ll be running a two-team mock expansion draft here at MLBTR. Currently, we’re creating 15-player protected lists for each of the existing 30 teams. You can catch up on the rules for player eligibility here.
So far, we’ve done the Angels, Astros, Twins, Royals, Tigers, Indians, White Sox, Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Orioles. The Athletics are next.
First, we’ll remove free agents Marcus Semien, Joakim Soria, Yusmeiro Petit, Khris Davis, Mike Fiers, Liam Hendriks, T.J. McFarland, and Robbie Grossman from consideration.
Then, we’ll lock down this group of nine players:
Matt Chapman
Matt Olson
Frankie Montas
Ramon Laureano
Mark Canha
Sean Manaea
Sean Murphy
Jesus Luzardo
A.J. Puk
That leaves six spots for these 17 players:
Austin Allen
Luis Barrera
Franklin Barreto
Chris Bassitt
Paul Blackburn
Skye Bolt
Seth Brown
Jake Diekman
Daniel Gossett
Tony Kemp
Daniel Mengden
Sheldon Neuse
Chad Pinder
Stephen Piscotty
Burch Smith
Lou Trivino
J.B. Wendelken
With that, we turn it over to the MLBTR readership! In the poll below (direct link here), select exactly six players you think the Athletics should protect in our upcoming mock expansion draft. Click here to view the results.
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Tim: fyi … viewing survey results on the Android app does not work well.
you have to zoom out
It doesn’t allow you to zoom out .. it freezes
well i dunno. i have android (and not a very new one) and dont have any issues with it.
I have the same issue
just to clarify, Barrea gets service time due to his IL stint, right?
Allen, Bassitt, Mengden, Neuse, Brown, and Trivino. i was once a big Barreto guy but i think its Mateo’s time to take a go at his role.
I’d replace Mengden with either Barrea or Wendleken. I’m done with the ‘stach, he’s another Cotton to me, a AAAA starter.
Barrera is pretty close to being a lock, if he isn’t already. He’s one of the best hitters in their system.
Piscotty would be left off and Oak prays the expansion team picks him up- I know it doesnt look like a lot to most clubs but Oak’s tearing up this contract right now if they can
yeah i dont see why so many people are protecting him save due to his name. Brown can outplay him and so you can protect someone like Allen. (whom i think an expansion team would quickly gobble up and likely start)
Because most people recognize that he’s still in his prime and has had a successful career to date. He got banged up a bit last season, but he’s apparently healthy now and projects fairly well.
Further, he kills LHPs and his contract is affordable, regardless of what the commenter above thinks. 15.17m guaranteed 2021-2022 is not only doable, it’s moveable.
Oakland is a team in contention and there window is wide open. They’re not going to ditch a useful player before a clear upgrade is in place.
*Their window is open. Where’s my editor when I need him?
He’s also only due 3 years 22 million dollars. That’s by no means a large contract. 2016 and 2018 Piscotty is worth more than that. Really not hard to see why he’s be kept to me
Being**
While I agree that shouldnt be a lot, it is to Oak…It will be their second highest contract next year outside Kris Davis
You think thats a moveable contract Stevil? Crazy talk
Lotta love for 2 War corner OF in these threads, I dont think MLB Gm’s feel the same thus why MLBTR has left off guys like Piscotty and Rosario relative to their contracts
It’s definitely not crazy to think it could be moved. Piscotty is owed 22 million over the next 3 years including the buyout. But it probably won’t even be that much. His salary this year is likely going to be cut in half or even more. So it’s really about 19 million for the next 3 years for Piscotty.
Dickerson got 2/17.5 this spring. AVi Garcia got 2/20. That’s the type of production Piscotty can provide. I would imagine anyone picking
Piscotty is expecting him to bounce back now that he’s healthy. Not an unreasonable position to take. He’s certainly not a superstar but he has the upside of an above average regular.
Well if you’re comparing their contracts to each other then you need to cut the value of the first year in half for the other two guys which makes it 2/14 for Dickerson and 2/15 for Avi
Crazy talk, a 2 War corner OF really has its suitors in here-
RYJO- Thats not how it works around here, you fudge your numbers to make your point work cant you see that by now?
Heres some real numbers though – Career .783 Ops (Ouch) 265 avg 336 obp
Now if those dont want to make you take a nap?
You are right on the contracts. still comparable though.
I would think that most Major League GMs see Corey Dickerson and Avisail Garcia as players that are notch above Stephen Piscotty, but that said I do think you’re spot on in terms of what his earning power would be.
He definitely slots somewhere in between Avisail Garcia ($10m per year) and Kole Calhoun ($8m per year) when his agent brings his case to the table, so the fact that he’s still signed for two more seasons at $7.25m per year (with a $15m option in 2023), I’d say he’s not a negative. Maybe he’s not a “plus contract,” but he’s probably safe assuming there are no behind the scenes medical concerns we don’t know about.
Hmm I see him as less than Kole and also we are talking post Covid money here.
7.25 will go a lot further in 21 than it did back when those players were signed
Add in Oak is cheap as hell I dont see them carrying him at all
gotta protect Skye Bolt just for the name
That was my thought process too
I’m not sure that Montas is a slam dunk to get protected here. Who knows what he’ll look like after the PED suspension
I went:
Barreto
Bassitt
Brown
Neuse
Piscotty
Wendelken
Torn on Piscotty over Barrera, but I’ll take proven production over hypothetical…. though Piscotty’s injuries are an issue.
Trivino also looks more and more like a flash-in-the-pan and Wendelken is a good candidate to replace his RHP setup role.
Is Mr. Bolts nickname
“Lightning?”
Dude doesn’t even need a nickname
Barretto has had his chance, I chose Kemp, a more proven commodity plus bats lefty. Barrera has a potentially longer future and upside than Piscotty. I give Trivino one last chance to regain form. Bassist also makes the cut due to versatility.Neuse and Pinder are versatile and plus hitters.
Cmon. Barreto has had 200 major league abs spread over 3 seasons. He hasn’t even had 80 ABS in a single season. Granted he’s looked like absolute garbage but Tony Kemp has been given many more opportunities. And I wouldn’t really see he’s a proven commodity at all
Fair enough. I would give them whatever is left to audition. I’m taking Kemp because of speed versatility and LH bat. I hope Barretto proves me wrong.
Steven Piscotty sucks. Advanced statistics saying “He’s an All-Star his xWBA-whatever is 0.050 points higher he’s Mike Trout!” when he (and Randal Grichuk, JBJ, etc.) repeatedly underperform these expected metrics and are garbage. Numbers only go so far. Counter-point: Statcast repeatedly tells us Julio Teheran is a bum, even though he’s out-performed expected preditctions for a decade. At some point, that is part of his skillset/a knock on Grichuk/Piscotty’s skillsets.
Cherry pick pick picking!
Advanced metrics didn’t tell you Stephen piscotty was good last year either, chief!
Fair enough. I would give them whatever is left to audition. I’m taking Kemp because of speed versatility and LH bat. I hope Barretto proves me wrong.
looking out for the future so I would take Barreto, Bassitt, Brown, Neuse, Pinder, and Wendelken. Would’ve taken Trivino if I had a 7th pick
None of them.
I think the A’s could be very strategic about this. If I were GM, I’d protect:
Chris Bassitt [P]
Seth Brown [1B/OF]
Jake Diekman [RP]
Sheldon Neuse [3B]
Chad Pinder [2B/OF]
J.B. Wendelken [RP]
While I don’t think Piscotty is a bad contract, he’s not exactly a huge plus; and even if he did get selected in the expansion draft, I think Pinder and Brown could easily fill-in and potentially be an upgrade (if Seth Brown lives up to the potential). While leaving Trivino unprotected is a bit risky, the last time we saw him, he was awful. He’s a complete unknown in terms of what you’d be getting.
Then there’s Tony Kemp and Franklin Barreto. I’ve never been a fan of Kemp’s game and I remain skeptical that he’ll ever figure it out to be more than a below average utility-man. Barreto is the one I’m having the hardest time leaving off. Yeah, he’s crossing into the “probably never going to figure it out” territory but he has still never been given consistent at-bats in the Majors. If I’m the A’s, I’m hoping he isn’t taken because he could be one of those guys that makes you look very bad if things click on a new team.