Daily Dr. Roto — March 19
Fantasy Preview in a Nutshell: Oakland A’s
Players to Watch
Matt Olson — I am “all in” on Olson of the Oakland A’s this season. I have him in FSTA, LABR, TOUT WARS, and my home league. In fact, when I couldn’t be at the Tout Wars Draft, I told the person drafting for me, “Do not come home without Matt Olson.” Why am I so “in” on Olson this season? POWER. Many people will point to Olson’s lack of doubles (2) as a potential problem with his game. I am fine with the lack of doubles considering he hit 24 HR in 189 at bats. In fact, I think that Olson might be the only person who can beat Aaron Judge for the AL home run title this season. The key for Olson is going to be his batting average. If he can find a way to hit north of .250, he will turn out to be a monster. If he hits an Adam Dunn-like .220, he could kill you in one category.
Marcus Semien — Semien gets overlooked by Fantasy owners (possibly because he plays in Oakland?) but he really shouldn’t. Semien has a wonderful blend of power and speed that projects out to be around 25-15 if he can get 500 at bats. Semien’s batting average will hover around .245 (which is a problem), but if you can support him with the right batting average guys around him, then I think you will be very pleased.
Khris Davis — At your draft remember that the A’s monster power hitter is Khris with a “K” and not a “C.” Davis is automatic for 40-100 and is a fixture in the middle of the A’s lineup. An interesting thing to note about Davis is that his batting average has been .247 for three consecutive years.
Matt Chapman — A lot of smart people (including the guys over at Baseball HQ) seem to be in on Chapman this season. He plays excellent defense and has enough power to hit 30+ HR. The biggest problem with Chapman is that he strikes out too much, so if you play in a points league that deducts a lot of points per K, then you might want to avoid him. However, if you are playing in a dynasty league, he is a great draft pick and someone who could man 3B for your team for the next five years.
Jonathan Lucroy — I thought this was a very clever signing by the A’s. Lucroy is one season removed from when he hit 24 HR and was selected in the fourth round of most drafts. I am willing to look past last season’s debacle and give Lucroy another chance to prove that he is one of the top catchers in baseball. I think he could be in line for Comeback Player of the Year in the AL.
Sean Manaea — Throw last season’s nightmare out for Manaea as he was trying to figure out the correct dosage for his ADHD medication which caused him to lose a significant amount of weight during the season. What many people don’t realize is that one of the side effects of taking these types of medications is the loss of appetite that one gets throughout the day. Because of this Manaea weakened throughout the season and lost significant velocity on his pitches. I think he is in line for a huge comeback.
Blake Treinen — Treinen started out last season in Washington as Blake “Train Wreck” but then got traded to Oakland when he became a top closer. Treinen had 42 Ks in 38 IP and held an ERA of 2.13 in Oakland compared to the 7.11 that he had while with the Nationals. I think this duality can (and should) give Fantasy owners trepidation about selecting Treinen, but with all risk comes the potential for reward. I believe Treinen could be a steal this season, considering he won’t cost so much at your draft or auction and could still get about 40 saves.
