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Hello! Welcome to another edition of the A's Beat newsletter.

FROM BABY JAYS TO BIG LEAGUE A'S

 

Kevin Smith, Kirby Snead, Zach Logue, Dany Jiménez and Zach Jackson all envisioned a scenario in which they would be playing together in the big leagues. They just might not have correctly predicted what team they’d be playing for.

 

Those five players likely saw their path to the Majors ending up in Toronto, and understandably so, given that they were either drafted or signed as international free agents by the Blue Jays.

 

All five are now contributing at the Major League level as rookies. They’re on the same team. But that team is the A’s.

 

Oakland acquired Smith, Snead and Logue as part of the four-prospect haul received in exchange for Matt Chapman this spring. They join Jiménez and Jackson, both of whom were selected by the A’s as Rule 5 Draft picks.

 

“I played with them for so long in the Minor Leagues,” Smith said. “Obviously, you never really know what team it’s going to be with. But to all be together is pretty cool. It’s definitely fun to be with guys who you’ve known for a while. We talk about it from time to time.”

 

Here’s a look at the solid work each former Blue Jays farmhand is providing for the A’s:

 

3B Kevin Smith (.217/.250/.377 with one home run, six doubles, a triple and nine RBIs)

Key stat: 5 defensive runs saved

It’s not easy trying to fill the position previously held down by Chapman, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time Platinum Glove winner. So far, though, Smith is building his own case for some hardware consideration at the hot corner.

 

Among American League third basemen with at least 140 innings logged, Smith and Chapman enter Thursday as the only two yet to commit an error this season. Smith’s five defensive runs saved at third are also the most in the AL, topping Chapman and other supreme defenders such as Anthony Rendon and Alex Bregman.

 

RHP Dany Jiménez (0.00 ERA with five saves)

Key stat: No earned runs allowed

Though he entered 2022 with only two games of prior Major League experience, Jiménez has shown no issues handling closer duties for the A’s, entering Thursday a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities. His first 12 innings pitched are the most among AL relievers with no earned runs to begin the season, and his five saves are tied for the most among AL rookies.

 

RHP Zach Jackson (0-1, 3.77 ERA, one save)

Key stat: Holding opponents to a .174 batting average

Jackson has solidified himself as one of manager Mark Kotsay’s go-to arms in high-leverage spots, often pitching more than one inning to help set the bridge to Jiménez late in games. He enters Thursday having posted scoreless outings in nine of his last 11 appearances and has been particularly good on the road, with a 2.25 ERA over eight innings pitched in road games.

 

LHP Kirby Snead (6.00 ERA, 11 games pitched)

Key stat: Scoreless outings in eight of 11 relief appearances

A pair of rough outings over Snead’s last three appearances have caused his ERA to balloon. However, he remains a trusted option for Kotsay in left-on-left matchups and has only allowed one of his four inherited runners to score.

 

LHP Zach Logue (2-1, 1.35 ERA)

Key stat: Two runs allowed through first 13 1/3 innings pitched

Logue was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill an injured Cole Irvin’s spot in the A’s rotation and pitched well in his first Major League start, limiting the Twins to two runs across 5 1/3 innings. He then tossed seven scoreless innings Wednesday against the Tigers. Having also pitched out of the bullpen for Oakland earlier this season, Logue gives the club some versatility, giving him a chance to stick around even when Irvin makes his way back from the injured list.

IN THE NEWS

 

• The dreaded streak is over! A season-worst nine-game losing skid was snapped in Detroit with a victory that featured yet another strong outing from Paul Blackburn and big hits in key moments for the A’s. More >>

 

• Ramón Laureano made his long-anticipated return to the A’s over the weekend. He remains a beloved figure inside Oakland’s clubhouse, and his presence is one the team will look to as a possible spark to a slumping offense. More >>

 

• Catch of the year? Tony Kemp’s acrobatic catch in Detroit has to at least be in that conversation. The only thing perhaps more entertaining than the play itself was Kemp’s own reaction. More >>

TRIVIA

 

What color did former A's owner Charlie Finley infamously paint on baseballs in a 1973 experiment?

 

A. Green

B. Yellow

C. Red

D. Orange

QUOTABLE

 

“I love the drums. It’s been a part of my baseball life here and will continue to be a part of baseball life here. Their spirit, their energy, their passion for the A’s. It doesn’t go unnoticed, for sure.” -- Kotsay, on the right-field bleacher crew of die-hard fans at the Oakland Coliseum, which continues to make its presence felt at A’s games this season with drums and other noise-makers

THE VAULT

 

Sept. 26, 2007: Mike Piazza’s one-year stint with the A’s often gets overlooked, given that it came at the very end of his Hall of Fame career. His 2007 season in green and gold wasn’t nearly as productive as his best years. Still, there were some big moments, including the 427th and final home run of his career, a game-tying solo shot off Red Sox ace Jon Lester that sailed over the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Piazza’s final career hit would come four days later in Anaheim.

WALK-UP CHRONICLES

 

As a self-proclaimed “walk-up song enthusiast” on Twitter, I’ve decided to dedicate this section to spotlight the inspiration behind the music choices selected by A’s players inside the clubhouse or when they head to the plate or mound.

 

Kevin Smith’s usage of “Run It Up” by Lil Tjay as his walk-up song at the Coliseum caught my attention as someone who enjoys up-and-coming rap artists. Turns out Smith picked the song shortly after it was released last April 2021 while a member of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. There was some synergy with the selection: Smith is a native of East Greenbrush, N.Y. The Bisons play in New York. Lil Tjay is from the Bronx.

 

“I’m a hip-hop guy,” Smith said. “Last year before Triple-A, we were all just sitting around trying to pick our walk-up songs and multiple guys said I should go with that one. I went with it and it just stuck.”

PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT

 

• Grant Holman, a former two-way product at Cal and sixth-round pick by the A’s in 2021, is off to a strong start in his first full year with the organization. The right-hander recently moved into the A’s Top 30 Prospects List, ranked by MLB Pipeline at No. 30. More >>

 

• Zack Gelof, Oakland’s No. 3 prospect, is starting to tap into that raw power of his. The third baseman clubbed a pair of homers as part of a five-RBI afternoon with Double-A Midland over the weekend. More >>

 

• Infielder Max Schuemann currently ranks just outside Oakland’s Top 30 list, but that could soon change if he continues this current tear. Entering Thursday batting .398 (39-for-98) at Double-A Midland, Schuemann’s batting average ranks second in all of Minor League baseball as he’s hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, including seven mult-hit efforts during that stretch. More >>

TRIVIA ANSWER

 

C. Orange.

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