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Corner infield is an area of strength in the American League West, especially at third base, as it features stars such as the Angels’ Anthony Rendon, the Athletics’ Matt Chapman and the Astros’ Alex Bregman.
Rendon, Chapman and Bregman are among the best in the game at their position, bringing excitement both offensively and defensively. At first base, there are more unknowns in the division, although Oakland boasts slugger Matt Olson and Houston has veteran Yuli Gurriel.
Here’s a closer look at the corner-infield positions in the AL West:
ANGELS
The known
The Angels are set at third base after signing Anthony Rendon to a seven-year deal last season, but first base is more of a question mark. Jared Walsh is coming off a breakout rookie season offensively and figures to share first-base duties with veteran Albert Pujols. Rendon was recently ranked as the No. 1 third baseman in the Majors and will be backed up by a utility player such as Robel García
Projecting the Oakland A’s 26-man roster way too early [Mercury News]
Feb. 9 The Oakland A’s aren’t done making moves.
Last week’s trade that sent Khris Davis to Texas for Elvis Andrus and $13.5 million in cash unlocked a little spending room for an A’s baseball operations department sitting in a financial stalemate. They’re expected to add more pitching, both in the rotation and the bullpen.
But the rest of the roster may be close to set. Pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks. Here’s a very early projection at their 26-man roster our best guess at some players yet to be signed are in italics.
Mike Foltynewicz threw for teams in Atlanta today. Was at 90-92 but looked to be in fine shape.
Great, 90 to 92, just what he was throwing last season when he was cut. Over his career, he’s sat at over 95.5 mph and only has a 4.33 ERA. Continue to ignore.
American League
Astros
But I don’t think it will be Bregman. Altuve seems like the frontrunner because he’s done it in the past, but I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that Dusty Baker will choose Kyle Tucker or Myles Straw because he did so last season. Of the 11 games Springer didn’t start in 2020, Straw batted leadoff five times. Tucker and Altuve batted leadoff three times apiece.
January 3, 2021
One of the “Best of 2020” articles that ran here at FanGraphs over the holidays featured an under-the-radar right-hander with a unique backstory and a knee-buckling bender. Titled Rangers Prospect Cole Uvila is a Driveline-Developed Spin Monster, the story chronicled, among things, a curveball that had spun upwards of 3,300 RPM in Arizona Fall League action. Honed with the help of technology, the pitch profiled as his ticket to Texas.
He’s no longer throwing it. Instead, Uvila is endeavoring to channel former Cleveland Indians closer Cody Allen.
“In my head, I was going to throw it until my career was over,” Uvila said of his old curveball. “Then the pandemic happened. There was a lot of time to look in the mirror, and you just don’t see big-league relievers throwing 76-mph curveballs. It’s not really a thing.”