6 Challenges the Oakland A’s Will Face in 2013
By zacklosel
# 3 Troubles At 2nd Base:
Though not cause for extreme concern (yet), this next topic should not be taken lightly by the club. The acquisitions of both Jed Lowrie, and Heroyuki Nakajima were undoubtedly great pickups, but were solely for the purpose of finding at least one every day player of the two, Lowrie having the best chances of the potential positional winners. Even going into Spring Training – despite the depth Oakland has at second base – the middle infield position was somewhat of a question mark; Adam Rosales and others did a fine job filling in while Jemile Weeks was sent down during the final forty four games of the season. But as Opening Day approaches, troubles are still present.
August 19, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks (19) bunts the ball against the Cleveland Indians during the fifth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Though Jemile Weeks has returned from injury, and is leading the second base pack in numbers, he’s still hurting, and has only played in five games this spring. If he can pick up where he left off without injuring himself further, there’s no reason he shouldn’t win the job at second, with Lowrie either sliding in at short, or becoming Weeks’ platoon mate.
With Nakajima, and Sizemore both currently disappointing – the two have combined to strikeout twenty one times, and neither are hitting above the .240 mark (Sizemore is hitting a weak buck twenty five with just three hits in twenty four at bats).
Right now, it looks like Lowrie will start the season at second, depending on how Weeks does, meaning Nakajima will most likely win the shortstop job.