Because of the coronavirus, the Athletics are facing at least one very sad possibility: Shortstop Marcus Semien may never wear their uniform again. Whether or not any kind of season happens, Semien will be eligible to reach free agency next winter. He’ll be among the most coveted players available, and the low-budget Athletics have never been known for splurging on anyone. The largest guarantee they’ve ever given out still belongs to former third baseman Eric Chavez, whom they signed to a $66MM guarantee way back in 2004. And frankly, if any one player on the current A’s is going to exceed that amount sometime soon, third baseman Matt Chapman is probably a better candidate than Semien.
Now, saying Oakland will probably prioritize Chapman isn’t a knock on Semien. But Semien’s a couple years older – his 30th birthday is in September, while Chapman just turned 27 today – and the A’s have less time to lock him up with a potential trip to free agency looming.
Should Semien walk, he’d be an enormous loss for the club. Originally acquired from the White Sox in a 2014 trade, Semien has gradually evolved into an elite shortstop. He was a decent player for the A’s from 2015-18, a four-year, 2,311-plate appearance stretch in which he accumulated 9.1 fWAR, but was only a league-average hitter throughout.
Semien truly turned a corner last season during a near-American League Most Valuable Player effort. He slashed .285/.369/.522 with 33 home runs and 10 stolen bases en route to 137 wRC+, the second-highest number among all full-time shortstops (only Boston’s Xander Bogaerts fared better). And while Semien’s work at short drew criticism in his younger days, 2019 represented his second straight resoundingly successful year as a defender. He put up 12 Defensive Runs Saved and managed a 6.7 Ultimate Zone Rating. The entire package was good for 7.6 fWAR, the fifth-highest amount in the majors and one that helped him to a third-place finish in AL MVP balloting behind Mike Trout and Alex Bregman.
It’s just about impossible to immediately replace what Semien brought to the table last season, but Oakland may soon have to make the attempt. The question is: How? As mentioned, the A’s aren’t big spenders. That said, it doesn’t seem crazy to think they could at least make an effort on Andrelton Simmons or Didi Gregorius, the next best free-agent shortstops in the upcoming winter’s class, if they only command short-term contracts. The rest of the market should be decidedly less inspiring at the position, but Oakland could plug in someone like Freddy Galvis or Jose Iglesias as affordable stopgaps capable of offering roughly league-average WAR totals. As for trades, would the A’s dare be aggressive enough to push their chips to the table for someone like Francisco Lindor of the Indians or the Rockies’ Trevor Story, free agents-to-be after 2021 who would surely be rentals for them?
Alternatively, there’s the chance of adding a second baseman via trade or free agency and shifting an in-house player to short. The trouble is that the A’s, Semien aside, don’t have any proven shortstop options from within their ranks. Franklin Barreto was once a premium middle infield prospect, but he hasn’t panned out so far, and he didn’t play much short in the minors from 2017-19. Sheldon Neuse appeared in all of nine minor league games there last season. Jorge Mateo has quite a bit of minors experience in the spot, but he hasn’t inspired at the plate. Vimael Machin’s a Rule 5 pick, and seldom do they turn into valuable performers. Prospects like Nick Allen or Logan Davidson could eventually be the solution, though neither has even gotten to Double-A yet.
Every team is in a difficult position as a result of the pandemic, but Oakland ranks near the top. The Athletics are a back-to-back 97-win team who, as constructed, could compete for a World Series championship. Semien’s an important part of that, though, and nobody knows whether he’ll play for the club again. But regardless of whether a season happens, the A’s may be mere months away from facing the unenviable task of trying to replace a player who has become a star in their uniform.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
they are going to let semien swim away
He’ll cum back to the A’s.
Sounds like an upstream battle
Sounds like both of you have had way too much Semien
Headlines:
Semien Makes Splash I’m Free Agent Market
Will be interesting if there isn’t a season as he doesn’t have a long track record of success. He could be a late bloomer or this past season could just be an outlier. He had a career high HR total that was propped up by the juiced ball meaning he’ll be more likely to hit in the mid to low 20s with a normal ball. Couple that with a career highs in basically every other relevant category and it’s questionable whether someone will back the brinks truck up for a 30 year old shortstop.
Was the ball juiced? Most likely. What you don’t take into factor with this comment is that Oakland is a notoriously tough ballpark to hit the ball out of especially at night regardless of the juiced ball
Just 22 homers came in night games and only 15 homers came at home.
So almost half his HRs came at home? Its saying “only” doesn’t make the number small. He hit 33 HRs total and hit almost half in Oakland.
I didn’t mean it like that. I was just putting the numbers out there.
Funny, Semien was nowhere near competent until Matt Olson and Matt Chapman showed up. Golly, who would think that would have helped he defensive metrics?
I believe Semien is going to produce more than what he did from 2014-2018. But to believe he’s going to replicate his 2019 another 2-3 seasons, I don’t buy it. Up until 2018, he’s a career .720-.740 ops. I think it’s safe to say the next 4-5 seasoned he’s going to be above that, but I’d say below .800ops. Defense is definitely better than how it was in 2013-2015. That was awful. I watched a lot of Semien, he’s come a long way defensively. Hopefully Barreto and Mateo are slightly above league average, which I think is a fair bet that at least one will be. Chapman can always play shortstop, and Neuse to third.
The proof is in his k% he made gains in areas that stabilize fairly quickly that were a big part of his step forward at the plate. He also hit 27HR before so most of the power is there. I would say a solid 5+ WAR SS for the next couple seasons. Oak, at least before the crisis was about to have new money coming in with the new stadium deal almost completed and a TV opt out of a fairly middling contract for a team in a top media market the same year. Extensions for Olson and Chapman would be reasonably priced until the year the new park and TV money comes in. So resigning Semien is all about whether or not they can afford the price the next couple years. It would benefit the TV deal financially to put the best team possible on the field the next few years so he should pay for himself theoretically if he helps them win more.
simmons won’t be a f/a for another 5-6 years.
As an Angels fan. I really hope he stays healthy. I know last year seemed like an outlier. But maybe they extend/resign him after the 2020 season. Might drive up his price but the angels have the money to give a guy an extra million or two.
ozzie produced above average defense at ss till his late 30’s.and i think simons will maintain his wizardry till his middle 30’s if not longer.
Rengifo is cheaper and wasn’t too bad.
I think Yankees try to get Simmons if we have a season and the Angels aren’t in contention.
They can’t play Torres at SS. LeMahieu can play third. Put Torres at 2B. Even teach Torres first base.
Semien is another guy the Yankees could target.
Just matters who is out of contention
Yeah, they really cannot play Torres at shortstop, because he has a .954 fielding percentage at that position, which is terrible and if he was the shortstop all year long, he’d probably be #1 in errors at that position, but maybe the most bombs. However, there are other shortstops that are capable of hitting 30+ homers as well.
Referring to my last post, I think replacing Chapman with Semien at Shortstop is actually a slight upgrade, although now you’d have to replace Chapman at third, probably with Neuse.
Chapman already plays a few steps to his left towards shortstop, more so than any third basemen. He always plays the deepest of any third basemen. Altogether he’s only a few steps away from playing the typical Shortstop position. The Athletics also allow Chapman to play “shortstop” when there’s a shift for a left handed hitter.
wtf is ur crazy ass talking about lol Chappy ain’t ever playing a position that’s not 3B, we got Nick Allen ready to be the new wizard at SS in a year or two
Nick Allen is the future!!! Kid is a superstar and a wizard with the glove!!
You did not bring any value to having a conversation about Chapman at shortstop, while I provided plenty. If you read my post thoroughly, and had an educated reason to why you think Chapman isn’t suitable for shortstop, you wouldn’t be asking what I’m talking about.
As for Nick Allen, if the kid can produce in the minors, he will get the call. Until then, Oakland will work with what’s currently on the roster or look at other organizations.
I’ll try to add some.
“I think replacing Chapman with Semien at Shortstop is actually a slight upgrade”
Replacing a very strong defensive SS with a player who, from college, through the minors, and his entire MLB career, has played 10 AA games at SS total is very unlikely to be an upgrade.
“although now you’d have to replace Chapman at third, probably with Neuse.”
So now you would have moved the one of the best defensive 3Bs in baseball to a position he will very likely be less good at, and replaced him with much-less-skilled/replacement 3B. This move would be, in a pie-in-the-sky best case scenario, breaking even.
“Chapman already plays a few steps to his left towards shortstop, more so than any third basemen. He always plays the deepest of any third basemen. Altogether he’s only a few steps away from playing the typical Shortstop position. ”
Chapman’s positioning being in occasional/unique proximity to SS doesn’t correlate to skill at being a SS. He’s still playing/defending 3B. His defensive responsibilities, reactions, arm strength, muscle memory, instincts etc. are those of a 3B.
“The Athletics also allow Chapman to play “shortstop” when there’s a shift for a left handed hitter.”
That is the traditional positioning for a 3B on a shift for a LH hitter league-wide. And just as a LF stands in center and a 2B is in the RF grass during the same shift, that doesn’t indicate some nascent acumen at those positions.
“an educated reason to why you think Chapman isn’t suitable for shortstop”
Chapman’s suitability at SS would be guess-work at best. What isn’t guess-work is that he is a fantastic 3B. Rewarding his work at 3B by making him slide over and learn a new position then replacing him with a less-skilled player would likely accomplish two things:
1. Making the defense on that side of the infield worse
2. Irritating Matt Chapman.
Better idea for the A’s at short? Sign a shortstop to play shortstop, allow your great 3B to continue being great.
Chapman is a very unique defender, in which shifting to SS doesn’t look to hurt him, and actually probably help the Athletics.
I mentioned his position specifically because of the “muscle memory” that you mention. Also, third basemen’s don’t play in the shortstop position when there is a shift for a left handed batter, they are the ones that go play in the second base or shallow right field area. The Athletics allowing him to simply take Semiens spot during the shift, tells us that the Athletics are comfortable with him not only manning all of that range, but also him being comfortable turning the double play.
Me saying moving him to SS which means Neuse goes to third, I believe is an upgrade at SS, but of course it’s a downgrade at 3B. Nobody will argue that. However, do you expect the Oakland Athletics to upgrade Semien via free agency? Oakland does not do that. Sure they can try and snag Simmons if he doesn’t extend, or they can go sign someone like Freddy Galvis. Or they can shift Chapman to SS and use what they have at 3B.
Tbh, I don’t think moving him to SS will piss him off. It probably increases his value if anything.
The biggest concern I have with the movement from SS to 3B or 3B to SS is reading the spin of the ball. But a lot of that is fixed with first step and or reaction time. He has played 3B, the hot corner, so reaction time is not an issue. His foot speed does not seem to be an issue unlike someone like Machado. And his harm can make up for anything that may lack.
For those reasons, he’s an upgrade at SS.
“The Athletics allowing him to simply take Semiens spot during the shift, tells us that the Athletics are comfortable with him not only manning all of that range, but also him being comfortable turning the double play.”
No. It tells us the Athletics think Chapman is capable of standing in that position during a defensive alignment specifically designed to limit batted balls to the other half of the field.
“However, do you expect the Oakland Athletics to upgrade Semien via free agency?”
I don’t. My argument is that Chapman is a better defensive 3B than Semien is a defensive shortstop. Chapman staying at 3B with a replacement level/league average shortstop retains more defensive value than the switcheroo.
“Tbh, I don’t think moving him to SS will piss him off.”
Great, so at least we both have an opinion on how a stranger would feel about a hypothetical situation, based on *shrug*
“For those reasons, he’s an upgrade at SS.”
I agree with your points about movement from 3B to SS, but to me they add up to Chapman likely being an okay/adequate SS. I don’t see where he’s a probable upgrade from Semien, It seems like a lot of effort/hassle/needless change relative to the outcome.
Morning Andrew,
I can see the validity of your argument but in simplicity I don’t want to see a platinum glove move position. It could create two problems rather than solving one.
This too is making the assumption that Semien isn’t extended – or doesn’t accept a qualifying offer – and we have no idea if a 2020 season even occur and what the financial situation is for ownership come Nov 2020… I think they’ll be a few more QOs accepted this Nov generally…
However – and if/when Semien does leave in FA… I’d sooner sign a short term SS and wait for the farm (Nick Allen) to provide. This is what we did with the likes of Trevor Plouffe whilst waiting for Chapman to come up…
Chapman IS that short term SS bridge to Allen. Play him there til Allen is ready, then move him back.
No one ever talks about how Chapman wants to be a 2-way guy too. He throws 97 off the mound.
I like Chapman as a bridge SS to Allen, then move him back to 3B when Allen is ready.
But I also think the A’s will keep Semien. If he accepts a QO he will hit the FA market at age 31 and then the A’s can offer him a 3/60 deal and he will prob take it.
Sorry Strike Four – I’m not supporting moving a platinum glove. I’d be happier Chapman throwing in relief than playing regularly at SS. It might be two years before Nick Allen is ready…
This is madness – why are you moving our best defender? His range, his arm would be fine at SS but I just don’t get the point. He’s a defensive animal at 3rd – and he plays the position his own way, there’s a lot of stuff that isn’t coaching manual (says the English ignoramus) – there’s a shedload that is Brooks Robinson.
As a fanbase we were patient with Semien, so why not be patient with someone else?
If Chapman is only a few steps from SS while playing 3B then he and his coaches are the dumbest people in baseball. They aren’t, because what you said is total BS.
Chapman would get eaten alive at SS. Doesn’t have the range to play there for 160 games.
Chapman logs more innings at the traditional SS position than most SS do.
@wild bill tetley has 100% never watched Chapman play. He’d win gold gloves at SS EASILY. He’s the best defensive INF since Ozzie. Watch him play, you will stop saying utterly stupid things like “Chapman would get eaten alive at SS. Doesn’t have the range to play there for 160 games.” which is the dumbest comment I’ve ever read on here.
Exactly, because considering that LeMahieu, who is a really good defender as well and can do well at other positions other than just his natural position, though not as good, there is no reason to think that Chapman can’t either, since he’s a top 3 defensive player in the game right now, if not #1, which he very well could be.
Pretty ignorant comment. In today’s game positional lines are more blurred than ever. I don’t think too many people would take issue with the best LF in the game sliding over to CF.
But the mere suggestion of Chapman sliding over to SS disgusts you….
@Johnny
It’s not that the idea disgusts me (I can’t speak for strike four) it’s just that the idea seems utterly daft. Why do you compromise (arguably) the best defensive 3rd baseman in the game by playing him somewhere else? The argument this side of the watershed is that you should work on how to solve one problem instead of turning one problem into two….
I read what I wrote again and it didn’t come off as a joke at all. I meant to use sarcasm there. I can see it didn’t come off that way.
I would not be surprised if defensive alignments start getting very weird after the COVID-19 break. What’s to stop moving players all over the infield at this point? Traditions be damned – we just lost half a season to a virus. Go crazy and play 3 defenders on the 1B side against a LH hitter.
Pretending that the A’s aren’t ready to offer their first $100M+ contract is stupid, we got a new stadium coming and an ownership that’s shown a willingness to spend some when we’re true contenders. It wouldn’t necessarily be a long term contract but Marcus is born and raised in the East Bay and he loves playing in his hometown, that matters.
Two things wrong with that statement:
1. The A’s getting that stadium is still up in the air, and with the virus issues that place will be pushed back a year or three. Even if they sign him to a three-year deal it will be over before that place opens, if ever.
2. Ownership showing a willingness to spend? When was this? Has Oakland ever broke $100 million? $90 million? Signing Khris Davis to a three-year deal for under what he should have gotten is hardly what I would consider willingness to spend.
This guy is as good as gone, and maybe it’s for the best. The good thing is Beane always finds a replacement.
Marcus was born in San Francisco, which is not the East Bay.
The Oakland A’s next shortstop after Semien leaves is clearly Nick Allen! The kid has so much upside (21 years old), best defensive shortstop in the minor leagues (and it’s not even close)! He can hit too and he has something to prove being a short guy at 5’9″!! He was hitting the crap out of the baseball just last month in spring training with his own home run after starting in a game!
I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually makes the team this year if minor league ball is canceled just so they can prep him at the big league level! Imagine Chapman, Allen and Olson in the infield… will be one of the best defensive infields in baseball!!
I could see Andrelton on a 3 year deal as a bridge to Allen. Love Allen though, if he keeps improving with the bat he could be a star.
then again I wouldn’t be mad if the athletics re signed him
We got rengifo and Jeremiah Jackson
They could go out and get Addison Russell? Still young and is a free agent and he was originally drafted by the A’s.
Go get Addison Russell. Young all star and still a free agent
He’s going to be in prison before he plays MLB again. No, just, no.
I agree and he definitely should be in prison before he plays MLB agai
n.
At least he’d be a cheap pick up…
That’s a backhanded compliment if I ever read one.
My prediction: Semien to the Giants.
The Giants don’t really need a SS. Crawford is still being (over)paid for two years and they have Dubon waiting to take over.
Thought Crawford was up after this season, in which case the Giants would have in fact been in the market for a SS. Thanks for the correction. I doubt Dubon moves to the left side, though. All I hear about him is 2nd or a possible move to CF. I don’t know much about him, but I’m willing to bet Zaidi really likes Will Wilson, too. He spent some coin to acquire him from the Angels this offseason and could be the next in line, to pair with Dubon, in the middle infield.
Good point – it’s funny how I read different things about these Giants prospects.
Zaidi wants players that can move around the diamond, which is why Dubon is bouncing all over the place. It’s probably easier than locking someone in as a starting this or that. Wilson and Luciano are both highly rated SS prospects, but I also read they might move out of their positions too. Someone has to start there though. You’re right though – Wilson has the best defense for the position and that’s probably why they grabbed him.
Agreed. Given his success, I’m willing to bet Zaidi knows more about baseball operations than I do, so I’ll go ahead and let him make the executive decisions regarding the roster lol it is fun to speculate though, especially since there’s no baseball on.
Semien isn’t a shortstop if he plays away from Matt Chapman. Any other team would move him to 2B or the OF.
Should just trade a recent blue chip first rounder for a cheap, controllable SS with some success at the major league level. Now is the time to go all in, our top pitching prospects are about ready and the clock has already started on Chapman/Olson. If we could save some money at SS we’d have more FA flexibility.
Have the A’s ever gone long term with a 30 year old?
2 years is long term for the A’s.
Unless Semien is willing to settle for a 3-year deal for less money there is no way Oakland is re-signing him. The solution was to trade him this past offseason.
For those suggesting Addison Russell, not the worst idea. If Russell was willing to first sign a minor league deal with a major league salary around $2-mil if he makes the team, plus incentives, plus mandatory therapy once a week, it could have worked. If not, a band-aid solution until Nick Allen is ready would have been plan B. And, whoever they would have received in a Semien trade could have been a boost if the SS position was covered by Russell.
There is zero percent chance the A’s think about Russell even for one second.
They have Barreto, Mateo, Neuse, Chapman, all can play SS if needed. They WILL give Barreto a full season there before Russell even crosses their minds.
Russell might also be 100% blacklisted, he’s apparently a really awful human being who will most likely spend a lot of his life in prison, you’ll see…
Last season was the exception, not the rule. He’s a .250 hitter with a slightly above .300 OBP. Oakland won’t over pay for him. They should’ve traded him after his peak this past off season.
With Chapman and Olson due new contracts in the next couple of years, there is no way Oakland gives Semien a multi year deal unless he accepts a 2 year contract. They will give him a QO, take the draft pick and then find someone capable to plug in there until Allen is ready. This is Billy Beane we are talking about, the most frugal of GMs. I’m not sure they will even extend Olson. Chapman should be the one player they are willing to break the bank for.
It’s hard to say. This team is quite talented. There are several players that deserve a big pay day.