The Oakland A's accept been riddled with injuries for some time now. It seems as admitting aloof as addition gets better, addition Athletic incurs a multi-day injury. For a aggregation who brand accept a abysmal bank in adjustment to mix and bout their players, it has become harder and harder for them to adapt lineups as players abatement to concussions, artificial hamstrings, and aback spasms. But which injuries accept hindered the Oakland A's the best throughout this season?
1) Abode – Sean Doolittle
Sean Doolittle
Doolittle's artificial intercostal beef was one of the best adverse injuries to appear from the bullpen. Afore he was reactivated on September 12, the Oakland A's absent eight amateur by one run during the two weeks in which he was on the disabled list. Even admitting these loses are additionally due to the abridgement of abhorrent the Athletics accept been demonstrating recently, it would accept been nice to accept been assured in the afterpiece that took the bank in the final innings of these games.
Dolittle has 21 saves this division with 83 strikeouts and alone bristles walks in 57.1 innings pitched. With a 2.20 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP, Doolittle has been abundant for the Oakland A's afterwards actuality appointed afterpiece in May. As a reliever, Doolittle's 16 strikeouts per airing accustomed this year places him third in Athletics' history and fourth in Major League Baseball history aback 1914. With their ascendant afterpiece aback on the mound, hopefully it will accord the Oakland A's added aplomb in acceptable during those abutting scoring games.
2) Infield – Any of the Oakland A's Catchers
Right now, it is not a acceptable time to be a catcher for the Oakland A's. John Jaso has been out aback mid-August with blow symptoms, Stephen Vogt assuredly surcomed to a aggravation larboard abate injury, and Geovany Soto, the Oakland A's newest catcher, went bottomward with aback spasms aloof two nights ago. Now there is alone Derek Norris and amateur Bryan Anderson who has no in-game communicable acquaintance with any of the Oakland A's pitchers.
Going from three defensively accomplished catchers bottomward to a fourth cord catcher and a amateur will be difficult for the Oakland A's. With the abutting 12 amateur actuality must-win amateur for the Athletics, it is important to accept a affection catcher abaft the bowl aback he is complex in every angle of the game. Additionally, the DH position was about consistently abounding by one of the A's catchers afore Adam Dunn came along, which creates a calendar brain-teaser for administrator Bob Melvin abnormally aback adverse larboard handed casting aback Dunn is awfully beneath offensively advantageous adjoin lefties. The Oakland A's catchers accept remained adequately constant aback it comes to breach and now Melvin will accept to aces and accept anxiously as to who will ample the DH role aback he will not be able to abatement aback on any of his reliable catchers.
[Oakland A's: Could the A's exhausted the Detroit Tigers in the Wild Card game?]
3) Outfield – Coco Crisp
Crisp has been aggressive a close abrasion for best of the season, but with Yoenis Cespedes in the calendar during the aboriginal bisected of the year, Crisp's absence was not adverse the Oakland A's. However, aback Cespedes' departure, it is bright that Crisp is the agitator the Athletics charge at the alpha of their calendar for every game. Even admitting he has not be in the calendar for every bold this year, Crisp is currently batting .257 with 9 homers and 45 RBI. Additionally, he has a .733 OPS and 19 baseborn bases for this season.
Being a about-face hitter, Crisp can alpha in any bold adjoin any bullpen aback he is healthy. Additionally, his aegis is the outfield and adherence to the aggregation is incomparable by any of the Oakland A's outfielders. Even admitting Crisp is in the calendar for now, if he were to re-injure his close appropriate afore or during the postseason, it would abundantly aftereffect the Oakland A's breach and defense.
For added news, rumors, and opinions on the Athletics, appointment the isportsweb Oakland A's homepage.