It was no secret that Brent Rooker was one of baseball’s most coveted bats ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. So, when Miguel Andujar saw reporters approaching Rooker’s locker on Tuesday, he, maybe jokingly, asked the question of the day.
“You leaving, man?” Andujar asked.
“No!” Rooker responded.
“Are you leaving?” a reporter asked Andujar.
“Yeah,” Andujar said, “(to get) chipotle sunflower seeds.”
Rooker, indeed, remained with the green and gold after the deadline. That same night, he sent a ball halfway up Oracle Park’s left-field bleachers and the A’s won their 15th game of July, their first winning month in two years. In retaining Rooker, Oakland’s front office essentially gave its current group a stamp of approval. The A’s are winning, and their confidence is growing.
“There’s a very solid growing belief in this room that the group we have here can do some pretty special things,” Rooker said.
But having a good month — singular — is one thing. Having good months — plural — is another. Still, a 15-9 July is no joke.
“Special” is an apt adjective to describe what Rooker and Lawrence Butler did on offense in July. Oakland’s offense finished the month with 45 home runs and .829 OPS, the best and third-best marks in baseball. A good chunk of that offense, unsurprisingly, derived from the one-two punch of Rooker and Butler.
Rooker, the All-Star snub, finished the month with a .391 batting average and 1.288 OPS, his 11 home runs being tied with the Rockies’ Brenton Doyle for the most in July. Butler didn’t lag too far behind, hitting .363 with 10 home runs and a 1.210 OPS. Max Schuemann (three homers, six steals, .849 OPS) and Shea Langeliers (five homers, .828 OPS) enjoyed great months as well.
“Rooker and Butler basically competing for player of the month until Bobby Witt Jr. went crazy, right?” said starter Ross Stripling. “We have those guys vibing off each other right there at the top of the lineup.”
Added closer Mason Miller: “We know that our lineup has that capability. We know the talent that our hitters possess. A lot of times for us, it’s just been putting together effort on both sides of the ball. So now, getting a chance to do that consistently, it’s kind of contagious.”
The last time two A’s each hit at least 10 home runs in the same month? That would be Mark McGwire (13) and Terry Steinbach (10) in July 1996.
The last time two A’s each had an OPS of at least 1.200 in the same month (minimum 20 games, since 1901)? That would be never.
“He won’t stop,” Butler said of Rooker following Tuesday’s win. “He hasn’t stopped all year. He’s been on fire all year. I know people are just starting to notice, but he’s been raking all year. Every time I hit a homer, he hits one to one up me. He lets me know it, too. It’s fun watching him just go out there and bang. He’s given me a lot of confidence.”
Butler isn’t the only one exuding confidence. The A’s enter August having won four of their last five series, the lone set they didn’t take being their two-game split with the Giants. Two of those series wins were against the Astros and Phillies, the latter being baseball’s best team. The offense stands to add even more depth once Jacob Wilson, the team’s top prospect, returns from the injured list.
For all the good vibes, the A’s, in all likelihood, are due for a regression, especially as they begin the month with a three-game set against the Dodgers.
The team’s .664 OPS prior to July, the sixth-worst mark in all of baseball, is more representative of their collective offensive capabilities. Butler and Rooker could very well enjoy another good month, but they’re extremely unlikely to match such an unsustainable level of production.
On the other side of the ball, the rotation — one that just lost Paul Blackburn in a trade with the Mets — remains a weak point. JP Sears enjoyed a solid July overall (3.07 ERA, five starts), but the unit had a collective 4.58 ERA over 127 2/3 innings. The back-end of the bullpen is questionable as well; Lucas Erceg was traded to the Royals, and the All-Star Miller remains on the injured list as he recovers from a self-inflicted fractured pinky. As things stand, 30-year-old rookie Tyler Ferguson has stepped into the closer role.
The task of putting together a second consecutive winning month — something the A’s have yet to do under manager Mark Kotsay — is a lofty one. But even with the team bound for Sacramento, there is an undeniable hope burgeoning in Oakland.
“There’s a point of difference in terms of this group and the vision of this group,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “We believe that there’s a lot of pieces here that we can go forward with and build with.”
Originally Published:
Source: www.mercurynews.com