Tuesday, March 15, 2011

30 A's in 30 Days: Adam Rosales


Acquired: Traded from Cincinnati (with OF Willy Taveras) for IF Aaron Miles and a player to be named later or cash. (February 1, 2010).
Contract: Signed through 2011 (eligible for arbitration after 2011).
Position: Utility infielder; occasional unnecessary hustle.

2011 Projected BA/OBP/SLG: .263/.325/.422

2010 Season: Rosales immediately endeared himself to me when he signed my son's baseball and posed for a picture with him at Spring Training last year. Before long, Rosales had won over every A's fan with his high socks, gawky posture and goofball home run trot 120-yard dash. After the first week of the season, he filled in as Oakland's starting second baseman when Mark Ellis was out with a hamstring injury. Rosales played almost every day through the end of May, hitting a solid .273/.335/.393 at month's end. He returned to a part-time role -- struggling in June (.617 OPS), stronger in July (.817 OPS) -- and his season ended in August with a stress fracture in his ankle. The fracture has been slow to heal and surgery was required last December -- because, the inordinate number of regular season injuries that have struck this team over the last four years aren't enough.

2011 Over/Under: It's expected that Rosales won't return from his ankle injury until May. But, for a player known primarily for hauling ass on the base paths and frenetic movements in the field, I wonder if the chance for re-injury will always be right around the corner. Take the UNDER.

By the Numbers: 15 – The estimated time -- in seconds -- of Rosales' home run trot. I know I'm the only A's fan who would dare utter these words, but I'm not a fan. Rosales hit one out last year against the Giants. San Francisco's play-by-play man, Duane Kuiper, commented (paraphrased) that Rosales' sprint showed he was humble and free of ego. Giants' color commentator Mike Krukow quickly disagreed, saying (paraphrased) the "humble" home run trots are the ones you don't notice. I'm with Krukow.

Surefire 2011 Prediction: Maybe it's my pessimism about his ankle, but I don't think the A's will want to risk Rosales' wheels. He won't play at all in the outfield (five games in 2010) this year and the number of games he'll play at shortstop will be at least halved from the 14 times he manned the position last year.

Old School Rap Track for the Season: Take It EZ, Common
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5 comments:

  1. ColleenMarch 16, 2011 at 11:58 AM

    I recently stumbled across your 30 A's in 30 days preview and I've really been enjoying it. I will say that I think you're being a little hard on Rosey. I'm a season ticket holder and I've talked with him several times since he joined the A's. Rosey is free of ego and his home run trot is the same one he's had since little league. He's not trying to show anyone up out there.

    That minor disagreement aside..I look forward to the rest of the series!

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  2. Aaron C.March 16, 2011 at 12:56 PM

    Welcome! I don't doubt for a minute that Rosales is good people. He was great with my son at spring training last year.

    I loved the energy he brought last year. I just thought Krukow made a good point about the trot.

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  3. thaiMarch 17, 2011 at 9:25 PM

    y'know . . . mickey hatcher sprinted on his homerun, too. let me guess, you didn't like his either?

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  4. Aaron C.March 18, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    That's messed up, Thai. You KNOW how that World Series nearly ruined my life.

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  5. thaiMarch 19, 2011 at 4:00 AM

    i had an inkling during the tirade filled conversation when i called you just after as soon as a certain vincent edward scully uttered his famous phrase (which shatted all over the pathetic and self serving "i can't believe what i just saw" uttered by that old fart, by the way).

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