Christine: Zack Gelof is suing the Tigers over a metal fence. Taylor Smith is running baseball ops. And the A’s just won the AL West with sixty-four losses. What does that even mean for spring training?
Jason: It means we have to look at the roster not as a finished product, but as a construction site. We are building toward Las Vegas in twenty-twenty-eight, and every name on this list is being weighed against that timeline.
Christine: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network. I’m Christine, alongside Jason. Today is our Roster Battles episode. We’re looking at position groups, depth charts, and the competition for playing time in twenty-seventeen.
Jason: We’ve talked about Taylor Smith’s analytics background and Jeffrey Springs’ health all week. But today, we get granular. Who makes the team? Who gets sent down? Who breaks out?
Christine: Here is what we are covering. First, the third base platoon battle between Max Muncy, Zack Gelof, and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. Second, the catcher tandem of Jonah Heim and Shea Langeliers. And third, our predictions on who gets cut from the forty-man roster before opening day.
Jason: And we will address the elephant in the room: the lawsuit filed by Zack Gelof against the Detroit-Wayne County Stadium Authority. It complicates his standing with the club right now.
Christine: Let’s dive into Segment One. The most important position battle: Third Base. We have three guys competing for touches here. Max Muncy, Zack Gelof, and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. Where do we start?
Jason: We start with the veteran anchor. Max Muncy. He provides power, but his plate discipline has been volatile. In a division where the Astros won with eighty-one wins, we need consistency, not just home runs.
Christine: But then you have Zack Gelof. He was our breakout star last year. Even with this legal drama involving the metal fence at Comerica Park, his bat is real. Do you see him taking first team reps at third?
Jason: I hesitate. The lawsuit adds noise. Gelof sued the Tigers, Ilitch Holdings, and the stadium authority for damages. That is a distraction. For twenty-seventeen, under new President of Baseball Operations Taylor Smith, distractions are minimized.
Christine: So, who gets the edge? Joshua Kuroda-Grauer? He is younger, cheaper, and has no legal baggage. Is he ready to take the job away from Gelof?
Jason: Kuroda-Grauer has the defensive upside. At third base, defense matters more than it used to. If Gelof is dealing with injury concerns or legal stress, Kuroda-Grauer could force the issue. But Muncy’s experience keeps him in the mix.
Christine: So we have a platoon. Muncy vs. Gelof, with Kuroda-Grauer waiting in the wings. This ties back to our prediction from Tuesday. We said one of the current bullpen arms would break out. Does that logic apply here? Maybe an infielder breaks out instead?
Jason: Exactly. The 'breakout' narrative might shift from the bullpen to the infield. If Kuroda-Grauer wins the spot, he becomes the face of the next core. That is how you build toward Vegas.
Christine: Sticking with the infield, let’s talk shortstop. Darell Hernaiz and Alika Williams. Hernaiz is the incumbent. Williams is the prospect. How deep is this pool?
Jason: Hernaiz offers contact skills. Williams offers athleticism. But we also have Donovan Walton at second base. The interplay between second and short is crucial. If Jeff McNeil stays at second, where does that leave Walton?
Christine: McNeil is the stabilizer. He brings OBP. So if McNeil is locked in at second, Walton needs to be versatile. Or maybe he moves to third to compete with Kuroda-Grauer?
Jason: That is a possibility. The A’s have too many utility players. The management team, led by Taylor Smith, will love this problem. They can shuffle bodies based on matchup splits. Platoon advantages everywhere.
Christine: Alright. Let’s move to Segment Two. The Catcher Battle. Jonah Heim vs. Shea Langeliers. This is a classic clash of styles. Heim is the seasoned veteran. Langeliers is the defensive wizard.
Jason: Langeliers has elite framing. His pitch-calling ability is improving. But Heim’s durability is unmatched. In a season that got derailed by injuries, as Manager Mark Kotsay noted, reliability is key.
Christine: Do you see them splitting time? Or is one clearly the starter? Given Taylor Smith’s analytics focus, does Langeliers’ advanced metrics give him the nod?
Jason: Smith loves data. Langeliers’ defensive runs saved numbers are strong. But Heim’s bat is more consistent. I think they share the load. Twenty games each, roughly. It keeps both fresh.
Christine: Moving to the outfield. Lawrence Butler in right, Nate Eaton in left, and Henry Bolte in center. Denzel Clarke and Carlos Cortes are pushing hard. Who makes the final roster?
Jason: Bolte is the lock. He has the speed and the power profile. Eaton is solid defensively. Butler is the wild card. His launch angle is high, but his strikeout rate is a concern.
Christine: So Clarke and Cortes are fighting for the fourth outfielder spot. Clarke has shown flashes. Is he ready for regular MLB action in twenty-seventeen?
Jason: Not yet. He needs more seasoning. I expect him to start in Las Vegas or Nashville. The organization is protecting its prospects. They aren’t rushing him.
Christine: Let’s talk pitching. The rotation. Gage Jump, Jacob Lopez, Luis Morales, Kade Morris, Braden Nett, Jack Perkins, and Jeffrey Springs. That is seven starters. Who is on the bubble?
Jason: Springs is our ace, if healthy. We predicted this last week. He anchors the staff. After him, it’s messy. Morales has the highest ceiling. But Jump has major league experience.
Christine: Morales is young. Does he get the shot? Or does the team play it safe with Jump?
Jason: Taylor Smith hired for innovation. He might take the risk on Morales. But if Morales struggles early, Jump is there. It’s a tandem battle. Both could start the year in the rotation.
Christine: And the bullpen. Elvis Alvarado, Mason Barnett, Brady Basso, Hunter Bigge, Scott Blewett, Hogan Harris, Seth Johnson, Hayden Juenger, Joe Rock, Chris Roycroft, Drew Rom, Luis Medina, Yunior Tur. That is twelve relievers.
Jason: Twelve is too many. Someone has to go. We mentioned Basso and Bigge earlier. They are the top two arms. They are locks. Blewett is the veteran bridge guy. He stays.
Christine: Who gets cut? The bottom five? Alvarado, Barnett, Harris, Juenger, and... maybe Roycroft?
Jason: Roycroft has innings. He might survive. But Juenger and Barnett are risky. If one of them doesn’t show promise in winter ball, they are non-tendered or designated for assignment.
Christine: This is the fun part. Predicting cuts. But before we get to Segment Three, I want to pause. Our work here, keeping you updated daily through the offseason, through the roster battles, through the Vegas transition—it takes effort.
Jason: We do the research, we track the injuries, we watch the tape. If you value this free daily coverage, please consider supporting us. A small contribution helps cover our editing costs and keeps the feed running.
Christine: You can find the link in the episode description. Every bit helps us keep the show free and daily for you. Thank you for listening.
Jason: Back to Segment Three. Roster Cuts. My final prediction: Brady Basso and Hunter Bigge make the team. As we said on Tuesday, one of them breaks out. I’m betting on Bigge to secure the closer role eventually.
Christine: And for the position players? I think Joshua Kuroda-Grauer takes the third base job over Gelof, at least to start the year. Gelof deals with the lawsuit fallout. Kuroda-Grauer is clean and hungry.
Jason: I agree. And for the rotation, I stand by my prediction: Jeffrey Springs anchors the staff. If he is healthy, he is the number one. The rest is filler until the playoffs push comes.
Christine: So, Kuroda-Grauer up, Gelof down. Basso and Bigge up. Springs anchored. And Taylor Smith is in charge. The A’s are changing.
Jason: It’s a rebuild with a championship window opening in three years. The foundation is laid. Now we just need the pieces to fit.
Christine: Thanks for joining us on the Beatline Podcast Network. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. Share this episode with your fellow A’s fans.
Jason: Go Hags. See you tomorrow.