Oakland Athletics need Josh Reddick to step up in 2015

Josh Reddick has been a fan favorite for the Oakland Athletics ever since he first donned the green and gold. He was a Gold Glove winner for his defense in 2012. He has also been a power hitter, drilling 32 homers that same year. Over the last two seasons, though, the bearded right fielder has battled injuries and experienced steady dips in power. That won’t cut it anymore. When 2015 hits, Reddick needs to star for Oakland. Call it a needed destiny for the franchise.

With superstar third baseman Josh Donaldson and the powerful Brandon Moss now departed from Oakland, along with twin aces Jeff Samardzija and Jon Lester plus lovable catcher Derek Norris rocking new uniforms, plenty of holes exist for the Athletics. Reddick’s production and a star-like season, say 30 bombs and 95 RBI to go with a .275 batting average, would fill part of that gaping portion of need. A second Gold Glove for his right field excellence would also do the deed.

By FanGraphs’ definitions of value, Reddick is an outstanding fielder, a quality baserunner and a capable threat at the dish. Toward the end of 2014, possibly the first stretch of good health for Reddick since 2012’s coming-out party, the born-and-raised Georgian found his offensive stride. In late July, he was batting .227 and was coming back from about a month of missed time. He raised his average to .264 by season’s end and increased his slugging percentage from .354 to .446. This trend can be built on in 2015.

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No one’s going to confuse the excessively wide O.co Coliseum with the laughably small Minute Maid Park, so extreme power numbers from Reddick shouldn’t be expected. The aforementioned total of 30 homers would be a dream, but even 23 to 25 would be acceptable. An unbelievable amount of production has left in Donaldson and Moss. Someone has to belt the homers those players will be crushing for their respective new teams. Their exit also leaves a third or fourth spot in the lineup up for grabs.

It’s possible GM Billy Beane lands a buy-low candidate such as Allen Craig, but the only current middle-of-the-lineup types in Oakland are Billy Butler and Ike Davis. The newly acquired Ben Zobrist should also be in the fold somewhere. Butler probably figures to be used in the third or fourth spot, with Reddick possibly staking a claim for the other spot.

In that place in the order, however, power and production are mandatory and Reddick can’t be a floundering talent unable to stay healthy. He can’t intermittently look capable with a wooden weapon in his grips and resemble a lost soul out of place during other instances. Everyone slumps, but stars, even team fixtures, come through enough to provide expected value.

Donaldson used to be a catcher who scouts doubted in terms of MLB upside. Moss was cut by several teams and nearly went to Japan before achieving success. Reddick, for what it’s worth, is off to a better professional start than both players. His throwing arm can dance with that of Yoenis Cespedes, his 32 homers in 2012 prove his pop and watching his defensive range is a sight to behold. Arm strength, power and effortless athleticism–those are traits of stars.

Reddick isn’t a star yet. He’ll never be viewed as a perennial force capable of putting an entire team on his back. In 2015 though, he needs to be a star, or at least star-like, at the absolute minimum.

The A’s have been doubted before and skeptics are already surfacing for the purposes of dropping frustration Beane’s way again. How do the A’s always seem to prove doubters wrong and end up contending in a seemingly inexplicable manner? Because guys like Josh Reddick step up and surprise. It’s happened in Oakland before. Now it’s Reddick’s turn to add his chapter to the narrative.

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