Elephant Rumblings: Miller seen as top ROY contender

MLB news roundup

Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!

Had enough of Mason Miller yet? Yeah, me either.

Jim Bowden at The Athletic ranks Miller as the top rookie in the American League. Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic cited an anonymous source within the A’s organization that potential suitors are already calling about Miller, but no offer has yet been made that comes close to the A’s asking price. JToster has more details and analysis right here on AN.

All I can say is that watching Miller pitch has been the best part of this final season of Oakland A’s baseball so far, and if he gets traded I will likely cry and definitely flip the nearest table.

The A’s were a bit unlucky in the Draft Lottery and only got the sixth pick last year despite being the worst team in baseball. The team chose Jacob Wilson, an infielder with elite contact skills but limited power that many thought made a dud of the A’s top pick. But Wilson, who was just promoted to Triple-A, is absolutely crushing his way through the minors and thus far proving the doubters wrong. Garrett Spain goes in depth on how the A’s top prospect is looking like a wise pick so far.

When the A’s declined to make a competitive offer to extend Marcus Semien after the 2020 season, some saw it as signaling the closing of the competitive window that opened up in 2018. In fact, the A’s failed to make the playoffs in 2021 and fellow core members Matt Olson and Matt Chapman followed Semien out the door after that anticlimactic season.

It’s easy to imagine that Semien, a Bay Area native who expressed a desire to remain rooted where he came up, took a dim view of the direction owner John Fisher was taking the A’s. And I’m pretty sure these comments confirm it.

If the irony of Marcus’s comments isn’t registering, Jason Burke at SI.com has some context for you.

Have a wonderful weekend, AN.

A’s Coverage:

• Mason Miller drawing trade interest, A’s demanding huge return
• Jacob Wilson is proving the Athletics right
• Ranking the top 10 rookies in the American League, an early ROY race no one expected ($)
• Athletics Outright Lázaro Armenteros
• Did Texas Rangers Second Baseman Poke Fun at A’s Owner John Fisher?

MLB News & Interest:

• The making of Paul Skenes, a ‘one in a decade’ kind of pitcher
• Why top hitting prospects are having a harder transition to the majors than in the past ($)
• Catcher’s interference calls are skyrocketing in MLB. It’s putting players at risk ($)
• Once an MLB bust, Travis Snider now hopes to change youth sports’ toxic culture ($)
• The most surprising developments for each team
• 3 new arms enter the SP Power Rankings
• Giants get reality check on miserable road trip: Better days might not come ($)
• Giants to launch Willie Mays popup exhibit on Monday across from Oracle Park ($)
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Jake’s first AAA XBH.

Tarnok’s rehab off to a good start.

Remembering Braden’s perfecto.

From paper route wages to...almost minimum wage!