The Oakland Athletics have struggled at the start of the 2023 season. And to make things better, it was announced that the team will be moving to Las Vegas in the near future. Tony Kemp is in his fourth season with the A’s and our MLBbro had a rough start to the season. During the month of April, he had a span where he went 0-for-23.
It’s a tough feeling when you go multiple games without a hit, and it just keeps happening. But for Kemp, he doesn’t let that phase him one bit.
He’s going to continue to step out on that field day in and day out and give it his all. That’s the type of player you want to have on your team and it’s a big reason why Kemp continues to play. Kemp ended his 0-for-23 streak by launching his first home run of the season on April 21 against the Texas Rangers.
When you’re struggling at the plate, all you can do is keep swinging. And that’s exactly what Kemp did when he belted that home run to right field. Through 23 games, he’s hitting .167 with two doubles and seven RBI. This brother has been in the league since 2016 and he’s played on winning teams, so he knows what success looks like.
When he joined the team in 2020 during the shortened season, the A’s made it to the American League Division Series and lost to the Houston Astros 3-1.
The next season the A’s finished with a winning record but failed to make the postseason. Last season was one to forget for Oakland as they finished 42 games below .500. And it looks like the struggles have carried onto this season for the A’s, but players like Kemp aren’t giving up.
Kemp Knows How To Make An Impact No Matter What Team He Is On
When Kemp first entered the league, he had the opportunity to be a part of a Houston Astros team that went on to win a World Series. Being a part of a World Series team in your second season is something that you won’t forget and that success is contagious. Kemp was a part of a winning culture during his brief time in Houston and was a vital player on the field and in the clubhouse.
Fast forward to the present and Kemp has that experience and winning tradition that he brings to Oakland. The 31-year-old was born to be a leader. Listed at 5-foot-6, Kemp has had to work 10 times harder to make sure he got his shot to play at the next level. And all he needed was an opportunity and he got that. The way he plays and carries himself is commendable and he’s a good example of what a team player looks like.
You better believe that as the season continues, Kemp is going to keep playing hard and show why he’s a key player on this A’s team. Even if Oakland finishes last in the division, Kemp will go out there and play each game like it’s his last.
LOS ANGELES – To the Oakland Athletics: it’s time to give this Bro a chance.
The Oakland A’s are 1-9 in their last 10 games, and are 3-12 overall. Something needs to change to get a new spark going for this team to finally start winning. The good news for the A’s is that they have that spark to get them going in their farm system, and his name is Lawrence Butler.
The first baseman/outfielder tore it up during spring training, having a .478/.556/.870 slashline, with one home run, and 10 RBI.
He also had four doubles, a triple, and stole two bases while only striking out four times in his 12 spring training appearances, showing his electric style that baseball fans were impressed to see.
“He’s fun. He’s got the tools. It’s taken him a little while to put it together. Any time you’re a high school guy, it takes a little while to get acclimated. He’s big, physical and mature now. He’s got the tools to play” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told MLB.com back in February.
So far, Butler has started the season with the A’s Double-A affiliate, the Midland RockHounds. In seven games, he’s batted .233, with no home runs, three RBI, an on-base percentage of .303, and a slugging percentage of .333.
Butler was drafted out of Westlake High School in Atlanta, and was picked by the A’s in the sixth round with the 173rd selection back in 2018. He’s been in the minor leagues ever since, as he has slowly but surely been improving and getting promoted to higher leagues.
Oakland believes in Butler
At the end of the 2022 season, Lawrence was selected by the team to be a part of the 40-man roster in order to avoid him being eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, which allows other teams to select non-40-man roster players from other teams. The A’s clearly believe in Butler, because they were taking no chances on another team snagging the blossoming talent.
Why Not Bring Lawrence Butler Up To The A’s?
There was a chance that Butler could have possibly made the opening day roster after having that outstanding spring training, but a dislocated elbow during last year’s campaign limited him to 84 minor league games. If he had played a full season, maybe he would have gotten the chance to play in the bigs, but instead, the A’s may feel that he needs a bit more seasoning in the minors to make up for the missed time.
Oakland is expected to be one of the worst teams in all of the MLB this season, so what do they have to lose by calling up Butler.
He’s currently rated by MLB as the ninth-best prospect in the A’s organization. If they aren’t competing for a championship, then it would do some good to give their young guys some experience and get a taste of the show and their fans some cause for excitement. Butler fits that bill.
Plus, it can give A’s fans hope that even though their team is struggling now, the future does look bright.
As the once proud franchise looks to reload and rebuild, having just won 97 games in 2019, Oakland brass knows that with the crop of raw, fresh talent they have assembled in their elite farm system, 2023 could be the beginning of a new era of excellence.
A handful of the highly touted prospects in the A’s organization have been included on the spring training roster to gain experience at the Big League level and start preparing for the future. One newbie of note for the mlbbro.com audience is rookie Lawrence Butler — the organization’s No.17 ranked prospect and rising — who got to showcase his skills on Monday in a 7-3 spring training loss to the Colorado Rockies.
The multi-talented sixth-round pick by the A’s in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Westlake High School in Atlanta, went 2-for-2, first breaking up a no-hitter in the seventh with a double that produced a thundering exit velocity of 111 mph and then flexing that big stick energy with an oppo taco solo job to left in the ninth.
Other top prospects who were invited to A’s camp this spring, include catcher Tyler Soderstrom, the organizations No.1 prospect, Zack Gelof (No. 3), Denzel Clarke (No. 13), Max Muncy (No. 8) and Daniel Susac (No. 4).
“It’s been pretty good just being around the big league guys,” Butler told MLB.com. “Getting to talk to some of them and pick their brain about things we wonder about in the Minor Leagues all the time. I’m having a lot of fun up here.”
Butler Is Looking To Continue His Hot Hitting
Butler, 22, is moving up the MLB pipeline at a nice pace. After a highly productive stint with High-A Lansing in 2022 in which he posted an .825 OPS with 11 homers, 19 doubles, 41 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 81 games, Butler put in some time in the Arizona Fall League and was promoted to the club’s 40-man roster in the offseason.
In 287 minor league games Butler has 153 RBI, 46 steals, 35 homers and 388 K’s, which he will have to cut down on at the next level. Overall, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound centerfielder possess a skill set that translates well to the pros and the brand of ball that Oakland plays.
MLBbros Led Oakland A’s To Past Championships
Also in Butler’s favor, is Oakland has a rich history of MLBbros leading the way to championships.
The great Reggie Jackson led the Oakland A’s Dynasty to three straight World Series rings in the 1970s (’72-’74), winning a league MVP and World Series MVP in 1973. Rickey Henderson‘s second Oakland stint produced back-to-back World Series appearances. In 1989, Rickey led Oakland to the championship and in 1990 he won the AL MVP. Black Ace Dave Stewart was a huge part of that ’89 team. In fact, “Smoke” was the World Series MVP.
There’s a youth movement going down in Oakland and they are providing a sneak peek into the future this spring. The #MLBbro Butler is producing, it might be sooner rather than later that you see him roaming the outfield on an everyday basis for the big club.
The melanated mound marauder they called “Smoke” was a four-time 20-game winner, a two-time ALCS MVP, a World Series MVP, and a three-time World Series champion and one of 15 Black Aces in MLB history.
It’s been a disappointing year for the Oakland Athletics. With one of the worst records in all of baseball, there seems to be no excitement in Oakland. But while the A’s have struggled throughout the season, Tony Kemp has been one of the most consistent players on the team.
On Sunday, the A’s snapped a 10-game losing streak, defeating the Cleveland Guardians 10-5. Kemp played a significant role in the win as he went 2-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored.
This could be the turnaround the A’s need and Kemp can certainly play a big role as the team looks to turn things around. Kemp got off to a solid start to begin the season and cooled off a little bit at the beginning of May, but then picked things back up.
Through 56 games, Kemp is second on the team in batting average hitting .234. That says a lot right there about the team’s struggles on offense, but Kemp is doing everything he can to provide a spark in the A’s lineup.
Our MLBbro has recorded a hit in five of his last seven games, definitely a good sign for the A’s.
Kemp has already proven he’s a leader on the field and in the dugout, something he’s done throughout his career. The 30-year-old has had success in this league, winning a World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017.
Even though he did not play during the Astros World Series run, he was still a part of the team and got to experience that championship atmosphere.
Winning is contagious and when you experience it at the highest level, that’s a feeling you won’t forget. And for Kemp, he brought that winning mentality over to the A’s when he joined the team in 2020.
There’s no question he’s been one of the top players on this team and he has continued to show why he should be an everyday player.
He had one of the best seasons of his career in 2021. Kemp had career-highs in batting average (.279), slugging percentage (.418), hits (92), and RBI (37).
That season really set Kemp up for a future with the A’s. He signed a one-year contract with the team for the 2022 season and if he can continue to be consistent, the A’s will have to consider keeping him around.
This is a player you want on your team because he can be effective at the plate and on the field. His versatility allows him to play anywhere on the field and he has a high baseball IQ.
Our MLBbro can go on to have a long and productive career and right now he’s not showing any signs of slowing down.
As the season progresses, look for Kemp to continue to provide that consistency in the A’s lineup. This brother is a competitor and always gives full effort out there on that field.
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