Brandon Moss is the Key to the Athletics Offense in 2015

Sep 30, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brandon Moss (37) hits a three-run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning of the 2014 American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

As of right now, this minute, Billy Beane hasn’t done anything Billy Beane-esque this offseason. With expectations for 2015 in flux, let’s go with what we know. We can assume that Coco Crisp will be at the top of the lineup, Josh Donaldson (by all reports, he hasn’t been traded) will man the three-spot, and Brandon Moss will be the one to protect Donaldson. This is why a healthy and productive Moss is the key to a productive A’s lineup in 2015.

Before the All-Star break, Moss was on a tear, batting .268, with a .348 on-base percentage, while slugging 21 homers with 66 rbi. After the break, Moss took a nose dive. In the last couple of months, the lefty hit just .179, with four home runs (none from July 25th to September 14th), and 15 rbi. It was truly a tale of two seasons for Moss.

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It came to light late in the season that the slugger was dealing with a right hip injury, that resulted in so much torn cartilage that there was some bone-on-bone issues, according to Susan Slusser. Moss showed in the Wild Card game that he was able to bear the pain one game at a time, going 2-for-5 with two home runs and five rbi, but we can’t expect that kind of production from Moss over the course of a full season unless he is completely healthy.

A healthy Brandon Moss is a fearsome challenge to the opposition, and slotting him behind Donaldson would make it so that opposing pitchers are unable to pitch around the A’s best hitter. With questions circling Coco Crisp’s health, and age, the A’s need a new engine for their offense, and it will likely be Donaldson if Crisp’s numbers continue to decline.

No great team can rely on one hitter to carry an entire offense and hope to succeed. A repaired Brandon Moss will be crucial to the success of the Oakland Athletics in 2015. That is, barring a trade this offseason.