Oakland Athletics: Sonny Gray and Rich Hill Must Be Leaders In Starting Rotation

Even though the Oakland Athletics’ bullpen is full of experienced veterans, the starting rotation will contain numerous rookie arms. Out of the five starters, it is predicted that there will be at least three players who only have one year or less of starting pitching experience in the big leagues. This applies to youngsters Jesse Hahn, Kendall Graveman, and Chris Bassitt, who are all part of the A’s starting five on their current depth chart.

The remaining two starting pitchers, Sonny Gray and Rich Hill, will need to become the veteran leaders in the rotation this upcoming season to help these less-experienced starters grow. For Gray, it is kind of silly to think of him as a veteran since he is only 26 years old. But, with two full MLB seasons under his belt, he has more experience than the majority of the rotation. 

Additionally, not only will Gray need to be a mentor to the less-experienced pitchers, but he will also physically lead the rotation by filling the No. 1 starting spot. Every fifth day, the Oakland Athletics will give him the ball and expect him to perform well. He will need to be consistent and show dominance while on the mound in order to set a good example for the rest of the rotation.

Thankfully, Gray has already shown leadership qualities in the past. Graveman spoke to the media in late January and said that Gray has been their leader in previous seasons and he will continue to fill that role in 2016.  

Hill, on the other hand, will need to prove that he can be a leader in the clubhouse. Luckily, Hill can provide many of the young pitchers with veteran advice since he has been throwing in the big leagues for ten years now. However, he will also need to lead by example.

Unfortunately for Hill, he has not consistently pitched as a starter since 2009. So, it is unclear as to if he will succeed or fail as a starting pitcher this upcoming season with the Oakland Athletics. If Hill does struggle, he will need to demonstrate maturity and maintain a positive attitude in order to continue to be that veteran leader in the rotation. If Hill’s attitude takes a turn for the worst when going through a rough patch, he will lose the respect of his fellow starters.

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Besides being starting pitchers in the MLB, Gray and Hill will also have to take on the leadership role in the starting rotation. Since bad team chemistry plagued the roster last year, much of this upcoming season will be focused on positive attitudes, clubhouse leaders, and widespread camaraderie. Gray and Hill will be big factors in making sure the starting rotation comes together as a well-oiled machine.