One of the most underrated hitters in Major League Baseball is A’s shortstop Marcus Semien simply as he plays one on of the most anonymous teams in the majors. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Semien’s and Oakland’s 2020 MLB season – assuming there is one – and an overview.
Marcus Semien Awards Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season
- AL MVP Award: Semien is +2800
- Odds to win AL West: A’s are +250
Every team makes a few bad trades over the years, but the Chicago White Sox really blew it when after the 2014 season, they traded Semien, Chris Bassitt, Rangel Ravelo, and Josh Phegley to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa. Then again, no one could have foreseen how good Semien would become.
He showed signs of stardom in 2018 when Semien batted .255 with 15 home runs and 14 stolen bases. On defense he led the major leagues in assists, with 459. He was one of three finalists for a Gold Glove at shortstop in the American League, marking drastic defensive improvement from his previous seasons.
It all came together last year as Semien batted .285/.369/.522 with 33 home runs and led the major leagues with 747 plate appearances. The plate appearances were the most in Athletics history and the most in the majors since Rickie Weeks had 754 for Milwaukee in 2010. Semien finished 3rd in voting for the American League MVP, and was again named one of three finalists for the Gold Glove. The home runs were second most in Athletics history by a shortstop to Miguel Tejada’s 34 in 2002. The RBI were sixth most.
Overall, Semien finished in the top five in Oakland history in eight different categories. He scored 123 runs, which tied the Oakland record set by Reggie Jackson in 1969. He also tied the record for games played (162). Semien ranked second in at bats (657), third in extra base hits (83), tied for third in hits (187) and total bases (343), tied for fourth in doubles (43) and fifth in multiple hit games (53).
also ranked second in the American League in total bases, third in runs, doubles and extra base hits, fifth in hits, tied for fifth in triples (7), sixth in walks (87), tied for seventh in multiple hit games and ninth in plate appearances per strikeout (7.32).
In Major League history, the only players to equal or surpass his totals in runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, walks and stolen bases in the same season are Babe Ruth (1921, 23) and Lou Gehrig (1927).
was one of five players in the majors in 2019 to appear in each of his team’s games and played all but 30 innings at shortstop. He has a consecutive games played streak of 243 dating back to June 28, 2018 (all starts) and has played all but 37 innings at short over that span. His consecutive games started streak is second longest in Oakland history while the consecutive games played streak is fourth best.
Defensively in 2019, Semien led AL shortstops in fielding percentage (.981), total chances (634), assists (436) and double plays (85) and ranked second in putouts (186).
This offseason, Semien and the A’s avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $13 million contract, which more than doubles his salary from last season. Semien has informed the Athletics that he’s interested in a long-term contract extension, but the A’s probably can’t afford him after 2020. Semien is a native of the Bay Area and loyal to the Athletics’ franchise that gave him his big break, but money talks.
