Return of “Spiderman”? Is Oakland’s Josh Reddick Already Having a Comeback Year?

It’s a Wednesday and the first game of the Cactus League between the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants has just ended.  Oakland won the game 10-5 over their cross bay rivals. The high score and A’s 16 hits, however, aren’t the only topics of conversation.  Josh Reddick‘s name is on everyone’s lips.

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Reddick is the right fielder for the Oakland Athletics. He scaled a ten-foot wall, not once but twice, to rob the same Giants’ hitter, Michael Morse, of two home runs. Many in the media were already calling Reddick’s first home run robbing catch the “Catch of the Year” and the top web gems of the season after only the first day of spring training games. Regarding the catch fellow A’s outfielder Sam Fuld said,

“The first one he made was the best play I’ve ever seen, on the field or as a fan or anywhere. Best play I’ve ever seen live, and then it just got wacky with the second one. You’ll never see that ever again.”

He also went 1-3 on the day with a RBI. Not bad for a guy who had a very disappointing 2013 campaign.

Reddick had a breakout year in 2012. He belted 32 home runs, 29 doubles, five triples and drove in 85 RBI. His batting average that season was a decent .242. He was famous for scaling the outfield walls and making astonishing catches. Those catches earned Reddick the nickname “Spiderman” and the 2012 American League Gold Glove Award for right field.

In 2013 everyone expected more of the same from Reddick but he began the season in an offensive slump. He batted a miserable .226 on the year and his slugging percentage plummeted from .463 to .379. He hit just 12 home runs in 385 at-bats with 25% of those home runs coming in a single game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 9th. Despite struggling offensively and playing in only 114 games for the Athletics in 2013, Reddick’s stellar defense did not suffer. He was in the running to win a second consecutive Gold Glove but lost out to the Boston Red Sox’s Shane Victorino. Yet, the swift decline in his offensive production disappointed the team, the media, the fans and of course Reddick himself.

It should be noted that Reddick suffered a wrist injury while playing a series in Houston in early April of 2013. He played through the “sprain” all season and eventually spent two separate stints on the disabled list. After the season it was revealed that Reddick’s wrist would require surgery to repair damaged tissue. He underwent the surgery in October and showed up, as predicted by his surgeon Dr. Mark Belky claiming to be 100% healthy at the A’s spring training camp last month. Reddick told the San Jose Mercury News that he wanted to just put 2013 behind him and move forward.

The question that really remains is this: Was Reddick’s 2012 offensive campaign a fluke, or was it simply the wrist injury that caused him to backslide in 2013? The Athletics and their fans are certainly hoping for, and now proclaiming, the latter, that the wrist injury impeded his swing and caused the dramatic drop in his numbers.

Gregory Bull, AP

A week and seven games (five games for Reddick) it appears that the offensive and defensive “Spiderman” has returned. Reddick had two hits, a single and a double in his second game against the Milwaukee Brewers and now has six hits in 13 at-bats. He’s hitting .461 and has shown off his superb defensive ability. Of course there is no guarantee that he will remain on this pace. Obviously he will not hit .461 on the year, but if he can maintain a .250-.300 batting average and belt out even just 20 homers, it will benefit the Athletics immensely. They do not have a proven power hitter yet. Even though left fielder Yoenis Cespedes won the Home Run Derby last season, he failed to show that kind of production day-to-day, especially in the post season.

The A’s have won the last two American League Western Division titles and are hungry for their third, possibly more.  It’s too early to call if Reddick’s wrist caused all of his issues in, what was a dismal, 2013. If, however, his production during this first week of play is any indication, then Oakland can, at least, say that their “Spiderman” looks as if he is going to make a big comeback in 2014.

For more MLB News and Updates Follow, OPSN MLB Correspondent, Jen Rainwater @OakAsSocksGrl on Twitter.