Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!
July was the A’s first winning month in two years, thanks in no small part to monster performances from Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker. They were both among the very best in MLB last month and have figured prominently in Player of the Month discussions.
So how likely is it that an Athletic will get AL POTM honors for July, and which of Butler or Rooker is more deserving?
Per Fangraphs, both A’s were equally valuable at 2.0 wins above replacement. Rooker was slightly better at the plate with a wRC+ of 253 compared to Butler’s mark of 237, but Law’s defensive value deserves some consideration.