Oakland A’s Player Profile: AJ Puk

To say AJ Puk is a character is an understatement akin to saying Yogi Bear only kinda likes picnic baskets. He’s a lanky, 6’7”, 220-pound Iowan who looks like he’s going to tumble over himself when he unwinds his elongated delivery, his cape of bright hair splaying out behind him. He’s a lefty, and he was pumping out heat in the mid-90’s through college. On top of that, Puk has tied himself with Ed Ott and Ed Hug for shortest name in MLB (as long as you’re going by the names they used while playing, as people with record-breakingly-short given names probably don’t try to make it to the Majors just to win a goofy honor).

All that, and he’s been a top-ranked prospect since his time at college.…