The Oakland Athletics appear to be baseball’s darkhorse team this season.
Don’t look now, but the upstart Oakland Athletics are in great position to make the postseason. GM Billy Beane (despite all of his detractors) has again built a contending, fun-to-watch, mix of seasoned veterans and blossoming youth.
As of August 23, this team is 25 games over .500, only one game behind the Houston Astros for the AL West lead. Oakland also has a comfortable 4 ½ game lead for the 2nd Wild Card spot and it’s on the Yankees’ heels for the primary Wild Card position.
But who are these guys? I challenge the average baseball fan to name three players in the A’s current starting lineup. No matter, though, Oakland is ready for October baseball!
But what’s the key driving force behind the A’s emergence?
Davis (photo, mercurynews.com)
Let’s start with offense. After three putrid seasons (two of which were 90+ loss campaigns), this year’s push is propelled by offense.
While none of the regulars holds a .300 average, the A’s have thrived on extra-base hits and long balls. They rank in the MLB Top 10 in HRs, doubles, runs scored, slugging, and OPS. Wow!
The offense is led by Khris Davis, who has crushed an AL-leading 38 homers and is 2nd in RBIs with 102. And eight of Oakland’s nine regular players have hit double figures in HRs. 1B Matt Olson and 2B Jed Lowrie have contributed significantly to Oakland’s power surge.
But while Oakland can put runs on the board, its starting rotation is non-descript. In fact, the A’s don’t have a starter you’d call ‘exceptional.’ The ‘ace’ of the staff, Sean Manaea, is only 11-9. But Manaea does have a respectable 3.70 ERA and he also has impeccable control (walking 31 walks in 155 innings).
Familia (photo, sny.tv)
The rest of the staff includes uber-journeyman Edwin Jackson and Brett Anderson (both of whom were free agent signings), Trevor Cahil, and recently acquired Mike Fiers. None of those guys can be classified as a “stopper,” but (as a group) they’ve been lights out in August with an outstanding 2.18 ERA as a group.
But Oakland did make tremendous strides in one pitching department–relief. The A’s acquired Jeurys Familia, Fernando Rodney, and Shawn Kelley. Merging those guys with All-Star closer Blake Treinen and stellar setup man, Lou Trivino, is a recipe for success.
But here’s the thing. While the A’s are definitely in a position to make the playoffs, I don’t view them as a serious World Series contender. The reason is starting pitching.
But make no mistake about one thing: the Oakland A’s will be a tough draw in October.
Look out!
