Dr. Oakland & Mr. Athletic
If I’ve learned anything from this Major League season so far, it’s this undeniable fact…
…never predict anything about the Oakland Athletics.
Before the season began, I remember a conversation that I had with a friend of mine that went a bit like this:
Friend: So, who do you like in the AL this year?
Me: I really like Detroit, you don’t get two better mashers in the middle of a lineup like Cabrera and Fielder, but my money has to be on Texas to represent the AL in the World Series.
Friend: Really?!? Oakland won the AL West! They’ll win it again this year.
Me: I don’t think so. Last year was one of those magical runs that they seem to produce about once every three years. They don’t normally duplicate it though.
In spring training I had the notion that Oakland would play middle-of-the-pack baseball and finish somewhere around .500, in the range of 80-85 wins, miss the playoffs, and largely come back to Earth from winning the AL West a season ago. Then the season began and Oakland won 9 of their first 11 en route to starting 12-4. They were tearing the cover off of the ball and leading the AL in most power numbers. Mad Mr. Athletic was making me look like a total idiot.
In fact, I gave them the “seal of approval” in an article here on AFR Sports. On May 2nd, I said, “The Oakland Athletics are playing the role of overachieving upstart once again…” In my mind, I had turned the corner mentally and was ready to give my blessing. Then, anyone wearing green and gold managed to get injured in one way or another. CF Coco Crisp, LF Yoenis Cespedes, RF Josh Reddick, DH Chris Young, have all suffered injuries in the last month, plus the A’s lost 2B Scott Sizemore for the season with a torn ACL. In case you’re keeping score at home, that’s five of the starting nine. Oakland’s offense went into a nosedive, the power numbers dried up, and meek Dr. Oakland reappeared, as the team proceeded to lose 18 of 26 during a month long stretch from April 18th to May 16th.
Once again, I looked like a dummy. I thought Oakland was going into the tank for the year. I even conceded the division to Texas in a May 9th article, also here on AFR Sports. Then right when you didn’t expect it, Mr. Athletic showed up again.
Except this time, the A’s are still battling injuries, the power numbers have not picked up, and yet they’re in the midst of 11-1 winning streak. The streak has the feel of an Oakland miracle happening again. They’ve played 5 one-run games in the stretch…and won all of them. They’ve trimmed a 7 game deficit in the AL West down to 2 games.
This time however, I won’t be fooled. So I’m going to predict…absolutely nothing.
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