MLB has not been the same this year. Things have had a different look to them ever since the offseason. The Phillies, Mariners, and the Brewers have been somewhat of a surprise this season. It turns out the Oakland Athletics are also a surprise in this year’s Major League madhouse.
Not Their Usual Spot
The Athletics sit in third place of the A.L West. They are seven and a half games away from the division leading Houston Astros. While the lead seems out of reach given the Astros’ performance, they still sit high in another standing. The A’s find themselves in third place from a Wild Card spot just two and a half games away from the Seattle Mariners.
This is certainly a different scenario for the Athletics as they have not been this close to postseason baseball in quite some time. They hold a record of 58-43 and have won eight of their last ten, including a current six-game winning streak. A year ago they had a 44-54 record by this on the calendar, not to mention they were not even close to a Wild Card spot.
All Hands On Deck
Not only are these A’s winning more games than in previous years, but they are also playing better. They are led offensively by infielder Matt Olson, designated hitter Khris Davis, and veteran second baseman Jed Lowrie. Not only that, but they are putting numbers on the board that we were only used to seeing from them by the end of the season. The leading trio have 49, 67, and 62 RBI respectively.
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The Athletics are pretty solid on defense too. Pitching has really shined during the season compared to previous years. Their starter pitchers have not allowed all that many runs, they have kept a consistently low ERA, and have not allowed many long balls. They have done a solid job so far this season, nonetheless, Sean Manaea made a highlight with the first A’s no hitter since 2010.
Throwing Moneyball To The Trash
Trading for prospects is not a priority for the Athletics this year. They seem to have abandoned their usual Moneyball philosophy of trading for future major leaguers. Now they are doing exactly the opposite. The A’s recently traded for former Mets’ closer Jeurys Familia in exchange for two prospects and cash. Not only that, but they are interested in acquiring Detroit’s Mike Fiers according to reports.
Walking A Fine Line
The Oakland Athletics certainly have a different look to the as the second half of season starts to unveil. They play differently, they trade differently, they have a different record. The Elephants are even selling out the Oakland Coliseum. However, it could all come down to crashing at the end of the day.
For starters, there is still a long way to go before postseason baseball arrives. A lot can happen in two months. The Elephants have to keep swimming, otherwise, they could still drown and sink to the bottom of the Wild Card standings. Above all, since winning the division looks out of reach for Oakland, they will lay everything on the line if they in fact make it to the AL Wild Card game. Margin for error is more than slim for Bob Melvin’s boys.
Bottom Lime:
Yes, the 2018 Oakland Athletics are legitimate contenders to make it into postseason baseball.