Special Edition: Mid-season mixed feelings
I think I've been lying on my well-A-meter for the past week and a half. While the 'meter gauges my day-to-day feelings about the A's and it's usually tempered by the current win or loss, I've been somewhat negative about the team as a whole. They simply don't look like World Series contenders to me.
There, I've said it. This doesn't mean, however, I won't continue to root for the A's.
And it's one thing to win a World Series and quite another thing altogether to win a division.
Back in 2004, when we didn't make the post-season for the first time in four years, I was so disappointed that I learned something about being a fan. I've now become someone who's happy if the team exhibits a degree of excellence that gets them a playoff berth year after year.
I'd be content to follow a team that's consistently good as the seasons pass, rather than follow a "one-hit wonder" such as the 2001 Diamondbacks or the 2003 Marlins and feel miserable for years afterwards.
The 2006 A's have a pretty good chance of winning the AL West race. I think we're getting back on track of being perennial playoff contenders. I won't think about anything beyond the AL West Championship. That's all I want for the A's for the time being.
We're at the All-Star break with only 54% of the season's games played, and the A's are in first place.
What do you think about that A's at this point? Come on, let's talk about it. Don't be shy.
There, I've said it. This doesn't mean, however, I won't continue to root for the A's.
And it's one thing to win a World Series and quite another thing altogether to win a division.
Back in 2004, when we didn't make the post-season for the first time in four years, I was so disappointed that I learned something about being a fan. I've now become someone who's happy if the team exhibits a degree of excellence that gets them a playoff berth year after year.
I'd be content to follow a team that's consistently good as the seasons pass, rather than follow a "one-hit wonder" such as the 2001 Diamondbacks or the 2003 Marlins and feel miserable for years afterwards.
The 2006 A's have a pretty good chance of winning the AL West race. I think we're getting back on track of being perennial playoff contenders. I won't think about anything beyond the AL West Championship. That's all I want for the A's for the time being.
We're at the All-Star break with only 54% of the season's games played, and the A's are in first place.
What do you think about that A's at this point? Come on, let's talk about it. Don't be shy.
3 Comments:
If Rich Harden comes back and pitches like the ace of the staff, I think the A's can make a strong showing in September and become a genuine threat to go all the way. The defense is solid and the offense should be more productive than they have been in the past week.
The way the Angels finished the 1st half of the season leads me to believe that they're Oakland's main competition in the AL West. One final note; Oakland is fortunate to be in the AL West where there are only four teams. That means they have to outplay only three other teams. That's a significant advantage compared to other divisions where you have to outplay four or more opponents to win the division.
Enjoy the All-Star break!
I'm a baseball addict. The all-star break is torture. Silence on the airwaves or worse, jackass ramblings of various announcers. Now that the World Cup is over, I guess I'll be listening (listening?!) to reports of the Tour de France to tide me over.
As someone who started out an A's fan in my teenage years during the reign of the Bash Brothers, my loyalty to the team is firmly rooted in something more than just what they do this season. It's the same thing that draws Cubs fans back to their seats year after disappointing year -- yes, the hope is that the team will go all the way, but I'm really there to enjoy baseball, watch my players grow, and hopefully catch an extraordinary play here and there. Being a baseball fan with the main goal of seeing my team win the World Series is a bit like buying a lottery ticket. The odds just aren't in my favor. But being a fan to enjoy the experience - the joy of victory, the agony of defeat - it's better than reality TV any day.
Statistically, the A's are a decidedly mediocre team, but plenty of teams that fit that description (for their era) have been successful.
On offense, the A's lack power at the infield and outfield corners and the middle fielders are not compensating for that this year as they have in the past.
On defense, only Chavez is excellent and only Kotsay and Ellis rate above average. The good thing about the A's defense is that they have no clear liabilities.
If Harden returns healthy, the A's pitching matches up with any staff in the league. Without him, they are still only a notch below the best.
So what does that portend for the second half of the season? If Bradley and Harden return and are productive, the A's have every reason to expect to be playing in October, perhaps even late in October.
Otherwise, it'll be nip-and-tuck to hold off the Angels and the Mariners.
But I'd rather be leading the division than trailing it. :)
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