Right now, the A's are in fourth, but they've managed to pull some organizational growth that a lot of people weren't expecting. Andrew Triggs, Jesse Hahn and Jharel Cotton are pitching like pros in a rotation that was basically just 'Sonny Gray and 4 other people' a few years ago. Yonder Alonso is having the best MLB season of his career, and this is 4 years after San Diego gave up on him as a power hitter. Ryon Healy is finally coming back into his own, and Khris Davis is still smashing home runs.
So, with all this positive energy, how come they're not in first, like the similarly rebuilding Reds?
Well...the division's a little different. Instead of the NL Central, where a good portion of the division is on the same page, there's a definite frontrunner in the AL West, and that's the Houston Astros. They're amazing this year, and have been making very few mistakes. Beneath them, you have the Angels, who're just stepping off their April spike, and the Mariners, who are beginning to rise in momentum. And then you have the A's.
I actually think the A's are going to grow a bit this month, do better in the standings. I don't think the Mariners are going to stay good for this long, thanks to James Paxton getting injured, and I think the Angels are beginning to lose steam as well. The A's, if they begin to get to equilibrium and fight for it, could build on the youth movement and start attacking the standings.
It's a nice thing to think about, but hopefully it'll happen.
Coming Tomorrow- A first baseman for a team that used to be the best...and is playing like the worst this year.
As an A's fan... I don't have very high expectations. But it was definitely exciting to see those three walkoff wins.
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