It is entirely possible that the Oakland Athletics do lose 22 more games and finish their last season in the Bay Area with an 100-loss year. I don't think it's going to happen, but it very well could. I think everyone's prepared for it, especially the fans, and especially John Fisher. And those last two walk-off losses against the Rangers would certainly indicate that it is something that could happen. But...the weird thing about this A's team, and this is something that I could tell when I saw them play the Phillies...they're actually close to good this year.
Like, last year you couldn't point to anyone on the A's and go 'there is a foundational member of an A's regime'. Now, well you've got Brent Rooker, J.J. Bleday, Lawrence Butler, Mason Miller, Shea Langeliers, hell even J.P. Sears looks like he may end up with a positive W/L ratio this year. These guys are people I can point to are going 'yes, those are Oakland Athletics star players'. That wasn't there last year. Multiple A's have sported three homer games. Langeliers and Butler. One was against the hometown team. Brent Rooker is very close to a 35+ homer year, as well as a 100+ RBI year.
And you can also tell the pitching staff is up to something because, while you can't exactly point to a concrete starting five of the future, you're seeing a whole unit of people that can hop in and start while also providing long relief assurance. Right now they're going with Sears-Estes-Spence-Bido-Ginn, and while, yes, that leaves out people like Ross Stripling, Joe Boyle and Hogan Harris...there's a reason they're still on the major league roster. Harris has been a great swingman this year. Boyle I think just needs some shorter outings to refine his stuff, cause he could be great. Meanwhile, Osvaldo Bido has been a big surprise as a starter, as he's gone 4-3 with a 3.79 ERA in 8 starts, a refreshing turn of events for a guy the Pirates gave up on last year. Bido isn't the out-and-out phenom that somebody like Miller or Estes is, but he's very efficient and he's a piece they could build on going forward. Same with Spence and Estes, two people who've been great as starters this year and can be useful even when there's not room for them. And J.T. Ginn already seems to be impressing people in the majors, and might be a solid starting option going forward.
Y'see this? Answers. Actual answers going into the following season. Actual ways this team could improve over the coming years, even if they're not in Oakland. This was not here last year. Against all odds, the Athletics improved, figured out what worked, and are building something slowly. I don't know if they'll still have a lot of this by the time the Vegas stadium opens, but hopefully they'll bring some momentum with them as they leave the Coliseum.
Coming Tonight: The Giants have both Rogers brothers, and somehow this guy is the reliever who's turning the most heads this year.
for shaked
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