The Oakland Athletics Should Celebrate a Postseason Berth
By Jason Burke
Sep 1, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter
Adam Dunn(10) celebrates in the dugout after a two run home against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Following a win against the Texas Rangers on Friday night, the Oakland Athletics saw their magic number fall to one. One win, or one Seattle loss will push the A’s into the postseason. Many fans are saying the Oakland Athletics should not celebrate this measly consolation prize, the wild card game, with the team limping worse than Josh Donaldson heading into October, and I get that. But here are a few counterarguments.
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The first is the most obvious. Adam Dunn. The Donkey has yet to reach postseason play in his thirteen year career. He has never bathed in champagne, lit up a stogie and regretted everything the next day. Well, not in reference to making the postseason. He may very well have been practicing.
Taking away a celebration like this from someone of the caliber of Dunn would be a mistake. The baseball gods are already angry at us, let’s not push our luck.
That leads me in to reason number two. A celebration is a release. After these past two months, and after losing Yoenis Cespedes, it would be important for this team to let loose a little. Champagne showers could exorcise the demons of August and September, and propel them deep into October.
It would also be a celebration that this group of guys, can in fact, do this without La Potencia. Yes, they had a big lead to work with and they have all but squandered it, but if the Oakland Athletics do clinch, it will be the first time since 2006 that they’ve made the playoffs without Cespedes.
Lastly, we’ve all been a little hard on these guys as of late. Our optimism has been tested, our faith in the team put in question, and the A’s have been on the national circuit for all of the wrong reasons. You know how we’ve hated all of this? Imagine how they feel.
If you’re in the Billy Beane wrecked team chemistry crowd, what better way to build some chemistry than by having a party with all of these new guys?
Let the boys celebrate (good times, c’mon!).