Oakland Athletics’ Struggles Continue: This is Supposed to be a Simple Game
I ain’t got nuthin’ at this point in the season.
At a time when I should be talking about how the new acquisitions are gelling, or how the Oakland Athletics are still in the race, or interest in an upcoming series, that thrill and motivation just isn’t there as it seems the Athletics’ bullpen and fielding gaffes are taking away any hope for this A’s fan to be joyous and inspired for this season.
With a 12-22 (.353) record and in the cellar of the AL West, nine games out, after only five weeks into the fresh 2015 season, things are looking bleak of any hope to get better.
The A’s are an abysmal 2-8 this month alone and are currently riding a six game losing streak coming into tonight’s game. In five of those losses the A’s had the lead surrendered at some point in the game.
The bullpen is showing they can’t hold a lead even if it had a handle with its 2-10 record and a 5.18 ERA. Whether it’s the combined efforts of the pen, or just one pitcher, this has been the team’s undoing.
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Fans are cringing as Bob Melvin, who in previous season was able to turn to his relievers with confidence in critical situations, does so now with results that are calamitous. Newsflash people: Sean Doolittle’s return will not be the cure-all to the A’s bullpen dilemma
In addition to the obvious bullpen woes, I have to also fault certain starters like a 1-3 Drew Pomeranz who can be given a four-run lead to start a contest and lose it before he can get the first five outs of the game. What about 1-3 Jesse Hahn and his .473 ERA and 25 runs allowed in just 32.1 innings?
Errors too have contributed to losses. With 34 errors in its 34 games, the Athletics are at the bottom of MLB fielding stats with a .973 fielding average.
As stated by Manager Joe “Skip” Riggins in Bull Durham, “This… is a simple game. You throw the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball.”
At this point, the Athletics have made the point with grave certainty that they no longer have any room for mistakes. They are trailing not only in the chase for the division, but respect in baseball. It seems a series of walks or bad pitches, one ill-timed error, a base-running mistake or the inability to score runners on base haunts them game after game.
They all made contributions to what can best be described as unqualified disaster of a season so far.
All hope is not lost…..yet.
With four-and-a-half months still remaining it isn’t time to put up a white flag and write the season off as a rebuilding year or turn yet to a fire sale of high-priced players. Fans in-the-know of baseball traditions know that, once you’ve endured the disappointment of falling behind, you get the free ride of sniffing a big comeback. Let’s not forget the 2012 A’s, who went 33-13 to erase a 13-game deficit and won the division on the last day of the season.
NOTE: In the “Besides-that-Mrs.-Lincoln-how-was-the-play” department: Lost in the debacle of 2015 so far has been a 4-0 ultra-hot Sonny Gray or clutch and all-star performance by Stephen Vogt. Billy Burns is making a strong statement to being an everyday player. Josh Reddick has turned things around with a .323 batting average with several others in the .280 and .290 range.