Despite the additions of some key players like Hideki Matsui, David DeJesus, Josh Willingham, Grant Balfour, and Brian Fuentes, the A’s failed to reach the playoffs for the fifth-consecutive season and finished the season 22 games out of first place in the AL West. Oh, and the whole Bob Geren drama also put a damper on the A’s 2011 season as well.

The offense actually performed worse than it did the previous year in 2010. The A’s mustered up just 645 runs, 210 runs fewer than the AL West leading Texas Rangers and as a team hit just .244/.311/.369 during the 2011 season.

In 2010 the A’s managed to score 663 runs and hit .256/.324/.378 as a team. That’s without David DeJesus, Hideki Matsui, and Josh Willingham. Beane’s offseason additions didn’t help the team, they actually hurt the team’s offense in 2011. … [visit site to read more]

A’s 2011 In Review: The Bad - Swingin' A's - Swingin' A's - An Oakland Athletics Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Bob Geren was just one problem the A's endured in 2011 (Photo Credit: AP)

The A’s entered the 2011 season with a renewed sense of optimism after posting an encouraging 81-81 record in 2010 under manager Bob Geren.

Following Geren’s first .500 season as A’s skipper, the A’s front office made it a priority to give Geren, a close friend of GM Billy Beane, the tools necessary to compete in the American League West.

The additions of David DeJesus, Hideki Matsui, Josh Willingham, Grant Balfour, and Brian Fuentes were supposed to help make the Athletics a contender during the 2011 season.

The A’s efforts to retool their team, however, were met with some very mixed results.

Oakland’s additions didn’t pay off immediately and it cost Bob Geren his job as the team’s skipper. Geren, however, should share some of the blame for the A’s tumultuous set-back in ’11. … [visit site to read more]

A’s 2011 In Review: Unorthodox Management - Swingin' A's - Swingin' A's - An Oakland Athletics Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More