Entering the season, the A’s had hoped their defense would be a reliable source of support for the team’s young starting pitching. While the Athletics boasted one of the better pitching staffs in the American League, the team’s defense, to say politely, wasn’t up to par.

All politeness aside, the A’s defense proved to be downright atrocious in 2011. In addition to the numerous injuries the team sustained and the inconsistencies on offense, the A’s had to deal with the defense’s miscues. In the early goings of the season, the team’s young pitching kept the team in contention, but after the injuries to Dallas Braden, Brett Anderson, Tyson Ross, and a few others, the A’s quickly sank to the bottom.

The struggles on offense and defense ultimately proved to be too much for the A’s this season. Over the course of the season, the Athletics committed an AL-leading 124 errors (2nd in MLB) and posted a team .979 fielding percentage.

The inconsistencies on defense is just another example of how 2011 proved to be a Jekyll and Hyde season for Oakland. In 2010, the team prided itself on its strong defense. The A’s committed just 99 errors and posted a .984 fielding percentage that season. When you typically think of the A’s, you usually associate the team with having a strong pitching staff and a strong defense. (more…)