What gives Bob? The A's lead the majors with 98 errors this season. (Photo Credit: AP)

The A’s have been a painful team to watch this season, after all this was a team that was supposed to contend for a division title in 2011. Instead, the Athletics are trying to reach .500 with the very little time they have left this year.

After getting swept by the big-boys of the AL West, the Texas Rangers, the A’s sit 15.5 games back of Texas for first-place. They are also 14 games under .500, and with the way things have been going this season, Oakland’s chances at reaching .500 before the season’s end might be slim.

The Athletics, a team that entered the season with such high hopes, have fallen flat this season. Poor offensive numbers during the first-half buried the team, and wasted solid pitching performances from some of the team’s brightest stars.

Since the All-Star break, however, the team’s strengths have flip-flopped. The Athletics are hitting .286/.360/.458 as a team since the All-Star break, compared to their slash line of .233/.299/.337 prior to the break. (more…)

Can the A's pitching staff keep the club in contention for an entire season?

At 9-9, the Athletics are currently 3rd in the AL West, sitting three games back of the division-leading Angels. So far this season, the AL West looks like a three-team race with the Angels, Rangers, and A’s all vying for the division crown.

During the offseason, A’s GM Billy Beane made several acquisitions during his efforts to upgrade an offense that ranked 28th in home runs in 2010. Guys like Hideki Matsui, Josh Willingham, and David DeJesus were brought on board to help Oakland’s offense support what many consider to be a top starting rotation.

Through the first 18 games of season, however, the A’s offense still lacks power and the ability to hit with runners in scoring position.

The A’s rank 23rd in the majors with runs scored (66), 19th in batting average (.241), 26th in on-base percentage (.306), and 23rd in slugging (.666). Matsui leads the team with 11 RBIs, while Willingham leads the team in home runs with three. DeJesus, meanwhile, is hitting .246 with 7 RBIs. (more…)

Will Giant's RP Wilson fight for a good cause? (Photo Courtesy of yardbarker.com)

The rivalry between the A’s and The S.F. Giants has and will always be on-going.  When the Giants won the 2010 World Series I am sure that many A’s fans, including me, were not too happy.  However, on the other hand, I would have rather seen them win than the Rangers who beat us out in the AL West.   I am not one to hold a grudge when it comes to sports but it looks like some A’s fans have.   Including one who has challenged Giants RP Brian Wilson to a charity raising boxing match.

A’s fan “Nick”  (he does not want to disclose his last name)  has set up this website challenging Wilson to this sparring match because he was asked by an angry Wilson to fight him at the May 23rd game game between the A’s and Giants.   According to the website, Wilson was not happy that Nick asked him to sign his broom.  Mind you the broom was a visual  metaphor for the 2-0 sweep the A’s had over the Giants that weekend.

Nick stated on his website iwannafightbrianwilson.com the following incident occurred:

“The A’s were going for the sweep so I brought my broom with me. Our seats were about three rows up from the Giants bullpen. before the game started Brian Wilson walked up to our area and gave some Giants fans some autographs, so I asked him if he could sign my broom “Cool Guy” since he thinks he’s such a cool guy.   I guess he picked up on my sarcasm and just looked at me with a get lost face.  I continued to ask him to sign my broom “Cool Guy” so he moved over a little to square up with me and asked me, “Are YOU making fun of ME”? And after I laughed a little bit I said, “wow not just cool, your smart too”.   So at this point he got all heated up and said, “Who the hell are you”, and challenged me to come on the field. I just responded by laughing and saying look at you a professional athlete letting some Joe Schmoe get under your skin.  He just continued to challenge me to come down there and fight him.   Of course I’m not going to go down onto a professional baseball field to fight a player,  I’m not an idiot. He continued to get mad as I just laughed at him, to the point that his bullpen coach had to pull him away and push him all the way into right field as he yelled and cursed at me”.

The website also goes on to say that he (Nick) will safely fight Wilson at any gym of his desire at any time and that any proceeds that are accrued from promotions will be split down the middle with half going to a children’s charity and the other will go to Wilson.  Wilson will be the decision maker as to where his half will go.  I would hope that he would do the same.

Whether it was inappropriate for this fan to “egg” Wilson on, or if Wilson was just being a poor sport who couldn’t take a joke is yet to be determined.   However, if  Wilson does decide to  “man up” to this challenge I have to ask, does this mean he will fight with both his beard and Aubrey Huff’s red thong?  I hope not.

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