Oakland A’s Look to Walk-Off with a Spot in the Playoffs

This column was originally written for the August issue of Big Leagues Monthly | Magazine.

By Devin Pangaro | @devinpangaro 

Success is such a funny word. How one measures it is completely up to the standards in which theyset. Take baseball for example. If you can average three hits every 10 at-bats, you're a success. Where else in life can you succeed 30 percent of the time and sit at the top of your chosen profession? For the 2012 season, success is very much in grasp for the Oakland Athletics. Some would you say it has already been accomplished. Eight months ago, the thought of a decent season seemed like a pipe dream for even the most loyal of A's fans.

(Keith Allison/Flickr)

In a winter of discontent, general manager Billy Beane traded the three players on his roster of the greatest value in Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and Andrew Bailey. In the course of a month’s time, Beane set forth to rebuild and retool the team with an eye to a prospective move to San Jose. This hypothetical relocation is at least three years away from happening, and standing in their way to dispute territory rights are the San Francisco Giants. With the assumption that the move will eventually be approved, A's management essentially told the fan base that they must endure yet another rebuild and lose their favorite players. To top that off, the team will be leaving the economically challenged city of Oakland in the near future.

For lifelong fans, that's a hard pill to swallow. For some, it’s a reason to turn their back on a team. For others, it provides a chance to curse the ownership and the disparity of finances in baseball. Yet some have kept the faith. They've trusted the process and track record of player development. They've rationalized and accepted the fact that the city of Oakland does not support the team, and some feel fortunate that ownership will at least keep them in the Bay Area.

In a surprising move, the A's decided to stir up interest for the upcoming season by reintroducing the popular Fan Fest for the first time since 2008. Those in attendance marveled at the positivity exuded throughout the event. Players and coaches were kind and accessible, autographs were in great abundance, Brandon McCarthy and Dallas Braden led a humorous and insightful question and answer session, and fans were introduced to new faces such as Jonny Gomes, Tom Milone, Seth Smith, and Josh Reddick. It was a good day; a much needed event that set things motion for what has thus far been a special season. Most importantly, it was something to feel positive about.

With two months left to go on the schedule, this truly has been the tale of two seasons for this Oakland team. While the A's showed signs of life during the first two months, they began to suffer a multitude of injuries as the calendar turned to June. It looked very apparent that this would be just another lost season to the Oakland faithful, as McCarthy, Yoenis Cespedes, and Coco Crisp missed extended periods of time. A nine-game losing streak later, it seemed all but certain that the A's would be sellers come July and would fade further in an obscurity of scarce attendance and disappointment.

Then, it all changed. The A's got healthy, and they suddenly started to win. And win they did, with sweeps of Colorado and Los Angeles during interleague play, Boston shortly before the All-Star break, and Minnesota directly after. Slowly but surely, fans and media started paying attention to this plucky little team. As the A's put a stamp on their fabulous month of July with a sweep at home over their long time tormenters, the New York Yankees, it became apparent that this team could be in the midst of something special.

With 13 walk-off victories over the first four months of the season, a 19-5 month of July and, as of now, a prime contender in the wild card competition, this is a team that will fight you tooth and nail to the very end of every single game. Part of this tenacious attitude, this aggressive style of play mixed in with a dash of pure unbridled joy can be attributed to a neophyte - the aforementioned Josh Reddick.

With Reddick, many A's fans didn't know quite what to expect when he was acquired in the package for Bailey, the team’s former closer. While fans poured over his minor league statistics, as well as his relatively short stints at the big league level, many were left unimpressed. He seemed to possess some power, a little bit of speed, and a high strikeout rate. When he showed up for camp with long flowing hair, an outgoing attitude and outfitted in #16, fans couldn't help but see visions of a young Jason Giambi in the Georgia native. For the first time in his career, Reddick no longer had to worry about the specter of J.D Drew threatening to take back his job.

Embracing his new found job security, he emerged as one of the top 5 right fielders in the game. Leading the team with a 4.5 WAR, as well as batting .261/.333/.511 and showcasing a cannon for an outfield arm. Reddick has been the team’s most productive and healthy player. As his on field exploits have impressed, he has emerged as a much needed team leader along with Gomes and Brandon Inge. Ever quick to disperse with a pie in the face to celebrate another walk-off hero or dance "The Bernie" after a home run. He has embraced his popularity and become a hero of sorts in Oakland.

The other constant standard of success, besides the on-base percentage obsession, during Billy Beane's reign is the quality of starting pitching. In essence, the A's have eight solid starting pitching options at the moment. With Brett Anderson and McCarthy returning soon from injury, and hopefully Braden not far behind, the Athletics have had to mix and match as the season has gone on. This has not been nearly as problematic as it would seem in theory. That’s because the A’s have seen Jarrod Parker shutting down the high powered Texas Rangers at home, Tommy Milone providing stability, Bartolo Colon throwing a record 38 straight strikes and baffling teams at age 39, and Korean League castoff Travis Blackley contributing a string of quality outings after being released by San Francisco. The starters have fed off each other and formed a rotation to rival anyone in the game. Now with the strikeout leader of professional baseball, Dan Straily, promoted to the big club, it's almost an embarrassment of riches. While other teams struggle to fill holes through trades and the waiver wire, Oakland has a multitude of major league caliber rotation candidates in surplus, which is a luxury that will pay dividends as the season reaches its final weeks.

Still, there are glaring issues remaining despite a near perfect month putting them back in contention. The A's are the worst hitting team in the American League with a putrid .229 batting average and being amongst the bottom of the league in run scores makes them a hard team to watch. Many games are incredibly close and, to borrow a phrase from our comrades across the bay..."Torture". Hence the 15-inning games, the walk-offs, and the extra attention in the media.

Make no mistake about it; this is an interesting and talented team with the best yet to come. So tune in, grab some pie, dance The Bernie and just enjoy the show.