Since Billy Beane took over as general manager for the Oakland Athletics in 1998, the A's have made the playoffs six times prior to 2013. They've advanced from the first round a total of one time—to the ALCS in 2006, where they were promptly swept by the Detroit Tigers.
This year, it all changes.
Five times Oakland has lost in Game 5 of the ALDS. The one and only time in the ALCS, the A's lost in four. But rather than analyze what went wrong with those teams and how they compare to the current one, we're going to focus strictly on ...
The postseason can add a certain spark to any player without notice, so come playoffs, it's anyone's guess who will step up for the Oakland Athletics.
Last year, Yoenis Cespedes played outstanding.
In his first postseason—in his first season, period—Cespedes led the team with a .316 batting average. He only knocked in two runs in five games, but that also led the team. Cespedes appeared to be dialed in though, striking out only twice in 19 at-bats. He even stole two bases, the only stolen bases for the A's in the ALDS.
One year later, he isn't doing as well. Luckily, others have ...
On Friday evening, after all three of the other Division Series kick off, the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics will play Game 1 of their 2013 series. In a rematch from October 2012, Oakland will attempt to get past the hurdle of last year's American League champions. Looking back on last October, the Oakland-Detroit tilt was worth the price of admission. In a year that featured all four of the Division Series reaching the five-game distance, Detroit took Game 5 largely due to a masterful performance by Justin Verlander. Yet, it was Don Kelly's walk-off sacrifice fly in Game 2 ...
Last year in the ALDS, it took the full five games to separate the Oakland A's and the Detroit Tigers.
Detroit ultimately got the upper hand thanks in large part to the brilliance of Justin Verlander. This season, both teams are better—at least according to the standings—and the competition promises to be even fiercer.
Here are five bold predictions for the A's ALDS rematch with the Tigers.
5. Bartolo Colon Will Set The Tone for The Series
There's no one better to get the series started than the veteran Bartolo Colon.
The 40-year-old right-hander won his final four starts as he tuned up for postseason ...
Oakland A's GM Billy Beane would love to have more money to spend on his team.
However, as the executive explained to CSN Bay Area back in spring training, for now he has to live within the means of the organization:
“At the end of the day, having more money to invest is good...But until that point comes, we have to operate very much like a business, where we spend what we have, and no more.”
In 2013, Beane has been quite the businessman. His club won 96 games, and locked down the AL West title for a second straight season. The 96 ...
The regular season is over. For the teams that have survived, the real season begins, as the calendar turns to October.
The 2013 campaign was very different for the Oakland A's in terms of expectations than was their magical 2012 season.
But in the end, the results were the same: An American League West division title and a date with the powerful Detroit Tigers in the American League Division Series. Like 2012, the A's will again have home-field advantage against the Tigers.
And yes, like 2013, the A's are likely to be underdogs.
Oakland doesn't have a megastar like Miguel Cabrera, a pair of ...
Take a good look at the teams that are either in the Major League Baseball playoffs or on the verge of the playoffs in 2013. They all fit into two categories: Either they spend a lot for their talent, or they've built a roster of young draft picks (fifth round or higher) who have come to fruition on the field. Baseball has become a sport of one or the other.
Here are the teams with big-money rosters that have reached the postseason or are in contention at the wire (numbers courtesy of USA Today):
Los Angeles Dodgers: $216.6 million
Boston Red Sox: $150.7 ...
Last year, the Oakland A's were thrilled just to be taking part in October baseball. This year, however, the expectations have changed altogether for the back-to-back American League West champs.
As manager Bob Melvin explained to Jane Lee of MLB.com: “We've got some unfinished business.”
To take care of that business, though, Oakland will have to take down some of the top clubs in all of baseball. So, the question is this: Which team would be the toughest potential matchup for the A's in the postseason?
There are many contenders, and on the surface no clear answer. The tricky part about making postseason predictions is ...
It's amazing what a little flooding can do.
In an extensive interview on the John Feinstein show on CBS Sports Radio, Bud Selig weighed in on the Oakland A's messy stadium situation (skip to the 27-minute mark). The 79-year-old commissioner noted of the O.co Coliseum, home of the AL West champions:
“It's a pit.”
Selig went on to tell Feinstein:
We need to deal with that. I’ve had a committee working on it for two or three years, and there’s no question we’re going to have to solve that problem.
Selig actually formed the committee at the end of March in 2009. So, it's been closer ...
Fresh off of winning their second straight American League West championship, the Oakland A's look to the last week as preparation for a well-deserved return to the postseason. There is still much to play for, with the opportunity for home-field advantage in all rounds still very much a possibility.
So the next phase of a championship puzzle is setting up the roster for the postseason push itself. Who stays, who plays, who sits and who is on the roster? That is what the last week of the season poses for the A's, who sit in good shape to host the American League ...