When talking about the best pitching staffs in the AL, most look to the big, high-profile name clubs like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, but the AL West-sleeper Oakland Athletics aren’t far behind (if not ahead). They wrapped-up a deal with highly coveted free agent reliever Brian Fuentes today, adding some age and stability to an already talented group. Fuentes joins the A’s closer and 2009 Rookie of the Year Andrew Bailey in the back-end of the ‘pen along-side newly acquired submariner Brad Ziegler and converted starter Rich Harden. The A’s have also recently agreed to terms with Grant Balfour, so they have an embarrassment of riches on their staff and have some role decisions to make in the Spring. When you factor in their young, but experienced starting rotation, they are going to be a force in the AL West this season. (more after the jump)
Last season, the Oakland Athletics received very little attention, but quietly passed the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for 2nd place in the AL West behind the red hot Texas Rangers. The A’s finished 81-81 and have been progressing over the past few years with a ton of young talent. Now that their young stars are beginning to mature and gain confidence, they will only continue to rise among the ranks in the AL and will likely pose fits for opposing lineups. Their starting rotation of Dallas Braden, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Brett Anderson (with the 5th starter slot up for grabs in the Spring) even the best opposing offenses will struggle. The A’s pitching staff last season was 3rd in the majors in era at 3.56, but their main issue was run production.
When looking at the A’s, they have the feel and make-up of a tradition NL team, because they can pitch effectively, but have a difficult time scoring runs in bunches. What has held them back over the last several years is their lack of power and an ability to turn over their lineup effectively. The result is a lot of close, low-scoring games and no matter how good your pitching staff is, a Yankees or Red Sox lineup is likely to score at least a few runs against you. If the A’s can develop an offensive identity in 2011 and manufacture runs effectively, they could compete for a playoff spot, but it is a big if. Their pitching staff will keep them in ballgames, but their offense will win or lose those games.
As a fan of the game of baseball, I love to see the re-emergence of teams that have been largely written-off over the last several years. The A’s have been creeping back into contention without much attention, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them continue to improve this year and next, until they become a 90 win club (assuming they can hold on to their young stars). It’s reminiscent of the Tampa Bay Rays over the past decade, because they collected a group of extremely young and talented players, but had difficulty competing in the division until those players began to mature and the ownership brought in a few older veterans to guide the way. The Rays reached a pinnacle most believed impossible, the World Series. The A’s are in the midst of that maturing process and the ownership has added a few veterans this off-season to help guide their young stars, hoping for the kind of success the Rays saw in 2008.
Ultimately, if the A’s want to reach that next level, they need to compete with, and beat, the Texas Rangers. Their powerful offense took them all the way to the World Series in 2010, so it is a tough challenge, but if the A’s can handle the Rangers, everything else will fall into place and Bob Geren will be rewarded with his best season since becoming the manager in 2007 and A’s fans will be rewarded for their patience.
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