the numbers are starting to get solid

by oaktoon on Aug 5, 2006 8:11 AM PDT

W-L, at least. That pesky run differential is still a bit of a problem.

Since I have been a skeptic recently, I am duly bound to report the following:

A's started at 23-29-- since then they are 35-22, which is .614 ball. Not exactly the Tigers or the Twins but still a 99 win pace.

Since the AS break the A's are now 13-8, which is a .619 pace. On the road they 9-5, which is a .643 pace.

In this latest stretch of 19 consecutive games vs. contenders that ends with the Texas series they are 8-6.

We've all talked about the impact of Bradley, but there are other promising signs as well--

chavez has been better;
Payton keeps delivering;
scoot filling in well for Crosby-- I think he's over 750 OPS since his horrendous start;
haren and Blanton starting to look like 2005-- Haren has been pretty solid all year but it would be nice to see Cupcakes go on a little run here with 4-5 good starts in a row;
the bullpen is as close to normal as it's been since April with Kennedy close to returning.

A lot of problems remain: I'm not sold on Kendall in the leadoff spot, but our options are limited; Kotsay is hitting better and in the clutch, but the overall numbers are down; what will Swish do the rest of the way? Ellis is fighting off a demotion to the bench; Loaiza is still a mystery; Crosby ditto though maybe the time off will recharge him for the finish.

But somehow... someway.. they are winning. And the schedule does turn softer after this next series.

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I'm duly bound to report

The A's have won 3 games since the trade deadline. So they were already 32 and 22 in those games when standing pat was a huge mistake according to many around here.

A 3 game winning streak has changed that?

Woot!

Fair weather is nice, eh?

by The Hypocrite on Aug 5, 2006 8:23 AM PDT reply actions

typical...

attack me.

Hey I thought the Angel rotation would be good enough to seriously weaken our shot at the division. I'm still skeptical about our chances without a fully recovered Harden vs. Detroit or the two Eastern giants in a playoff series.

But I am a fan... and the team is playing better, so shoot me.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Aug 5, 2006 8:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Not an attack, a simple fact I'm bound to report

You post these diaries looking for confrontation. Look at your next one about scoot which calls out the dumbies who understand probability and called you on it because scoot had a 3 for 4 game and thus double his OPS in the meantime.

A fight you are begging for in that one.

by The Hypocrite on Aug 5, 2006 8:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Sorry for the run on sentence

That didn't make much sense.

Point is, those who said regression to the mean is not a meaningful concept with small sample sizes were right, regardless of Scoots hot streak.

by The Hypocrite on Aug 5, 2006 8:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Put another way, it takes two to tango

Buddy boy.

You want peace? Turn the other cheek once in a while. Let the scoot thing go instead of posting a diary that has no possible outcome other than to start a flame war.

by The Hypocrite on Aug 5, 2006 8:36 AM PDT reply actions

Nooooooo !

Don't do it 'toon.

Its a proven fact, plain to the meanest intellegence, that the A's do much better when you are in doom-and-gloom mode.

Please, for all of our sakes, go back to the trash-talk.

"Even if you know the deck is stacked in your favor, you still have to have the discipline to trust the math and the cojones to go to the ATM." BB

by green star oakland on Aug 5, 2006 9:59 AM PDT reply actions

As much as i appreciate Oaktoon's analysis

My first thought upon seeing the diary title was 'great, now the a's are gonna tank for another week or so until oaktoon changes his tune'

I think the woofing gods have it in for 'toon.

by Rickeyfan on Aug 5, 2006 10:08 AM PDT reply actions

Let's all be careful here

The Woofing Gods can get tweaked with any of us, as Apricot schooled us on last year in this excellent post/poll.

4 8 15 16 23 42

by LowcountryJoe on Aug 5, 2006 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions

This is the kiss of death

I also like it when Oaktoon is in the sky is falling mode.

If Pinero beats Haren today hopefully he will change his tune.

It is amazing that a group of fans who at the very least respect statistics and the moneyball aspect of the organization believe in jinxes, reverse jinxes and karma. I find myself in this group.

by DKNJ on Aug 5, 2006 10:14 AM PDT reply actions