Game Thread #33: A's in Seattle

After 32 games the Oakland Athletics have won 12 and lost 20. The fan base is despondent feeling chewed up by past trades and recent injuries; the specter of a sub-.500 season now loudly knocking on the door. But certainly all is not lost so early? The calendar still says May with many more games to play. The long remaining season represents equal parts opportunity to win as it does opportunity to lose. For some perspective, lets see what history has to offer.

The 2001 A's went 102-60 in a fondly remembered season that saw the team go 63-18 in the second half of the schedule. The team featured the big three Zito-Mulder-Hudson in their prime that, in addition with Cory Lidle, went a combined 48-10 during the final 81 games. The team won 29 of their final 33 games. It was arguably the most dominant second-half performance in Major League history.

Now where were the 2001 A's after 32 games? You guessed it; 12-20, including a 7-game losing streak in the second week of April. The 2001 team was 11 games back in the division at this same point in the season. Imagine how the fans must have groused back then. Little did they know what was in store for their fanatical feasting. From the depths of early-season losing to the greatest August and September ever seen in Oakland baseball. The obvious lesson here is to realize that it's only May. Plenty to happen still in this adolescent 2015 season.

With all this positive energy flowing through our veins lets see who is on the card today against the A's . . . Felix Hernandez. Doh! At 19-7 in his career against Oakland, the A's have given Felix more wins than any other team in baseball. Entering today's game, he is 5-0 with a 1.73 ERA in 2015. He is King Felix.

There is hope, however, in the tattooed form of Jesse Chavez. Last time out Jesse was brilliant pitching into the eighth inning with 7 strikeouts and only 1 walk. That night Jesse got the Win against the Twins, which was also the last time the A's won a game!

For more information, Jeremy Koo has compiled a thoughtful series preview that can be read here.

In terms of today's lineup, the still hitless for 2015 Coco Crisp is out. Instead, we get Burns-Semien-Reddick at the top of the order. The last time those three topped the lineup card? May 5 in Minnesota, the same night Jesse beat the Twins for the A's last recorded win.