| Matthew Loomis. 7th July, 2005 - 8:12 pm
 After general manager Billy Beane broke up the ?Big Three? during the offseason, even the most optimistic forecast projected a middling performance, filled with erratic play, as prospects matured into major leaguers. That is exactly where the 2005 Athletics stand right now. The talent pool is stocked and Oakland is currently one of the hottest teams in baseball at 22-10 since June 1st, but this recent success is tempered by a 7-20 month of May. The Oakland A?s are a game below .500 and trailing Minnesota by 5 ? for the A.L. Wild Card, but after a June to remember, this roster of young talent and proven veterans could be dangerous in the second half. Contenders or not, the rebuilding process is well under way.
This column is not about how dismal the A?s were in May, but how good they are right now. So, here are some direct comparisons concerning that which draws the most attention to Oakland, the pitching staff. The days of the ?Big Three? are over, but this year?s staff is better statistically. At midseason, the team ERA is 3.92, which is down from 4.16 at the same time in 2004. Some will say the change can be attributed to the overall decline in offensive statistics this season, but the 2005 staff is simply allowing less runners to reach base. Oakland starters have compiled a 1.27 WHIP (BB+H/IP), a significant improvement over the 1.42 mark at midseason a year ago.
Breaking it down individually, names like Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder appear on marquees elsewhere this season, and number five starter Mark Redman has also moved on, but the remnants of the house cleaning are formidable to say the least. Rich Harden took his lumps early on last year and has developed into an ace this season. Once upon a time Barry Zito won a Cy Young award and in 2005 fans can say that with a straight face. He?s not getting the run support he needs, but his curveball has bite and he?s locating his fastball. These guys are known commodities, but the most significant improvement is at the end of the rotation, with the newcomers. At the end of May, Dan Haren and Joe Blanton were a combined 4-12, but went 8-1 in June. Good enough to earn Rookie of the Month honors for Blanton, and over an expanded stretch of nine starts, Dan Haren is 6-0 with 7:1 strikeout:walk ratio. Furthermore, Kirk Saarloos has been as dependable as any fifth starter in baseball, period. Previously, Beane had figured on trading Mark Kotsay in order to fill out the rotation. Saarloos and the rest of the staff have been solid enough that Beane has now shifted into contract extension negotiations with Kotsay. |
