SF Gate: Ratto: What to make of the A’s

Hey…maybe they’ll let Ratto back on Athletics Nation.

“A’s Baseball: Honest to God, we have no idea what to think.”

As someone who has jumped to dire consequences with this team more than once (and then not jumping to them last year when they had them coming), your humble typist is even more perplexed by this group than any of the other recent vintages. Anyone can see the surprisingly excellent pitching. Anyone can see the flaws in the Angels and the essential unwatchability of the Rangers and Mariners. There is no earthly reason not to think they can’t endure well into the second half, health prevailing.

But while most baseball genii are waiting for the bubble to burst because of the modest hitting (28th in homers and extra base hits and 25th in OPS despite being third in walks), losing one’s self in statistical analysis can occasionally blind one to years that defy understanding. Last year, the anomaly was in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks were outscored but reached the National League Championship Series. This year, the anomaly could be in Oakland, for as-yet-unfathomed reasons.

Ok…guess not.