A's 7th Straight Loss in Winner Take All

[redseat]

A's lost their seventh straight winner-take-all playoff game since 2000.

That has got to hurt!

Great season for the A's though. I thought it was long over last night versus the Royals but that's why they play the games...

 

[navamind]

A's lost their seventh straight winner-take-all playoff game since 2000.

That has got to hurt!

Great season for the A's though. I thought it was long over last night versus the Royals but that's why they play the games...

I don't know if I'd call it a "great season." Great two thirds, yeah. They were sitting on a ~100 win pace and on pace for one of the highest run differentials of all-time. But the last two months have been an absolute nightmare for A's fans and it took them the final game of the season to clinch a WC spot, losing their own division by 10 games after spending 140 days in first place.

 

[redseat]

I don't know if I'd call it a "great season." Great two thirds, yeah. They were sitting on a ~100 win pace and on pace for one of the highest run differentials of all-time. But the last two months have been an absolute nightmare for A's fans and it took them the final game of the season to clinch a WC spot, losing their own division by 10 games after spending 140 days in first place.

Cesepedes................

 

[navamind]

Cesepedes................

The guy who had a 100 OPS+ (and a sub-.300 OBP) with the Red Sox? He wouldn't have helped the A's lineup that much. Just about every A's hitter over the last two months or so had been struggling, save for guys like Donaldson and Reddick. Moss, one of their best hitters, was hurt. Jaso had hit the DL. Lester had a 2.35 ERA in 11 starts with the A's. The A's downfall stemmed from offensive woes, bullpen implosions, and Kazmir/Gray struggling.

Cespedes is a fine player, but come on. A corner OF with a 110 OPS+ and ~.300 OBP isn't exactly a star. His defense is what makes him valuable.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Cesepedes................

The guy was their 5th best hitter this year...it's not like they lost Trout or someone of that caliber.

And the A's weren't playing all that well before they even traded Cespedes....

 

[redseat]

The guy who had a 100 OPS+ (and a sub-.300 OBP) with the Red Sox? He wouldn't have helped the A's lineup that much. Just about every A's hitter over the last two months or so had been struggling, save for guys like Donaldson and Reddick. Moss, one of their best hitters, was hurt. Jaso had hit the DL. Lester had a 2.35 ERA in 11 starts with the A's. The A's downfall stemmed from offensive woes, bullpen implosions, and Kazmir/Gray struggling.

Cespedes is a fine player, but come on. A corner OF with a 110 OPS+ and ~.300 OBP isn't exactly a star. His defense is what makes him valuable.

It was more tongue and cheek with that comment but the A's didn't play all the great baseball when he was traded... The entire team had a power outage when he left... Sure they picked it back up a bit but still.

 

[navamind]

It was more tongue and cheek with that comment but the A's didn't play all the great baseball when he was traded... The entire team had a power outage when he left... Sure they picked it back up a bit but still.

But it wasn't just Cespedes, like a lot of casual fans think it was. Would Cespedes have helped? Sure, but he wasn't going to be their savior.

In all actuality, Lester outperformed Cespedes with their new respective teams.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

But it wasn't just Cespedes, like a lot of casual fans think it was. Would Cespedes have helped? Sure, but he wasn't going to be their savior.

In all actuality, Lester outperformed Cespedes with their new respective teams.

Many would argue that cespedes had a ripple effect on that lineup as he was one of the few everyday guys there.

 

[BeaverShaver]

congrats to the royals, what a game. now go beat the Angels!!!!

 

[redseat]

Many would argue that cespedes had a ripple effect on that lineup as he was one of the few everyday guys there.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Many would argue that cespedes had a ripple effect on that lineup as he was one of the few everyday guys there.

Then again, Crisp, Moss and Lowrie all played the last two months of the season with injuries...how much of that do we attribute to losing Cespedes?

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Then again, Crisp, Moss and Lowrie all played the last two months of the season with injuries...how much of that do we attribute to losing Cespedes?

Hard to say, and it can be debated for a long time. Also, in the WC game, the Soto injury after the Butler double delayed steal fiasco proved to be rather significant.

Norris dropping the ball on what I felt was an ill-advised SB attempt from Colon may have very possibly changed the outcome of the game.

 

[navamind]

Hard to say, and it can be debated for a long time. Also, in the WC game, the Soto injury after the Butler double delayed steal fiasco proved to be rather significant.

Norris dropping the ball on what I felt was an ill-advised SB attempt from Colon may have very possibly changed the outcome of the game.

Yup. Once Soto went down, the A's had no way of stopping the running game.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Yup. Once Soto went down, the A's had no way of stopping the running game.

Twas utter madness on the basepaths. Set some records I believe.

 

[redseat]

Yup. Once Soto went down, the A's had no way of stopping the running game.

Sure they did... Have Lester throw over to first base for a change!