Oakland Athletics: Pitching is the Key to Winning the ALDS
By Danny Saeed
September 4, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jarrod Parker (11) delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
In a repeat of last season, the well anticipated matchup for the American League Division Series will be the Oakland Athletics against Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers.
The Oakland A’s finished off the regular season with a slightly better record, recording 96 wins compared to Detroit’s 93. However, Oakland’s clubhouse understands that the postseason is an entirely different ballgame.
Pitching is the most important aspect in the postseason. Without consistent, solid performances on the mound, it is impossible to have any kind of postseason success. The A’s rotation needs to pitch incredibly well if they have any plans on overcoming Detroit.
Bartolo Colon and Jarrod Parker are the two most reliable arms on Oakland’s roster, and the A’s will need them to be as dominant as possible.
At the age of 40, Colon had arguably his best season yet. The veteran finished off the regular season with a breathtaking 2.65 ERA along with an 18-7 record. His ERA ranks second best in the American League, behind Detroit’s Anibal Sanchez who recorded a stunning 2.57. Colon must continue his dominance on Friday in order to set the tone for the young clubhouse. The powerful old fellow is an essential component for the A’s, not only because he is the team’s ace, but he has a significant amount of playoff experience as well.
Jarrod Parker must pitch well in order for the A’s to advance. The youngster has been the clear front runner for the second best pitcher on the roster. Parker finished off the season with a 3.97 ERA and a record of 12-8. Though Parker has flashed this season with many dominant performances, he has not remained as consistent as Oakland fans would like. When Parker has his stuff in full effect, he is arguably the best pitcher in the rotation. What separates Colon from Parker is consistency. Colon has simply been able to give the A’s more dominant outings, hence his record.
Parker will be taking on an extremely difficult task. He is scheduled to pitch game three, the first away game for Oakland. He must have a dominant outing for the green and gold.
Sonny Gray will be on the mound game two in Oakland, and Dan Straily will pitch game four in Detroit. Melvin made a brilliant decision by pitching Gray in Game 2 at home rather than Game 3 in Detriot. Talk about an enormous venue, a rookie on the mound in the postseason in a hostile environment would have been incredibly concerning.
I am expecting a solid performance from Gray in front of the fans at the Coliseum, as he has proven to us he has the ability to pitch an impressive game. Straily had a nice season for himself this year, and he will need to take the momentum he’s gained onto the mound in Game 4.
As for the offense of the A’s, it is the least concerning. The A’s have hit extremely well throughout the season, and numerous players are heating up as of right now. Josh Donaldson and Jed Lowrie have been their two most consistent hitters, and I expect that to continue. Brandon Moss, Yoenis Cespedes, and Josh Reddick are three power hitters who are capable of drilling one out of the park at any at bat, in any moment. Coco Crisp had a fantastic season, and he is currently on fire as well.
The series comes down to pitching. Both clubs contain players in which can reach base consistently.Detroit has one of the best pitching staffs in the league, though the A’s rotation is dominant too. I am expecting an amazing series, with the A’s ultimately prevailing, winning in five.