Oakland Athletics: 2014 Midseason Grades

Yesterday the Oakland Athletics saw six of their own representing the American League in the All-Star Game (plus one representing…MLB? The NL? Who knows). The green and gold haven’t seen that much representation at the Midsummer Classic since the Swingin’ A’s of the 1970’s. It’s certainly an eclectic group of players that includes a Cuban slugger, a catcher turned third baseman, a first baseman turned pitcher and a pitcher who was pitching in an independent league just two years ago.

The 2014 A’s seem like the ragtag group of misfits that general manager Billy Beane and his staff assemble every few years, but there is certainly something different about this squad. For the first time in years, the A’s have a stable core of players. Yoenis Cespedes, Brandon Moss, Josh Donaldson, and Coco Crisp among others have been a part of the team for at least three seasons, an eternity based on the front office’s track record.

An offense that has found great chemistry both on and off the field, plus a pitching staff that is a balanced mix of both young and veteran arms, has helped put the A’s at the top of their class in the American League and all of baseball.