Oakland Athletics Rally in Consecutive Comeback Wins
The Oakland Athletics don’t have much of a shot to make the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean the team can’t have some fun. While other clubs are trying to make a push for the postseason, the A’s are just trying to string some wins together in order to end the 2015 season on a good note.
Pitching has been a huge reason why Oakland has lost all season, and yesterday’s game against the Seattle Mariners seemed to be going to same way. The A’s were down 5-0 going into the fifth inning, and the offense then exploded just like they did in the prior game against the Rays.
Just about everyone’s bats came alive as they poured on seven runs in the fifth inning. Oakland was able to stifle Seattle’s bats and add more runs to snag an 11-5 victory. Josh Reddick and Danny Valencia both hit home runs while the bats of Billy Burns and Mark Canha remained on fire.
Lately, this has seemed like the Oakland A’s that fans have wanted all season. It’s a shame that they are last in the American League West because they clearly are much better than what the record shows.
Of course, the relief pitching has been the team’s greatest issue this season, and the offense sometimes struggled to get hits with runners in scoring position. However, these recent wins have shown us that there are a lot of really good young players on this A’s team. With some development, players such as Canha, Burns, and Brett Lawrie could become consistently great players. Plus, Stephen Vogt and Sonny Gray both made the All-Star Game this year, so there’s definitely a silver lining to this season.
Another player that could be a future All-Star is their workhorse right fielder, Josh Reddick. He’s 28 years-old, and he could peak to a new level just like Josh Donaldson is doing this season for the Toronto Blue Jays.
There were some quiet rumors that Reddick may have been traded in July. However, Reddick made it clear that he loves being a member of the Oakland Athletics. He’s one of the faces of the teams, and fans love seeing him at the ballpark.
Have you ever noticed that the A’s have a lot of players from the south? Guys like Reddick, Billy Butler, and Sonny Gray all help make this Oakland Athletics team feel a bit like a family. Butler’s nickname is actually Country Breakfast. You can’t get much more southern comfort than that.
More from Oakland Athletics
- Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
- Oakland Athletics end perfect game, still lose Game 1 of Wild Card round
- Oakland Athletics: Jesus Luzardo will start Game 1 of Wild Card round
- Oakland Athletics clinch first AL West title since 2013
- Oakland Athletics: Can Jamb Lamb save the restructured infield?
Going back to Reddick, he’s really a guy that is becoming a long-term star for the Oakland Athletics. He just reached the 15 home run mark for the season, and we could definitely see that number rise in 2016. Furthermore, his current batting average of .282 is the highest of his career for a season. However, Reddick produces through more ways than just home runs and RBIs. He has great speed that really boosts his fielding and all-around team contributions.
In yesterday’s win against the Mariners, Josh Reddick had an extremely impressive RBI single to break the tie in the fifth inning. In order to reach first safely on the single, Reddick sprinted as hard has he could to barely beat the throw at the base. Of the play, ESPN quoted Reddick saying:
"“It’s one benefit of running hard and playing the game the right way,” Reddick said. “I take pride in the way I play. You get four or five at-bats a game. It’s not that hard to run 90 feet.”"
A statement like that really shows us what type of person Josh Reddick is for the team. He truly embodies “Green Collar Baseball,” and he’s a guy that should soon be greatly respected by the entire MLB. Reddick is one of the few guys on the team that has been with the Oakland Athletics for more than a couple years. Hopefully Billy Beane keeps him, so we can see Reddick get the recognition he deserves as a future All-Star.