The first half of the 2016 season has been quite the disappointment for the Oakland Athletics. In recent seasons, the A’s have had exciting and scrappy teams in the first half. Unfortunately for Oakland’s long-suffering fanbase, this year hasn’t even been close to that.
Athletics 2016 Midseason Report
Biggest Surprise: Rich Hill
The 36-year-old is turning in a nice year for Oakland. At 9-2, Hill leads the team in terms of record and ERA. Hill came over to Oakland on a one-year, $6 million deal after a successful stint with the Boston Red Sox in 2015. So far, he has been worth every penny.
Granted, Hill has only gone seventy-six innings this year across thirteen starts. However, no one in Oakland should complain when his win percentage is .750 when he takes the mound. When the pitchers who are supposed to be carrying the rotation don’t appear to be themselves, its always a pleasant surprise to have a guy come almost out of nowhere to pick up the slack.
Biggest Disappointment: Sonny Gray
While the A’s have a nice thing going with a veteran pitcher like Rich Hill, it doesn’t mean much given the year Sonny Gray is having. Coming into the All-Star Break, Sonny Gray owns a bulging ERA of 5.16, which is by far the highest of his career and puts him at seventh for highest ERA in the American League. In addition, his 3-8 record is also the worst of his career.
The odd thing is Sonny Gray isn’t even hurt, as far as anyone outside tehe organization knows, and the AL West as a whole is mediocre at best, with the exception of the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. A team like Oakland just can expect to compete when its ace struggles so badly.
Mid-Season Team MVP’s
Rich Hill and Stephen Vogt undoubtedly deserve co-MVP honors. They’ve been among the few bright spots for the A’s this season. Vogt made the American League All-Star team as the sole representative from Oakland.
What to Watch for in the Second Half
It wouldn’t be Oakland if they didn’t trade away key pieces of the team midseason, and what better time to do it than when the team is stuck near the bottom of the standings. Rich Hill could be a good veteran arm for any playoff contender to pick up. Several teams, including the Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs, have already expressed interest in his services. Josh Reddick and Coco Crisp could also be possible trade block options, with both players pretty much being rentals on their way to free agency.
Until then, A’s fans can sit back for now and see if the team can at least give the rest of division a bad time. With the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim having a down year, and every other team in the division, aside from the Rangers, hovering around .500, the A’s can at the least try to be a nuisance.
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