Watching the way the A’s are playing now, reminds me a lot of the way they surged last year. Led by their big 3 aces, Mulder, Hudson and Zito, and tight defense, the A’s are showing their succes is so dependent on starting pitching.

Let me give you my formula for the A’s success this season.


The A’s have shown us the past 2 years that they are a very surging and streaky team, which can both add wins in the win column and losses to the loss column.

Should the A’s continue to surge and somehow find themselves back into the postseason in 2002, a familiar obstacle will probably be awaiting. An obstacle that absolutely crushed their hearts and hopes the past two years. One that seduced and captured their former star. An obstacle that refused to die last year–the New York Yankees.

The A’s know that if it wasn’t for the Yankees the past two post seasons, they might be wearing rings. The A’s were by far the hottest team entering post season the last two years, only to run into the calm, seasoned and stable champion, the Yankees.

Watching sports this year, I compare the A’s to a team like the Sacramento Kings, who had the Lakers at the brink of elimination, but couldn’t quite finish the giant off the last two years. The Sacramento Kings had the better of the all around talent than the Lakers, yet lacked the heart of a champion.

What about Phil Mickelson, who always ends up second in a major and hasn’t yet figured out how to dethrone the inflappable Tiger woods in golf?

There is something about dethroning a champion and the A’s have to learn how to find ways to beat the Yankees in post season. Obviously dethroning a champion is much more than talent and skill, it’s being able to exhibit that talent under pressure situations–like sliding at home plate when needed.

They say, in order to be a champion, you have to get your heart broken many times. And the A’s have been taught first hand what a champion is all about by the New York Yankees.

Many experts, including Peter Gammons of ESPN believe the A’s have the best shot of dethroning the Yankees this year if their big three pitchers are in the zone. I agree. But the smaller issues must be shown also.

How can the A’s finally conquer the Yankee mystique?

1) A’s have to avoid the mental mistakes in the clutch. Remember the errors in Game 5 last year. Jason Giambi’s throwing error at first base on a pick off? Greg Meyers throwing error on a strikeout and Tejada’s
failure to go to third on Jason Giambi’s single? Those errors under pressure cost them the series.

2.) The A’s cannot allow Mariano Rivera to get in the game. Of all the Yankee players, I think the A’s fear Rivera the most. They have terrible numbers against him and he gets in their head. At times, Eric Chavez seems hopeless and ready to get the at bat over with when he faces Mariano. The best way to dethrone the Yankees is to be ahead in the game and not give Torre the option to bring Rivera in. And if he does come in
they have to do it the hard way, like Diamondbacks did and scrap their way to a victory.

3) They need the intensity to finish the Yankees off without mercy. The A’s had their best shot to finish them off in game three of the ALDS, but Mussina pitched a gem.

Now, Did the A’s have that killer instinct in game three? Or did they say, “If we dont get them today, I’m sure we’ll win one tomorrow.” Well, that win never happened and they went home crushed. You can’t have any mercy on the Yankees. The A’s have to learn how to finish the Yankee mystique off.

4.) The A’s have to go with a 3 man rotation. It’s Hudson, Mulder and Zito and if there’s a game #4, go back to one of them. A big mistake last year was letting Cory Lidle pitch Game Four. Yes, he pitched great at the end of the season, but that wasn’t a killer instinct move. A killer instinct move would have let Mulder pitch game 4 instead of Lidle.

5.) Art Howe has to manage with no mercy and not let his nice demeanor, keep him from doing whatever it takes to finish the Yankees of as quick as possible–with no mercy.

But, will the past crushing
experiences against the Yankees
lead to a more poised and seasoned team should they reach the playoffs?

It can only help..Right Guys? Right..