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| Is Ryan Sweeney part of the offensive solution for the A's? |
They started the stretch with a 19-18 record and begin Wednesday's game against the Yankees at 27-29. Oakland trailed by two games behind the Los Angeles Angels and by a half game behind the Rangers.
Now? They are two and a half back.
Not much has changed but I have to ask...
"Will the real Oakland A's stand up?"
The A's won four of the six games they played against the Angels but also lost six straight from May 18 to May 23.
Oakland scored five or more runs six times (6-0) and scored three or fewer 10 times (0-10).
So I think we know what the problem is.
The offense has been the Oakland Achilles' heel all season but key figures are starting to hit.
Josh Willingham has hit .320 with two home runs and nine RBIs in the last seven days.
Willingham also has a 1.023 OPS with runners in scoring position.
David DeJesus, in the same span, is hitting .296 with a couple of homers and five RBIs. Even Kurt Suzuki has gotten into the mix with a .292 average the past week.
The numbers do not lie. If the A's score, they can win.
They hold the league's best pitching staff but haven't come through with the clutch hit consistently.
One source could be Ryan Sweeney.
The oft-used outfielder has taken advantage of his few opportunities but hasn't gotten into the lineup often. In 79 at bats, Sweeney has an .812 OPS.
It's at least worth a shot.
The A's won four in a row before dropping the first two to New York and the offense needs to find a way to get going before they go into Boston.
Boston won five straight before dropping the last three. The Red Sox play the White Sox Wednesday.
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