Oakland Athletics: Seven Things Fans Have Learned in 2015

May 20, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jonathan Villar (2) tags up to second base on a fly ball as Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien (10) is late with the tag in the bottom of the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Lesson Four: Never Overlook the Opponents

It’s possible to search Twitter for Oakland Athletics’ fans thoughts about the Astros prior to the start of the 2015 season, but in an effort to reduce embarrassment, let’s just say that they were not taken very seriously.

Well…surprise!

Must Read: Jake Smolinski Should Not Be In Triple-A Right Now

Houston isn’t only leading the division, they also stole the American League ERA leader right out of Oakland’s last-place hands. Scott Kazmir is having the season of his life, posting a 2.08 ERA in 2015 as he cruises his way towards a potential Cy Young Award on a playoff-contending team. That sounds pretty nice. It also sounds like the Astros may have been just slightly underestimated.

The A’s still have Sonny Gray, who – to be fair – is likely to be the runner-up for a Cy Young award, as he has a 2.12 ERA of his own. However, Gray is forced to contend with the likes of Semien and other defensive liabilities, as well as an offense that seems to be either red hot or ice cold, depending on the game. Add to that the fact that the bullpen is always there to helpfully pick up the decision for him, and Gray just isn’t likely to have the win total needed to enough garner Cy Young votes.

Next year, it’s probably best not to sleep on Dallas Keuchel and friends, especially considering how much talent the ‘Stros have hanging out in Triple-A.

Luckily, the A’s have had the opportunity to stock their minor league system again as well. Which leads us to our next discovery…

Next: Thinking Too Far Ahead Can Be a Bad Thing