Daric Barton

In seems like a millennium since the Oakland Athletics were last seen in postseason play—let alone a contender at all—and while this hasn’t been a team that has had a lot of opportunities to land big name players, the A’s are a team that has quietly been building in a solid unit since 2008.

Now as the 2011 season approaches, the A’s are looking more and more as if they are a contender in the American League.

In baseball, the art of being able to recognize and take pitches out of the zone is key to success. Although hitting statistics like home runs and batting average are glorified, walks greatly contribute to wins. Here are the five most disciplined hitters, based on their O-Swing % (the amount of pitches out of the zone at which they swing). 

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In a lot of ways, the Oakland Athletics have already had a very successful 2010.

The campaign isn't over by any means—with more than 50 games yet to be played, anything and everything can still happen.

However, the A's sit nine and a half games off the American League West pace set by the division-leading Texas Rangers. With the Texas in town for the weekend, they have a chance to shave some of that margin and they'd better.

Because they're even further behind in the AL Wild Card race.

Just because you’ve slipped behind in the Stolen Base category doesn’t mean you can’t catch up.  Here are some reasonably available SB threats.

Coco Crisp, OF, Oakland A’s

If steals are what you’re looking for Coco is your guy.

The Oakland A's have had an up-and-down season so far.

They were in first place in the American League West at the beginning of June.

At the All-Star Break the A's are now 43-46 and seven-and-a-half games out of first place and three games out of second.

Now is time to take a look at the grades for each player the A's have had at the break. I'll start with the infield, then outfielders, relievers, and then the starters for the A's.

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There was a point in time in the season where the Oakland A's could have made a surprising run at the American League West division title, but all hope are pretty much gone after another dreadful performance against the New York Yankees. 

So, what is there for the second half of the season for the A's? Well there's five things the A's have to have to show they could become a contender in the American League West division. 

I also contemplated the kids game "Red Rover, Red Rover, send the A's offense on over!" The last few years I'd say the offense has bounced harmlessly off of the locked-together arms of the opposing side.

With the A's coming off their third-straight sub .500 season, General Manager Billy Beane has made it clear to the A's very small and ever thinning fan base that rebuilding is key for future success.

The A's over the past two or three seasons have spent most of their efforts trying to replenish their depleted farm-system.

However, last season's off-course "spending spree" that ultimately backfired, caused Beane and the rest of the A's front office to re-evaluate their situation and their biggest organizational needs. 

Billy Beane used too make great decisions and make trades that benefited the Oakland A's, but lately, Beane's genius has backfired on him, and it hasn't been pretty for the Oakland A's.

No one could make the argument that the hiring of Ken Macha was the beginning of the end for the A's run, but at least Macha had teams that made the playoffs and had a winning record.