Just looking at Oakland's schedule...

[QuinlansMinion]

The only playoff team they face the rest of the way is us and Seattle.  Theyre schedule is loaded up with Houston, Tampa Bay, KC, Texas, Mets, and White Sox.  

 

Unless they stop over achieving and the no name journey men on their team start performing the way they always have, they are going to be tough to catch even though were only a game back. 

 

This isnt a pessimistic thread though.  Were gonna have to play extremely good baseball every series to catch them.

Edited July 21, 2014 by QuinlansMinion

[JoJo26]

As mentioned in another thread...the ANGELS have a more challenging task ahead:

 

HOME vs teams with a combined 31 games over .500
3 vs. SEA (Won 2 of 3)
3 vs. East Leading BALT
4 vs. Central leading DET

THEN...

3 @ BALT
3 @ Tampa
then 4 (2 @ Big A, 2 @ The Toilet) vs. NL West leading DODGERS

Tampa is the only team below .500. That's 20 games. By August 8th - when Boston comes to town, we'll see where we're at.

[moccasin]

Personally, I thought Seattle and Tampa would be the 2 toughest. They both have good pitching and they were playing good baseball coming into the break.

We have 10 head to head games vs OAK. 6-4 against them might be the minimum to win the division.

[ettin]

FanGraphs recently examined strength of schedule and the A's certainly had one of the better set up's through the end of the year. However in terms of wins it only amounted to about a  2 Win "Bonus". The Angels were about even in that article. Strength of Schedule does have some effect but not as much as some people give it credit for.

[Second Base]

I don't trust the "strength of schedule" idea at all.  Teams get hot and get cold constantly, regardless of the playoffs. KC might make the playoffs but they can't buy a win.  Tampa Bay probably won't make the playoffs, but I'd hate to play them right now, they're on a roll. 

[Season Over]

I don't trust the "strength of schedule" idea at all.  Teams get hot and get cold constantly, regardless of the playoffs. KC might make the playoffs but they can't buy a win.  Tampa Bay probably won't make the playoffs, but I'd hate to play them right now, they're on a roll. 

 

I'd hate to play Tampa even if half their roster had lupus.  They've given the Angels fits for years.

[Turd Ferguson]

Fwiw, Olney did an article on this recently. According to him, A'ths had the 2nd easiest schedule, Angels 9th.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

A last place team with nothing to play for but pride can be very dangerous in September. They're loose with no pressure on them to win, so they just go out and play.

[laagamer]

We're going to see just how good a team we are.

 

That being said...ya we're probably boned. 

[disarcina]

And the A's show no sign of letting up on their 'refuse to lose' way of playing........

 

they've had a great first half and Billy Beane has positioned them well for the second half and down the stretch.

 

A's are going to be tough to catch -- we have to do well in the head to head match ups.......

 

this is going to be a lot like the stretch run in 2002 when the two hottest teams in baseball where the first place A's and the second place Angels.

 

Angels played something like .625 ball down the stretch in late August/ September and picked up about two games on the A's in the standings.

 

this year, who-ever does not win the AL West title and slips to the Wild Card has a tougher road than the 2002 W/C Angels team had to the World Series title.

[seenoevil]

Baseball is a different kind of sport. SOS means less imo than other sports.  I think the Angels are going to be a tough team to beat vs whomever. They have a deep BP now. They will be ready to grind out wins more, keep their arms more fresher in a tough series. I know the 1 game playoff format sucks. I can see the Angels winning the division now also.

[Bruce Nye]

We're going to see just how good a team we are.

 

That being said...ya we're probably boned. 

 

Chase and you are just full of confidence.  Why even follow this team?

[Chase]

Chase and you are just full of confidence.  Why even follow this team?

Most of my anger today was directed towards Skaggs and his inability to finish hitters when he's ahead in the count.

[bloodbrother]

This next stretch is very lopsided. Halos are facing some tough teams while the A's will be facing bottom feeders. If the Halos can stay within 3 games, they'll be in good shape. 10 games left vs the A's, so they'll have plenty of chances

[laagamer]

Chase and you are just full of confidence.  Why even follow this team?

 

I've now changed my opinion. 

 

Apparently we play the A's 10x in the 2nd half.

 

Screw whoever else we play. Those 10 games will decide the division. 

 

Period. 

 

EDIT: 7 of the games are at the Big A. Damn. I'm actually feeling confident about our chances. 

Edited July 21, 2014 by laagamer

[Sherlock31]

FXXX the schedule, let's just beat up whoever stand in our way and take the division.   

[Hollyw00d]

We have to beat Oakland head to head. Its critical to winning the division, we HAVE to put some doubt in their minds

[Hollyw00d]

As mentioned in another thread...the ANGELS have a more challenging task ahead:

HOME vs teams with a combined 31 games over .500

3 vs. SEA (Won 2 of 3)

3 vs. East Leading BALT

4 vs. Central leading DET

THEN...

3 @ BALT

3 @ Tampa

then 4 (2 @ Big A, 2 @ The Toilet) vs. NL West leading DODGERS

Tampa is the only team below .500. That's 20 games. By August 8th - when Boston comes to town, we'll see where we're at.

interestingly, Tampa may be the toughest series. They have really turned it around lately. I can see them winning the east, no joke

[Lou]

I'd be more concerned if we were those teams and seeing us on THEIR schedule

[arch stanton]

According to my calculations the A's have 54 games remaining against teams they should beat while the Angels have 65 game remaining against teams they should beat. I like the odds.

[Taylor]

One-game playoff is such a joke. The Angels are currently 7.5 games up on the Mariners, yet the M's could win one game against the Angels and knock them out of the ALDS. Reminds me of something that would happen in soccer or the WBC.

[Hollyw00d]

They should just change it to a NBA format, the best records get the best position. Screw the AL east/central. Send them to a play in game

[Taylor]

They should just change it to a NBA format, the best records get the best position. Screw the AL east/central. Send them to a play in game

 

...except, don't make the playoffs as long as they are in the NBA, and don't have 16 out of 30 teams make the playoffs. 

[Hollyw00d]

Well, yeah

[Troll Daddy]

One-game playoff is such a joke. The Angels are currently 7.5 games up on the Mariners, yet the M's could win one game against the Angels and knock them out of the ALDS. Reminds me of something that would happen in soccer or the WBC.

Would you like it if the tables were turned?