The playoffs once again approach, with that mix of nervousness, excitement, and, for an A’s fan, a healthy dose of agony or perhaps outright dread.
This is the time of year we as fans have been conditioned to freak out.
The Oakland A’s are fourth in playoff appearances this century, in all of baseball, with 11 including this year. Only the Yankees, Cardinals, and Dodgers have more (the Red Sox were tied with the A’s, until this season). Out of those four teams, only the A’s haven’t even been to the World Series this century. Only the Dodgers might be able to lay claim to similar levels of heartbreak, but with their endless financial resources, it’s a matter of when, not if, they will win.