The Oakland Futility Watch has reached the 80-game mark of the 2023 MLB season, which is basically halfway home, and the Athletics have a 20-60 record. That’s a .250 winning percentage for those scoring at home, which is better than the lowly pace set by the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics, which remains the worst season in modern MLB history. So, the A’s can avoid historic ugliness if they can just double this up, right?

Hmmmm.

Since winning seven straight a few weeks ago, Oakland has won just 1 game since in an ugly stretch that has seen the A’s lose five 1-run ballgames. The team is still a respectable 12-16 in 1-run games, and it’s still the pitching that remains the big issue as the Athletics are 2-22 in games decided by five runs or more. Yet hope remains as the team’s winning percentage has improved each month: .179, .207, and .364 now in June.

We want to point some out individual efforts on this team, both good and bad, with the rest of today’s column. But most players are a mixed bag at best, as is to be expected on a 20-60 team.

  • CF Esteury Ruiz: He probably ends up as the team’s only All Star, as his 39 steals lead the major leagues. But he has just 13 walks this season, and his glove has been ugly (minus-1.3 dWAR).
  • OF Brent Rooker: Cut loose by three organizations before this season, he has 13 HRs and 38 RBI to lead the team. He’s the only guy on the A’s with double-digit HRs right now. His .810 OPS is good enough for a 132 OPS+ mark, as well. But he also has a bad glove (minus-0.6 dWAR).
  • 1B Ryan Noda: We’re not sure how he’s produced a 134 OPS+ mark, with his mere .804 OPS, but maybe it’s a down year for first basemen. His .238 average is third on the team, behind Ruiz (.259) and Rooker (.242). That’s a scary thought.

The most common lineup for the A’s features four players hitting .205 or worse, and the other two guys are hitting .213 and .214. It’s a brutal lineup obviously devoid of legitimate MLB hitters. The fact the Oakland has won 20 games with this kind of crap at the plate is actually kind of surprising—especially considering the nightmare that is the pitching staff.

  • RP Shintaro Fujinami: The team leader in wins (3) is also team worst in ERA (10.57). His 1.957 WHIP is unsightly, too. Fujinami also is tied for the team “lead” in losses (7). This stat line might define the 2023 Athletics more than any other this season.
  • SP James Kaprelian: The only starter with more than one win this season. He has two—and a 6.34 ERA to go along with a 1.590 WHIP. He had a 4.16 ERA in 253 1/3 IP combined in 2021 and 2022 with a 13-14 record, so it’s not like Kaprelian suddenly forgot how to pitch. But the pressure on this staff has been unreal.
  • SP J.P. Sears: He is the team’s “best” starter with a 1-5 record, a 4.10 ERA, and 1.032 WHIP. He posted a 6-3 record and a 3.86 ERA in 2022 with the New York Yankees and the A’s combined. At age 27, he is in his prime, so Oakland should be running this guy out every five days without hesitation.
  • RP Trevor May: The A’s nominal “closer” has a 5.89 ERA and a 1.855 WHIP. No wonder he has just 4 saves this year, although to be honest, the opportunities have not been plentiful. Yet the roster as a whole has a combined 11 saves.

The best reliever on the team so far seems to be San Francisco Giants castoff Sam Long (3.03 ERA, 2 saves). Perhaps he should end up in the closer’s role sooner rather than later, if Manager Mark Kotsay wants to win a few more games. The Yankees come to town later this week, and we will be on site at the Coliseum on Thursday to report on how that goes.

Stay tuned.