Despite playing in the worst and most dilapidated stadium in Major League Baseball, the Athletics find a way. Oakland has one of baseball’s lowest revenue sources. Yet the Athletics have been a remarkable success story. Oakland is coming off three straight playoff years. And has made the baseball betting postseason in six of their last nine years. Problematic for the A’s is the postseason. In their previous 12 playoffs, Oakland failed to make the World Series. Now they’re slight favorites to win the AL West. But that status may be based on past results rather than current realities.
2021 Oakland Athletics Team Odds Preview
| Odds to Win 2021 National League Pennant: | +1000 |
|---|---|
| Odds to Win 2021 World Series: | +2500 |
| Odds to Win 2021 American League West Division: | +150 |
| 2021 Over/Under Win Total: | 87.5 |
| 2020 Record: | 36-24 +$251, 26-32-2 OU |
2021 Oakland Athletics SBG Odds Overview
On the whole, the Athletics are a favorite of sharps. Oakland consistently delivers offshore bookmaker value. Cause by the masses ignoring their ability. And the fact that that A’s are low revenue and lower payroll. No team makes more with less. Yet, the public still doesn’t understand that. Which makes for consistently reasonable prices on the MLB board. Accordingly, the wiseguys swoop in for that enhanced value. Oakland combines ability with price like few other teams in any sport. In turn, the Athletics are perpetual playoff failures. Oakland comes up short against the powerhouses.
2021 Oakland Athletics Team Preview
Overall, the 2020 Athletics finished 36-24 and 26-32-2 under the total. Following a wild card win, the A’s were eliminated 3-1 by the Houston Astros in the ALDS. MLB metrics had the A’s ranked 17th for runs scored, 17th for OPS, and 18th for home runs. While on the hill, Oakland ranked 5th for staff earned run average, 10th for WHIP, 10th for quality starts, and first for the bullpen. So too did Oakland commit the fourth fewest errors in baseball.
Of great concern was an offseason where the A’s lost Liam Hendriks, Robbie Grossman, Joakim Soria, Marcus Semien, and Tommy La Stella.
Manager Bob Melvin took over in 2011. And he’s led the A’s to six playoff appearances and a win percentage of .527. In comparison to most managers, Melvin is a proven baseball betting asset.
First baseman Matt Olson is a two-time Rawlings AL Gold Glove winner. Last season was a terrible one at the plate with a .195 average and .734 OPS. But Olson was given a pandemic pass and is projected for 35 home runs and 100 runs batted in 2021. Olson did manage 14 dingers in 2020.
Third baseman Matt Chapman is a two-time Rawlings AL Gold Glove winner and 2019 AL All-Star. Last season, in 37 games for 2020, Chapman hit nine doubles, ten home runs and compiled a .812 OPS. He is projected for 33 home runs in 2021.
Right-hand starter Mike Fiers is projected as the number one man for 2021. To show, Fiers was 6-3 with a 4.58 earned run average in 2020. His WHIP was 1.37.
“Moneyball” was patented by Oakland as a method of squeezing every dollar for success. Players come and go, but the A’s have it down to a science when it comes to matching ability and contract value. Subsequently, they remain in the hunt.