With Brugman, Rajai, and Olson manning the outfield, Phegley behind the plate, Rosales and Pinder holding down the middle infield with Healy and Alonso on the corner infield, the A’s actually put a perfectly competently average defensive team on the field. There aren’t any imminent gold gloves heading in the A’s direction, though Alonso is finally hitting well enough to win one, but there is a version of A’s baseball available that doesn’t require assuming the fetal position and watching lazy fly balls to the outfield through one’s fingers. Tonight’s 7-2 victory, in stark contrast from the loss just hours before, proved it.
Game #62: The Joys of an Average Defense
