WORLD SERIES: ANALYSIS : The A’s Have It; Look for a Repeat

There are those who might really think the Cincinnati Reds have a chance to win the World Series. After all, some pretty crazy things can happen in baseball, right?

Well, no. At least not at this level, not with a team like these Oakland Athletics.

Sure, the A’s lost to Los Angeles in 1988 in five games. But the Dodgers had Orel Hershiser. Period.

The Reds do not have anyone close to Hershiser. In fact, if the Dodgers hadn’t lost Hershiser to injury, Cincinnati might already be home.

Oakland enters its third straight World Series in the strongest shape of any team since the 1984 Detroit Tigers, and we remember how easy it was for them.

The defending champions have won 10 straight postseason games, two shy of the all-time record. Their pitching staff is almost perfect, their lineup is so powerful it has overcome Jose Canseco’s injury, and Manager Tony La Russa has had the team focused on only one goal since opening day--winning the World Series.

The Reds, meanwhile, seem awfully excited just to be playing. They should be--after years of scandal and struggle, they became the first National League team to be in first place for all 162 games.

But, Oakland is about to end Cincinnati’s hunt for a Reds’ October. And it might be nasty, boys.

Pitching usually rules the postseason, and the A’s led the majors in that department, only the second time an American League team has done it since the inception of the designated hitter. Oakland showed off in holding Boston to one run per game in its playoff sweep.

The A’s out-homered Cincinnati, 164-125, during the regular season but did not hit a home run in the playoffs. They didn’t need to, getting 65 runners in four games. They also were nearly flawless in the field, as usual.

Plus, of Oakland’s 25 players, 21 have been in the World Series. Danny Jackson is the only Cincinnati player to have been there.

The Reds hit a few points higher this season, stole a few more bases and open the series at home (the A’s were 16-9 on turf). Also, there’s no DH at Riverfront Stadium.

That’s all nice for Cincinnati, and might help the Reds win one game, but it’s not nearly enough to win the World Series.