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		A's look to finish above .500 for the first time since 2006 By Morris Phillips July 13, 2010

	Winning baseball is coming to the Coliseum this week. Can movie magic rub off on this year’s A’s? The filming of “Moneyball” which dramatizes the workings of General Manager Billy Beane and features the 2002 A’s that won the AL West with 103 victories begins filming at the ballpark this week during the break and into Oakland’s upcoming road trip. That year the Tejada/Zito led A’s went on a 20-game win streak that established an American League record. And while second baseman Mark Ellis might be the only thing those A’s have in common with these A’s, at 43-46 this team could become a winner, just not at the level of the 2002 squad. Still if they can finish above .500 for the first time since 2006, it would be a first for manager Bob Geren and a modest accomplishment for a team with numerous flaws. In the absence of a 20-game win streak, the A’s will have to continue to scratch their way through ballgames with above average starting pitching and timely, meaningful offense. With just 57 homers thus far, this team isn’t going to power its way past opponents. But there a couple of things this team has establish as strengths, now can they do them frequently enough to make an impact in the win column. First, the A’s can pitch with a young core of starters, and a bullpen that has been far more effective of late. Trevor Cahill has had a breakout season thus far, leading the team with nine wins. Brett Anderson is expected back soon, and he’ll be expected to pick up where he left off in April and May. Gio Gonzalez has been up and down, but will continue to get the ball every fifth day as he attempts to establish himself as quality major league starter. They key here will be if Ben Sheets can continue to regain his form and stamina and if Dallas Braden can regain his health and consistency. Incredibly, Braden and Sheets have combined for just one win since Braden’s perfect game in early May. Michael Wuertz , Craig Breslow and Brad Ziegler were expected to comprise the core of a deep and settled bullpen ahead of closer and All-Star Andrew Bailey. Each of three has struggled at points, but continue to show signs they can regain their 2008 or 2009 form. On a team where the best player is the closer, the setup crew has to be staunch or Bailey with his 1.70 ERA and 18 saves will be rendered meaningless. With the offense limited, the performance of this trio could mirror the performance of the entire team in the second half. Offensively, Coco Crisp, based on his productivity in just 18 games thus far, remains a key. He’s shown he could be a dynamic force at the leadoff spot, he just has to stay healthy. Daric Barton finished the first half struggling, but he’s been productive as an everyday player at first base. Can he continue to produce for a full season? Ryan Sweeney’s been knocked for his lack of power, but on this team, he’s not alone and he’s the only guy who has the potential to hit above .300 for an entire season. Kevin Kouzmanoff, Kurt Suzuki and Ellis are the closest things the A’s have to impact hitters in their everyday lineup and each will have to get hot at some point to insure the offense’s impact. Conor Jackson, who’s on the disabled list, and Jack Cust, who’s hit for average but not power, remain wild cards and impossible to predict what their contribution could be. Don’t be surprised if neither guy makes an significant difference in the second half. The schedule appears challenging with 13 games against the division-leading Rangers and nine against the AL Central leading White Sox. Also the A’s visit the Yankees for four games and Minnesota for six. The A’s are 22-30 against teams .500 and above, so they’ll look to take advantage of nine meetings with the Royals (39-49) and ten games with the Mariners (35-53). In terms of style of play, the A’s need to draw more walks (262 is the fourth-fewest in the AL) and continue to challenge defenses on the base paths as they lead the league in stolen base percentage. On defense, they need to turn more double plays. They’ve turned just 68, which ranks 28th just ahead of only the Pirates and Giants. The A’s open the second half with a trip to Kansas City before returning to the Coliseum to face Boston and Chicago