A’s 2019 fan confidence chart

Even a playoff season includes plenty of ups and downs.

Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send 30 polls to plugged in fans from each team. A’s fans, click HERE to learn more and join FanPulse.

Each week throughout the 2019 season, we asked Oakland A’s fans about their confidence in the direction of the team. With the season now completed, we have 28 data points to look at, combined into a chart that illustrates the roller coaster of the team’s summer.

Confidence began the year high, with the A’s coming off 97 wins and a Wild Card berth the previous season. However, it quickly dipped after a slow start, then recovered and dipped again during the first half as the club went through a hot streak and then another brief lull. Finally, toward the end of June, they put it all together and cemented themselves as contenders, winning two-thirds of their games the rest of the way (54-27) to repeat their 2018 results of 97 victories and a Wild Card. From that point on, other than one brief hiccup in early September, the approval rating stayed high and never looked back.

The final chart below shows the full ups and downs, with a few notes to explain what was going on during the occasional low points. In 22 of the 28 weeks, fans gave the team at least 80% confidence.

The last entry came a couple days before the Wild Card Game, with the A’s drawing 97% fan support. That edged out the Rays’ own 96% approval from their fans, which ... well, at least we came out ahead in something that week?

As for manager Bob Melvin, he finished the year with a 92% rating, marking 24 out of 28 weeks that he finished 90% or higher. Only five other managers matched or beat that level of 90+ consistency, all of them in the AL: A.J. Hinch (Astros), Rocco Baldelli (Twins), Kevin Cash (Rays), Brandon Hyde (Orioles), and Chris Woodward (Rangers).

While the season is over the for A’s, the MLB postseason is still going, and with it the FanPulse voting. There are only national questions now, which have brought the following results:

• In Week 29, fans voted the Yankees (AL) and Dodgers (NL) as the LDS playoff teams they most wanted to see eliminated. I mean, duh.
• In Week 30, fans voted the Yankees as having the worst fans among the LCS playoff teams. Again, duh.
• Also Week 30, fans picked Astros vs. Nationals as the World Series matchup they’d most like to see, out of the four LCS teams. We’re one Houston win away from indeed seeing that come true.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the FanPulse voting this year!