When identifying how this team has had success is hard looking at an offense that has not been that good. Josh Reddick is their best player, hitting .269, 20, 43 and Brandon Moss has helped with 11 HR in 90 ABs. They have gotten no production from LF (Coco Crisp), SS (Cliff Pennington), 2B (Jemile Weeks) or 3B (Brandon Inge). They were certainly expecting more for the four before mentioned (possibly minus Inge).
Their pitching staff has done the job, despite not being flashy. Tom Milone (9-6, 3.54), Bartolo Colon (6-7, 3.80) and Brandon McCarthy (6-3, 2.54) have kept the team in games this season and rookie Jarrod Parker (5-4, 2.86) and journeyman Travis Blackley (2-2, 2.63 in 7 starts) have surprised so far. Like most teams that are playing well, their bullpen has been solid, led by All Star Ryan Cook (2-2, 9, 1.37) and trade candidate Grant Balfour (2-2, 7, 3.12). They have also gotten some production from two lefties; Jerry Blevins (2-0, 2.50) and Jordan Norberto (2-1, 3.18) leading to the release of Brian Fuentes.
While the New York media has to give credit to the job Mets manager Terry Collins has done, at the very least the same has to be given to A's manager Bob Melvin. I thought this would be a tough spot for Melvin, who has turned around fortunes in Seattle and Arizona. There comes a point where a manager proves himself in this game. Bob Melvin has done that. The fact that he has gotten as much out of this team right now (in addition to what he has done before) makes him a good manager.