For those with Insider, Keith Law has an interesting look at what has happened to the A's and why they haven't had their usual summer rush up the standings.
Law's primary blame goes to the farm system, which was ranked coming into the season by Baseball America at #27, one spot ahead of the Rangers. Oakland still has Daric Barton in AAA, but something tells me that with Travis Buck's and Kurt Suzuki's promotions and a disappointing season from Matt Sulentic, they are destined to stay in the 20's, while, as Jim Callis confirmed, Texas is likely headed for the top half of the league.