As hard as it is for us fans, how can one possibly fathom the pain that the Athletics must be experiencing at this moment? To go in seven short weeks from the penthouse to the other house must be unbearably excruciating for Beane, Melvin, Young and all the players. They were at 72-44 when the roof fell in, when the bottom fell out and the team began to take on water. What had been their calling card -- winning the close ones -- became their Achilles' heel.

I don't know what moves Billy will make, and have no idea what the roster will look like come April. But I do know that now is NOT the time to throw in the towel and jump ship. Would you rather be in Philadelphia? How about Cleveland? As important as it is that the A's look forward and try to regroup after yet another heartbreaking end to the season, it is imperative that they have our support.

What happened in August and September was Shakespearean, but there were reasons. You cannot hit, catch, throw a baseball or run the bases when you're beat up. Eventually your handpicked all-star rock band of starters will wither under the strain of no run support. And when the train starts rolling, it won't slow down until it runs off the rails, which is exactly what happened.

So how do you get off the mat? You find strength in the things that got you here: your competitive drive, your will and unfailing belief in your own abilities. The world did not end when Salvatore Perez hit that ball past a sprawling Josh Donaldson, a sight that will cause me nightmares for years.

It took me forever to fall asleep Tuesday night, and when I finally did, I had the kind of dream you have when you are exhausted and emotionally spent. In my dream it was a beautiful day, the sky was blue, and I was outdoors shooting hoops ... with Jonny Gomes. He looked at me and with that eternally positive attitude of his, smiled and said, "You just gotta believe."

If Jonny says it, it's so.

Peter Elman

Oakland

October 3, 2014

Pete Elman worked as a sportswriter for the Contra Costa Times and Oakland Tribune from 2000-2011. In 1991 he came up with the popular moniker "RUN TMC" for the Golden State Warriors of the early 1990s. He is currently publishing a children's picture book with music entitled "Seasons, Rhymes In Time." www.chillincrowbooks.com