The Athletics have been one of Major League Baseball's most surprising teams this year. After going 76-86 last season and missing the playoffs, they are at the top of the American League West, albeit just one game over the .500 mark. Still, at 22-21, they appear to be the best team in the division so far, and their young players are showing a lot of promise, especially reigning AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz. The 23-year-old slugger is hitting .275/.428/.477 with seven home runs, 26 RBI and a .905 OPS to start the season, and he is also in the middle of an on-base streak that is now approaching Athletics history. "Nick Kurtz extended his on-base streak to 36 games on Wednesday in grand fashion, crushing a slam. Then on Thursday, he extended it to 37 games with a leadoff homer," Sarah Langs of MLB.com wrote. "That’s the A’s fourth-longest single-season on-base streak in the last 40 years.…