Coming into this series against the Rangers, the Oakland Athletics had lost 10 of 11 games. You would be excused for assuming that this series wasn't going to go well.
You would have been wrong, though, because this series has gone awesome. The A's destroyed the Rangers in the first game, and handed Texas its first shutout of the season last night. That's right, Oakland enters the final game with a chance to WIN the series, and a guaranteed split even if we lose. I would call it a no-lose situation, except that the A's can in fact lose the game, technically. But you know what I mean. This series has already been a success.
There is some bad news. You knew there had to be, right? Don't worry, no one has gotten injured since last night, except maybe Bob Melvin's brain. However, Coco Crisp is in the starting lineup AGAIN today, after impressing Melvin with his complete inability to catch up to any pitch thrown by Colby Lewis last night and his visible frustration at the plate. He's also batting second, because his bat is too valuable to stash at the end of the lineup, or something. If there were no one else to play center, I would understand. BUT, we have a perfectly good, young centerfielder, who happens to be on an 8-game hitting streak in which he has gone 13-for-31, just sitting on the bench losing his timing and momentum. If I was a college hitter, and I was drafted by the A's, I think that I would decline and go back to school for another year. I'm not even kidding. It has gotten ridiculous how Oakland jerks around its young hitters. Finally figured out Major League pitching and got on your first hot streak? Great, now go sit on the bench so that a .158 hitter with a career. 726 OPS can flail around like a fish out of water because MAYBE he'll regain his true form and hit .260. Free Cowgill!
Lineups:
| Rangers (Y. Darvish - R) @ Athletics (B. McCarthy - R) | |||
