Open Thread: Game 119 - A's vs. Indians

I always feel bad when a game thread and recap has to be relegated to "automatic overflow threads" and "tardy recaps". Especially in the midst of a truly gripping wild card race that now has four teams -- including Oakland -- separated by all of 0.5 game. Oh, and the A's are just 5 back in the division, too.

However, it seems that "anyone who's anyone" is at the game tonight instead of available to run the game threads and recap -- and I suppose that's a good thing. Attendance tonight should be strong on Scott Hatteberg Bobblehead Day (also known as "ZOMG Micah Bowie's gonna be here!!!" Day).

At the last moment, the group of "anyones" going to the game added me as a victim, so...auto thread, and a "tardier than usual" recap tonight. Or maybe I'll see if Cindi can do it. Stay tuned.

Bartolo Colon, who does not sound like a playing card, takes the mound tonight against Corey Kluber, who kind of does. Kluber apparently gets his inspiration from another well known playing card, "the King of sucks" -- Kluber enters with a record of 0-1 and a 8.56 ERA. He appears to be in a bit of a slump from his 2011 season, when he sported an 8.31 ERA.

Yes, the samples are tiny. Kluber has thrown just 13.2 IP in the big leagues this year, allowing 22 hits, 3 of them HRs. He has BB'd 4 and K'd 11. Kluber actually pitched well at AAA this year: 11-7, 3.59 ERA with 128 Ks (49 BBs) in 125.1 IP.

Look for an overflow thread to magically appear at 8:00pm. Meanwhile, the starting lineups. Welcome back, Josh Reddick! (I know, it should be "Welcome Back, Kottaras" -- him too.)