Open Thread: Game 155 - Oakland Athletics at Texas Rangers (1)

Hello and welcome to another exciting night of A's baseball! First of all, since we are on the new AN platform, please take a look at How To Properly Navigate Game Threads, so you don't ever end up lost during a game.This game thread will turn into a StoryStream, under which many game threads can be placed. It will now be a breeze to go back and navigate these threads.

But, of course, that is secondary news to today's game, which is the biggest game of the A's season. With only 8 games left, and the A's clinging--and I do mean clinging--to a two-game lead over the Angels, and only a slim 3 game lead over the don't-look-now-but-we've-climbed-back Rays, I would say that the A's need to win some games. For perspective's sake, if the Angels finish the season 6-2 (and this is more than likely), the A's would need to finish 5-3 to take the second Wild Card. So we're looking at about 5 more wins. It could be a very stressful week ahead, not that this last week has been any better. The pressure keeps mounting, the stakes are greater than ever before, and most of us are ready to throw up, so unprepared were we for September nailbiters.

Jarrod Parker will be coming off his best start ever; an eight inning affair in New York last week, where the A's--what else lately--dropped the game in extra innings. If I could do anything in the world to trade this start for that one, I would, but hopefully he has another one in him. The much-beleaguered A's bullpen would think it a nice treat to only have to work a few innings tonight. Parker will be facing another rookie; lefty Martin Perez.

Coco Crisp is still out (don't GET me started), and Josh Reddick will be batting seventh.

Lineups:

LET'S GO OAK-LAND!