Elephant Rumblings: The calm before the storm

A’s Coverage:

• Gallegos: Raucous Coliseum awaiting Rays, A’s in WCG...
• Lockard: Postseason roster projection - Bridge relievers could be the key for the A’s... ($$$)
• Petriello: Who has edge? A’s-Rays position by position...
• Topkin: Rays, A’s driven by same scrappy attitude, unconventional approaches...
• Sarris: Billy Beane’s new ‘Moneyball’ stat - How the A’s have built a team for the modern era without relying on the walk... ($$$)
• Saracevic: The A’s can take sole possession of Oakland - Now’s their chance... ($)
• Slusser: Defense edge might pay off big for A’s in postseason... ($)
• Gallegos and Toribio: Rays-A’s, AL WC Game preview...
• Thompson: Ranking the top-15 players in what figures to be a riveting wild-card matchup between the A’s and Rays... ($$$)
• Watt: Marcus Semien’s Defense Is a Team Effort...

Best of AN:

• Hall: Sean Manaea or Mike Fiers - Who should Oakland A’s start in Wild Card Game?
• Fatrolf’s Monday Sketches: THE OAKLAND A’S ARE GOING TO THE POST SEASON!!!!!!!! Edition...
• Hall: Oakland A’s fan confidence among highest in MLB...

MLB News:

• Svrluga: Nationals offer star infielder Anthony Rendon seven-year deal worth $210 million-$215 million...
• Olney: Angels fire manager Brad Ausmus after just one year...
• Newman: Rockies, AT&T SportsNet announce multi-year extension to broadcast Colorado games...
• Morosi: Cubs considering Raul Ibañez for managerial opening...

Baseball Interest Stories:

• ESPN: 2019 MLB playoff preview - storylines, inside info and odds for every possible series...
• Sarris: Picking a statistical method … and a World Series champion... ($$$)
• Clemens: When Is the Ideal Time to Start Your Ace?
• Dodd: MLB Tiers, Postseason Edition - The superpowers, the young contenders and the wild-card team to watch... ($$$)
• Playoff Prognostication: The Athletic MLB staff makes their picks for the 2019 postseason... ($$$)
• Lindbergh: An Astros-Dodgers World Series Rematch Would Be the Best of Baseball...
• Goldstein: How Can Baseball Help With Alzheimer’s?

Today in Baseball History:

• 1932 — 1932 - Babe Ruth, as legend has it, calls his home run against Chicago Cubs pitcher Charlie Root in the 5th inning of Game 3 of the World Series, won by the New York Yankees, 7 - 5, at Wrigley Field. Ruth and Lou Gehrig each hit two homers for the Yankees.
• 2012 — The Athletics crown an improbable playoff run by defeating the Rangers, 4 - 3, securing at least a wild card spot in the American League. They can still win the AL West crown if they defeat the Rangers in their last three games. The Athletics had traded away two All-Star starters during the off-season, then lost their only three experienced starting pitchers - Bartolo Colon, Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson - during the season, going with an all-rookie starting rotation during an 8-4 run that clinched the playoff slot.

Best of Twitter:

• Something is clearly wrong with the universe...

• I’m not quite sure what this is but it’s great...

• An excellent choice for Oakland’s biggest game since 2013...