If you’re wondering how good an idea the 3rd wild card is, the Reds are Exhibit A. With the regular season ending 2 weeks from today they are very much in the thick of the post-season race, just 1.5 games behind the New York Mets. They have also lost half their games.
Right now the Mets hold a 0.5 game lead on the Giants, 1.5 on the Reds, and would be in the post-season right now despite being all of 3 games over .500. An 83-79 team making the playoffs is a distinct possibility.
Meanwhile, the A’s job is to continue dashing the Reds’ hopes as they go for the sweep this afternoon. It would be just the A’s second series sweep at home all season, the previous one coming at the hands — or paws — of another contender, the Detroit Tigers.
Luis Morales (3-1, 2.73 ERA), coming off his least successful start against the Red Sox earlier on the home stand, gets the call for the A’s today against the LHP Nick Lodolo (8-7, 3.10 ERA). Sunday means the scrubs get a chance to shine, so we will see the likes of Willie MacIver and Max Schuemann amongst the starting 9 along with platoon man Colby Thomas. Look at me learning how to embed pretty lineups and such!