Oakland Athletics: Just Get In

The magic number for the Oakland Athletics to clinch a playoff spot sits at one. With one more victory (or a Mariners loss), the A’s make the big dance. Now, granted, they would still have to win a win-or-go-home game in order to get into the division series, but they’d be in the playoffs nonetheless. And that is what matters. Because once you’re in, anyone can win it.

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Would it be nice to head into the playoffs hot, feeling like we can take down anyone? Of course. But look at the last couple of seasons for the A’s. Those are as good of proof as any that ending the season hot doesn’t guarantee postseason success.

In 2012, nobody was hotter than the Oakland Athletics, who trailed the Texas Rangers by four games with six to go in the regular season before they swept both Seattle and Texas to win the division in dramatic fashion. The A’s were hot, and they lost the next two games. The magic was still there in Game 4, when Coco got the game-winning hit as the A’s scored three in the 9th to force game 5.

That was an awesome game. But we all know what happened in Game 5. Last season, the A’s went 19-8 in September to run away with the division, but were met with the same fate again in the Division Series.

Now, this isn’t to say that it is better, per se, to go into the playoffs cold. It is more saying that there isn’t all that much of a correlation between how a team is playing to end the regular season and how they do in the playoffs. Whenever a team wins the World Series, it is because the got hot at the right time. But that time is October, not September.

If the A’s make the playoffs, there is obviously a decent shot they are sent packing right away in the wild-card game. Because it is one game; anything can happen. But, in all honesty, even if the A’s had been playing halfway-decent baseball the last couple months, they would’ve been in the same predicament. This is because the Angels have been absurdly hot. So even if the A’s did have 95 wins right now, they’d still be looking at playing a win-or-go-home game.

The A’s played well enough throughout the entire season to get into the postseason (assuming they do get in). At that point, they, like any other team, have to hope they get hot. The last couple of months have been painful for A’s fans, for sure, but the season isn’t over yet. One more win, and they get in. One more win, and Lester takes the mound Tuesday night, with everything on the line. At that point, the A’s better hope they get hot. Until then, just get in.