The Athletics Ideal Lineup for the Wild Card Game

September 6, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Adam Dunn (10) prepares to bat during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at O.co Coliseum. The Athletics defeated the Astros 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

3. Adam Dunn, DH

Melvin has experimented with Dunn in the second spot lately, which I don’t mind, but I like him better hitting third. The simple reason for this is the same reason that I like Donaldson batting second: Who do I want to have the greater opportunity to get another plate appearance? While I like Dunn’s power, he’s WAY too inconsistent to choose over the team’s MVP. Regardless, his ability to get on base combined with his power makes him a key middle-of-the-order presence. If Shields makes just one mistake to him, it could be the difference in this game.

In terms of his defense, I’m not sure if he even owns a glove. If he does I hope that we never have to see it.