A's Shooting For .500, Playoffs As They Host Mariners

It's not out of the realm of possibility for the A's to make the AL playoffs. It's a longshot, to be sure, but in sports, this is the stuff dreams are made out of. They'll eye just making it to .500, though, and when they send Brett Anderson to the mound against the Seattle Mariners, themselves far back from being a playoff contender.

The A's are coming off a promising series win over the Los Angeles Angels, who saw their pitchers and hitters alike befuddled at the hands of their respective A's counterparts. They sit two games back of .500 and eight games back of the AL West leading Texas Rangers. The Rangers begin a four-game series on Monday in Toronto, and are now without Josh Hamilton.

Seattle themselves are coming off a win, and are sending Jason Vargas to the mound to try and pick up another win. Vargas has never lost to the A's, and boasts a 2-0 record with a 1.69 ERA over 10 2/3 innings. Still, he hasn't picked up a win since the 14th of August and won't really go into the series against Oakland feeling like he's "on a streak."

Jeff Larish has played well for Oakland of late, he hit a two-run double for them on Sunday in Oakland's 7-4 loss to the Angles. The Mariners feel good about Russell Branyan, who is coming off a two-run homer in their recent win over the Cleveland Indians.

Brett Anderson is in a slump right now, and is looking to right the trainwreck at its source: against the Mariners. His 0-4 record in five starts began on August tenth against the very same Seattle team after starting the season 3-2. He's been inconsistent at best in that time, but it hasn't always been his fault, at times lacking run support, and at other times simply having to face the New York Yankees.