After spending nearly the entire season as the AL West leaders, the Texas Rangers find themselves in new territory after losing the division on the final day of the season to the Oakland Athletics.
The Baltimore Orioles have entered new territory as well, making the playoffs for the first time since 1997 after spending a decade as a losing franchise.
The Orioles battled the New York Yankees all through September for the AL East, but will have to settle for the wild-card after losing two of three to the Tampa Bay Rays to end the season. The Rangers are reeling a bit after having a historic collapse to end the year.
Texas is the first team to blow a five game lead with nine games to go and now have a win-or-go-home game left to play to salvage the season. The Oakland Athletics, who have been the hottest team in baseball during the second half, caught the Texas Rangers on the final day of the season and will play the Detroit Tigers after winning the AL West crown.
"I don't feel any different," manager Ron Washington said. "Other than the fact we have an opportunity to get back in the playoffs if we win a ball game."
The Rangers are dealing with a ton of pressure after losing the division. The team has made back-to-back World Series appearances and was a strike away from winning the title twice last year, but couldn't put away the St. Louis Cardinals.
Japanese rookie Yu Darvish will make his first ever postseason start for Texas, while left-hander Joe Saunders will throw for the Orioles. Texas is relying heavily on Darvish, who the team signed to a $100 million contract in the offseason.
"He's an expensive one," Showalter said. "He's impressive. They gotten a return on everything they've invested. He's pretty special."
The Rangers had the division in their grasp on Wednesday, but let it get away after taking a 5-1 lead on the Athletics. The game turned around in the fourth inning when Oakland tied the game and then Josh Hamilton dropped a routine fly ball that allowed two runs to score. The Athletics took the lead and never looked back, winning the game 12-5 and taking the division.
"Just like any of our fans or anyone involved with our organization, there was a level of disappointment at first. A chance to win the division, and we couldn't put it away," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Then you take a step back and realize there are 20 teams that would kill to be where we are right now and would trade places with us in a heartbeat. ... We've got one of our best pitchers on the mound at home."
According to ESPN.com, Texas was up four games with only six left to play and still lost the division. The team dropped five of their last six games, including all three to the Athletics.
Baltimore is making its first postseason appearance in over ten years and will face off against one of the best teams in the American League the past few years. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter will face one of his former teams; he managed for the Rangers for four years from 2003 to 2006.
"For our players and organization to get an opportunity, it's rewarding. We're trying to do everything possible to get back to Baltimore," Showalter said. "Personally, I thanked the players for letting me come along for the ride. ''
The Orioles have relied on the home run this season, with 32 coming from outfielder Adam Jones and 33 from first baseman Chris Davis.
"The big thing for us was coming in August and playing these guys and kind of dealing with the emotions of being back, being on the other side of things," Davis said. "Right now we're definitely excited to be in the postseason, and we really don't care who our opponent is. ... We're just glad to be in this situation."
Whoever wins the game on Friday will then host the New York Yankees for two games at home in the next round. Due to the new format of the playoffs, for this year only, the higher seeded team will open on the road and the play three games at home to finish off the series.
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