Oakland A's vs. Detroit Tigers: 5 Questions for ALDS Game 5

The Oakland A's have been here before. 

For a second year in a row, the A's are slated to face off against Justin Verlander in Game 5 of the ALDS. Recent history is not on Oakland's side, but the club is glad to be playing Game 5 at the O.co Coliseum. As table-setter Coco Crisp explained to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle:

“It’s good to have the home-field advantage...I don’t know if they can get any louder than it was the last time. If they can top that, that would be amazing.”

Crisp's question won't be answered until game time. So, here are five questions to consider for Game 5 of the ALDS between the A's and the Detroit Tigers:

5. Who should start for Oakland?

There's no wrong answer here.

Bartolo Colon was an 18-game winner, and he recorded the second-best ERA in the AL. Colon didn't turn in his best effort in Game 1, but he still offered the A's the chance to win as he went six innings and allowed three runs. 

Sonny Gray, however, didn't just give the team a chance to win; he all but assured it would happen. In his first playoff start, Gray tossed eight shutout innings as he allowed just four hits while striking out nine.  

The 23-year-old rookie electrified the sold-out crowd at Game 2 at the Coliseum as he outdueled Verlander. As the tall right-hander explained via the MLB Twitter account:

It's hard to see manager Bob Melvin overlooking the experienced Colon for Game 5. Then again, it will be extremely difficult to keep the kid, who pitches like a “veteran,” off the mound in the decisive matchup. 

4. Can Verlander continue his recent dominance at the Coliseum?

Last year in the ALDS Verlander beat the A's in Game 1 as he racked up 11 strikeouts. Then he came back for Game 5 at the Coliseum and reeled off 11 punchouts again as he recorded a complete game shutout. 

This year in Game 2, the ace once again tallied 11 strikeouts. As Buster Olney of ESPN noted:

Verlander ended up shutting down the A's for seven innings, but this time the outcome was different. Stephen Vogt delivered a walk-off single off Rick Porcello as the A's evened the series at 1-1. 

The A's also took down Verlander at Comerica Park at the end of August. In a rain-shortened game, Verlander picked up the loss as he allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks over five innings of work. Brandon Moss also tagged him for a two-run shot. 

Between that beatdown and Game 2, the A's have actually won back-to-back games that Verlander has started. 

3. Who should play second base for the A's?

Eric Sogard generally gets the call against right-handers, but that could change for Game 5.

Sogard did manage to lay down a bunt in the seventh inning of Game 4, but the second baseman has struggled mightily in the ALDS. Sogard is 0-for-9 in the series, and some had even called for Alberto Callaspo to get the start in Game 4.

As Melvin explained to 95.7 FM The Game:

Melvin loves to utilize Callaspo off the bench because the switch-hitting infielder poses a matchup problem for opposing bullpens. In Game 5, though, Melvin won't have the luxury of leaving that “weapon” on the bench.

2. Will Josh Donaldson wake up?

The dark-horse MVP candidate has disappeared in October.

Donaldson is 3-for-17 (.176) with zero extra-base hits and zero RBI in the first four games of the series. The third baseman has been shut down by the Tigers staff of hard-throwing right-handers, and Game 5 against Verlander won't be any easier.

During the regular season Donaldson enjoyed more success off lefties as he batted .335 with a 1.042 OPS. However, he was still productive against right-handers. On the season, the 27-year-old hit .285 with an .813 OPS off righties.

While his bat has gone missing, his glove has still been rock-solid. Donaldson has been taking some solid hacks off the Detroit staff, and it's only a matter of time before he runs into a pitch.

1. Can the A's break the streak?

As Grantland's Rany Jazayerli noted of the team's futility in Game 5 of the ALDS:

Fortunately, the current club can only be held accountable for last year's Game 5 defeat. 

It's also worth noting that Gray wasn't anywhere near the Coliseum last October as Verlander carried the Tigers into the ALCS. The right-hander had just wrapped up his first full minor league season, and his final game had been a playoff game for the Sacramento River Cats. The postseason start with his only Triple-A action that season.

The A's have been in this situation before. For Gray, though, it's a fresh start.