Seems like that old magic has slipped from the A’s these days, but not to worry, the Oaklanders are now home to face the Angels, a team they must give respect to, in the friendly confines of the Coliseum.

You see the A’s simply play better baseball at home. It may be the cool nights, or the fact that these young men have less pressure off the road (nightlife can be tiring around the league), or that the pitchers know how to pitch in the Coliseum.

Whatever it is, there is no better time to go for it, than tonight with your best pitcher on the mound. Tim Hudson got roughed up by the Orioles in his last start, but likes to face the Angels and will see Aaron Sele as his opponent.

The Angels are a truly professional group and will not roll over and die this month. They still have one of the better bullpens in baseball and you don’t want to get into a close game with them in the late innings. Troy Percival hasn’t been lights out, but give Francisco Rodriguez, Brednen Donnelly and Ben Weber a late lead and you can get hurt.

The Angels will test the A’s defense and push the envelope with bunts, hit and runs, and steals.

When Mark Mulder went down with his leg injury I said the A’s would be all right because the rest of the team would stand up.

Here’s the strength of the A’s right now. A dynamite bullpen when they have the lead. One of the top, if not the top, starters in the league in Tim Hudson, a superior inner defense, two players Eric Chavez and Miguel Tejada, who are as clutch as any two players in baseball right now, and a team that is chasing them (Seattle) that can’t hit a fastball.

The formula is simple go 12-7, get to 96 wins, and be glad Seattle is your closest pursuer.

Click below for more!The Mariners have to be wondering when the bats will return. Pat Hentgen pitched a beauty yesterday after blanking the A’s earlier in the week. See, I still think Hentgen would have been a great pickup for either Oakland, Seattle, or St. Louis.

Edgar Martinez didn’t play Sunday, Bret Boone is hitting fifth, Carlos Guillen third, John Olerud fourth, and Ichiro batting .314, down from .350 not too long ago, these are your Seattle Mariners folks.

You can’t discount their defense and bullpen, but they just don’t hit with any regularity, and they haven’t for over one month, so it’s not just a short trend we are looking at here.

If Barry Zito can regain his consistency, I’m not sure the Mariners have enough to beat the A’s over these last 19 games. I think Zito may be the key to this whole mess, with both Zito and Hudson winning as they should, the Mariners will be up against it. If Zito falls apart, then the A’s will go right down to the last weekend before the West is decided.

The Red Sox have not played well against Baltimore. Tonight they face the Orioles with John Burkett on the hill. The Orioles hit better against the Sox for some reason. Rodrigo Lopez is a capable pitcher. If the Sox are to catch NY they better beat the Orioles, which depending upon who is on the hill for Baltimore, may not be a slam dunk. Lopez will keep the Orioles in the game tonight.

Bartolo Colon pitches his biggest game since his Indian days against Minnesota tonight and Kyle Lohse.

Something about the inner strife on this Minnesota team that worries me. Ron Gardenhire has had to put out clubhouse fires regularly all summer (Joe Mays is the latest). The Twins play good defense, have a nice bullpen, but they don’t have Colon, Mark Buehrle, and Esteban Loiaza going for them in their rotation.

After Johann Santana who has never been the guy before, and Lohse tonight, the rotation is pray for Brad Radke and whoever else is left. Just as Zito is the key for the A’s, I think Radke is the key for Minnesota. If Radke can step up and win the key matchups, then it will give this team a real boost, if not I don’t think they will prevail in this race.

Shannon Stewart has been the big gun for the Twins and he hits leadoff, the Sox have six big guys to go to, and that is another difference between these teams.

The only edge the Twins really have is in the pen. Chicago’s Scott Sullivan (Cincy knew what it was doing getting rid of him) can’t match up with LaTroy Hawkins in the eighth inning. To close the game, Tom Gordon and Damaso Marte aren’t as steady as “Everyday” Eddie in Minnesota.

The Yankees got a big game from David Wells and a five out save from Mariano Rivera to beat the Red Sox Sunday. There is unbelievable turmoil in NY with George Steinbrenner leading the way. I’m sticking with the Red Sox because I think Steinbrenner senses trouble and he will disrupt his team all month.

Mike Mussina, steady as she goes, on the hill today in a makeup in NY against Kelvim Escobar.

Florida faces the Mets best pitcher Steve Trachsel in NY. The Marlins don’t hit that much (nor do the Mets) and just flew in from Puerto Rico so the Mets may hold their own in this series.

Big game for Houston tonight, Roy Oswalt is back. Talk about keys to winning, Oswalt is it for Houston. Lidge to Dotel to Wagner will be ready tonight in Milwaukee.

The Phillies beat up on the Mets all weekend, life will be different in Atlanta even with Kevin Millwood on the hill for Philly. How is John Smoltz’s elbow, that is the only question Atlanta fans should be asking this week as the righty is due back from the DL, but it may not happen so fast.

Atlanta is on its way to 100 victories again. Simply outstanding work. They are still the best team in baseball if Smoltz is available in top form.

The Dodgers haven’t folded the tent yet. With their pitching, you just can’t close the book on them. Kevin Brown needs a good one tonight against Arizona, a team on its last legs.

How about Paul Abbott for KC? Another good start for the righty. The KC GM, Allan Baird, is exec of the year without a doubt for rebuidling this pitching staff at least twice during the season on the fly.

Pitching is the key to baseball, bullpens are a major part of any pitching staff. In Watergate the clue was to follow the money, in baseball follow the pitching, it will lead you to the winners.

That’s why you should order your playoff tickets in Wrigley now.

What an October this will be.