The Athletics felt a lot better about their chances when Mark Mulder took the hill last night against the Toronto Blue Jays.

After watching him pitch into the fifth inning, losing 6-2, one has to wonder whether or not the big lefty is over his forearm miseries.

Just how did he do Friday night?Mulder won 21 games last season riding a 94 MPH fastball that tailed into the batters, tying them into knots at the plate.

In 2000, Mulder won 9, lost 10, mainly because he surrendered big hits after getting ahead of the hitter. He didn’t have that blazing fastball to rely on, to close out difficult situations.

Last night was a sickly reminder of 2000. Mulder couldn’t or wouldn’t reach back for that something extra to get himself out of a secod inning jam, a Toronto rally which eventually cost the A’s the game.

Former Athletic, Tom Wilson hit one off the scoreboard in leftfield, to break open the game in the second. Last year, Wilson would have seen a 90 plus heater on the hands and would have popped weakly to short.

Friday night, Wilson got to hit off the 2000 Mulder, instead of the 21 game winner the A’s are relying on to bring them back into the division race.

What is wrong with Mulder?

Not pitching competitively for a month during the season is a big factor. It will take time for Mulder to regain his form and velocity. He topped out last night at 88 MPH on the television radar gun.

Mulder has a mysterious strain in his left forearm. It prevents him from, as he puts it in his own words, “letting go”. He has his own, self imposed governor on his fastball.

Can he throw harder, the way he threw in 2001? Only Mulder knows the answer to that question. He has been cleared medically to pitch. He has no structural damage.

If he comes to the park today feeling no ill effects from last night’s game, then he will start again in his normal spot in the rotation next week.

The A’s will be very patient with Mulder, knowing full well that they have no adequate replacement for the lefty in the minor leagues.

Is it a question of arm strength, is there something seriously wrong with Mulder, or is he just psychologically scarred from the first arm miseries of his career?

Only time will tell.

However, I will tell you this, the lefty who pitched for the A’s last night looked more like Jamie Moyer, than the Mark Mulder that the A’s were hoping to see on the mound.

Stay tuned for the next chapter in this story.

Other news:

Anaheim and Texas are putting together nice winning streaks, allowing them to keep pace with the Mariners.

Steve Sparks pitches for Detroit today against Texas. The scouts will be watching Sparks. The knuckleballer can go nine, has decent command of a very tough pitch, and will help someone in the race this summer.

Will Toronto deal Jose Cruz, Jr and Shannon Stewart to the Mets or the Yankees? If the Jays are serious about dealing these young outfielders, the A’s ought to bite the bullet on the David Justice experiment and look at acquiring Cruz to play centerfield.

The Phillies are winning. It proves that one good winning streak wipes away the misery of a poor start.

Pitchers to watch today:

Chris Reitsma, good changeup,

Kevin Brown, is he healthy,

Daryl Kile, ditto,

Roy Oswalt, he’s their ace,

Al Leiter, gimme the ball,

Mike Hampton, back in New York,

Jason Marquis, off the DL,

Darren Oliver, test against Seattle,

John Halama, can he help the Mariners roatation.,

Barry Zito, needs to pick the A’s up,

Josh Fogg, is he for real?

All good questions.