Cory Lildle has been a major contributor to the A’s staff during the teams last two second half runs through the American League.

Tonight, he can solidify his playoff role with a strong game against Anaheim. The key to Lidle is throwing strikes with his fastball. If Lidle has it tonight, he will not be pitching from behind in the count, will pitch at a brisk pace, and will keep the ball in the park.

The Angels won’t disclose their starter for games two and three, but let the A’s know that John Lackey will pitch tonight. In the baseball world, not letting your opponent know the planned pitching rotation is considered bush (minor league).

The Giants need game one in LA and saved Jason Schmidt for the opener. The Dodgers losers of 7 of 9, come back with Hideo Nomo, perhaps their best pitcher.

We are finally at crunch time for these races, let’s look at the openers. [Read more →]

The A’s received another tremndous pitching performance Saturday, this time from Tim Hudson as he blanked Seattle 1-0, getting 16 ground ball outs.

The Giants maintained their one game lead on LA with another rout of the Padres, this time 12-4.

The Cardinals are one step closer to finishing off the Astros and can do so Sunday behind Matt Morris.

The Angels rallied to beat the Rangers 8-6 to stay tied with the A’s. The Anaheim bull pen was called in early to bail out starter Kevin Appier, one of these days in the very near future, the Angel pen will shows signs of wear and tear.

The A’s-Seattle game poses a different problem for Oakland on Sunday. [Read more →]

It’s amazing how the fortunes of a baseball team change from day to day.

The A’s came home to the cool air of the Coliseum, trotted Cy Young winner to be Barry Zito out to the mound, and all was well again in the playoff bound world of the Oakland Athletics.

I thought Zito was going to get his first no hitter when he held the punchless, first ball swinging Mariners hitless through six innings.

But Alas, one hanging curve ball to John Olerud in the top of the eighth, ended the dream as Seattle’s only dangerous hitter singled to end the dream.

The Angels won against Texas and the Giants got their confidence back by whipping the Padres 10-3.

More on tap for today. [Read more →]

With a little over two weeks to go in the season, the playoffs are starting to take shape.

The Braves, Twins, Yankees, Cardinals, and Diamondbacks have either clinched division titles or will do so within the next week barring any catastrophic collapse, which doesn’t seem likely.

The A’s, Angels, Dodgers, and Giants will fight it out for the remaining spots, one will go home in the NL.

The bull pen tipped the balance in the A’s- Angels game Wednesday night, but the A’s might have suffered a bigger blow than losing the game, if x-rays show Ramon Hernandez has a significant hand injury, after the catcher was hit by a foul tip late in the game.

Expect the Angels to try to run today on back up catcher Greg Myers. Lucky for the A’s that lefty Mark Mulder is pitching. Mulder can hold runners close since he is a lefty and two, not many get on because he is on top of his game as a pitcher.

The Giants face their favorite friends in San Diego, while LA has to venture to the land of the unknown in Colorado.

What is in store for the teams today? Let’s see. [Read more →]

With some breathing room between themselves and their pursuers for a playoff spot, the A’s invested some innings and the game last night, to see if Ted Lilly could help them in the post season.

The Angels won the game 5-2 and Lilly looked like a pitcher who has a sore shoulder.

Now, the A’s will have to make a decision on whether or not Lilly gets another start this Sunday against Seattle. Lefthanders are important to the A’s staff, if things go well the rest of the week for Oakland, Lilly might get one more chance to show Art Howe that he can help him, either out of the bull pen or as a spot starter in October.

Cory Lidle matches up with Angel’s rookie John Lackey on Wednesday night.

As we reasoned yesterday, Kevin Brown is a shadow of his former Cy Young self and the Giants put him away early Tuesday night.

Today is another story, click below. [Read more →]

The Thunder Rolls – 09/10/02 by

Peter Elman

I’m away from home—far away—Sedona, Arizona, to be exact, and outside my

sister-in-law’s window is the most incredible sight—two gigantic red-rocked

mountains illuminated by bolts of lightning, and every few seconds,

thunder, not just your common summer storm variety, but the loudest,

scariest most primal sounding explosions found in nature are letting us

know once again who’s really in charge.

A few folks may be wondering why this normally effusive scribe has had

nothing to say during the Athletics’ remarkable run. Well, I have had lots

to say, but being the superstitious baseball junkie that I am, couldn’t put

it out there for the public. You see, my last column, dated August 12, was

the last game the A’s lost before the streak. They won, and won, and kept

winning, and there was no way that I would jinx them with my sophomoric

rants. So I waited until now, when the record is behind them and they can

hopefully get back to playing great baseball without the intense pressure

they have been subjected to lately.

[Read more →]

I look at the series between the A’s and the Angels and the Giants and the Dodgers as a playoff type match up. Meaning the whole pitching staff comes into play as well as the bench.

The A’s have seven more with Anaheim and the Giants have six with LA.

Today, Ted Lilly makes his bid for a meaningful role in the postseason for Oakland, while Kevin Brown replaces Andy Ashby for LA.

Both the A’s and the Giants played as they had for the past two weeks last night using clutch pitching, timely home runs, and great relief to win their games.

Both the Giants and the A’s should get to the postseason as the teams they are trying to eliminate are struggling at the wrong time, namely LA and Seattle.

Here’s a look at today. [Read more →]

The pennant race is on !

What is better in September than

the Dodgers in San Francisco in

a pennant race to the end ?

What other rivalry in the Bay

Area is more historic,more

important?

The Giants are guided again by

Dusty Baker, one of the very

best managers in all of baseball.

[Read more →]

Anyone who has been following the division races in the West has circled September 9th on the calendar.

The A’s open a four game series with Anaheim, and the Giants entertain the Dodgers for three in Pac Bell.

I have said many times the true story of baseball is getting to the postseason, and watching what happens over the course of 162 games spread over six months, one game per day.

The postseason is special, but the real story unfolds each day through the box scores.

Tim Hudson versus Kevin Appier and Odalis Perez against Livan Hernandez.

Let’s see what it looks like. [Read more →]

The A’s started a new winning streak behind lefthander Mark Mulder, the Angels continued their streak (9 in a row), and Seattle hit the ball hard in Kansas City.

The Giants proved that September baseball can be exciting with their win over Arizona, Houston got the best of LA, and John Smoltz recorded his 50th save for the Braves.

Sunday baseball in September may be the best of all.

Barry Zito goes for number 20, the Rocket tries to inch closer to 300, and Anaheim throws Jarrod Washburn against the Orioles and Pat Hentgen.

Let’s look at the games. [Read more →]