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 →]

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 →]

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 →]

The season begins way back in February in Spring Training. February seems a distant memory when going into the stretch run in September.

The baseball season is a marathon and only the strong survive. The teams with the best pitching, hitting, and defense come to the head of the pack in September.

Watch the teams that have something left in the tank as September unfolds. If your team is running on fumes with 20 to go, there is trouble ahead.

Teams in trouble are Seattle, Houston, and Boston.

Teams cooking are Oakland, New York, Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Arizona

The Giants are alive, but not hitting very much and St.Louis has injury after injury stalling their progress. The Braves and Twins are in with no worries right now.

The A’s streak is over, what does it mean today? [Read more →]

Miguel Tejada should remain with the Oakland A’s when his contract expires after next season.

Oh, I know everyone says the team needs him, but in reality he needs the team.

Miguel has grown up with his coaches (Washington, Quade, and Macha), his manager, and his teammates. They have been his support group. Miguel is still maturing as a person. He is very emotional as a player. The A’s understand him and his needs.

Tejada needs a comfort level to be successful, he has it in Oakland. Miguel is not Jason Giambi. He is a much more needy, complicated young man. He didn’t grow up in Southern California, he doesn’t have the immediate family behind him as Jason did when he made the jump to NY. He doesn’t have the self discipline that Jason has.

The A’s know this very well and have worked with Miguel on many of his issues, that is why he is successful today.

Miguel has a chance to be one of the best shortstops of all time. It will happen if he stays with the friends and family he knows in the A’s organization.

Money should not be the issue for Miguel. If the A’s offer two million less than the Cubs, Dodgers, or Mets, this kid should stay home.

Looking at this from the best interest of Miguel Tejada, he should remain an Oakland Athletic for the next ten years, without a doubt.

I hope someone makes this clear to him and his agent and soon because he is going to be an MVP this year.

Click below and let’s talk about tonight.

[Read more →]

In Las Vegas, you receive odds when trying to roll 10 the hard way at the dice table. The A’s rolled twenty the hard way on Wednesday night, barely beating the odds after surrendering an 11-0 lead, finally winning 12-11 over KC in the bottom of the ninth.

The winning streak has a life of its own, it will not die.

The A’s lead the Mariners by seven and the Red Sox by 10 with 23 left to play. The playoffs are a done deal as far as I am concerned, the division isn’t too far away either, but the streak needs to go because it is making the team press and wearing them out.

Last night’s game saw the A’s play their sloppiest game in weeks, one that exposed some weaknesses which may hurt them come October.

Here’s what I mean. [Read more →]