Houston unveiled this year’s version of Lidge to Dotel to Wagner last night when they brought Chad Harville into his first game in Houston.

The former A’s righty will be given a chance to be the bridge to Brad Lidge who then turns the ball over to Octavio Dotel for the save.

Harville has a big league arm, and if he learns how to pitch in the majors, he will be a great pick up for Houston.

Kirk Saarloos never quite fit with Houston. If the A’s bring him along slowly as a starter in AAA, he may help the big club next year.

Tom Glavine throws seven great innings, then leaves with a stiff shoulder. The Mets bullpen turns Glavine’s 2-0 lead into a 7-2 deficit in the eighth inning. If the Mets didn’t have bad luck, they wouldn’t have any luck at all.

By the way, no word on the return date for Jose Reyes, injured Met shortstop. Whispers about him that he may be a slow healer and a softy.

Click below for more!Is Eric Chavez the number three hitter the A’s have always dreamed about? He better hit some more this month because May brings lefty after lefty when the A’s play the Central.

I say Marco Scutaro sits down when Frank Menechino comes back.

I say Menechino goes to AAA when McLemore comes back unless Menechino is red hot.

Cub rookie righty Mike Wuertz, the phenom of the spring, looks like the league has caught up with him. He has a great sinker, but needs to be more consistent in Wrigley. Fly balls go out too often.

Kerry Wood throws 131 pitches Saturday and loses the game in the ninth. Dusty Baker is trying to make Woods the finisher he should be with Mark Prior on the shelf for a long time.

By the way, the pitches that Wood was complaining about in the ninth inning Saturday were out of the strike zone.

The Reds bullpen looks worn this week. Danny Graves doesn’t have his usual zip on the ball, especially evident Friday when Sosa and Alou went deep in the ninth to win the game.

Next to pass 660: Sosa.

The A’s need to get Erubiel Durazo untracked. Platooning him against righties is a good start. Let Eric Byrnes hit against the lefties with Eric Karros at first.

Yankees are still fighting the effects of the Japan trip. Seems like the time change has effected the older players, Mike Mussina especially.

A Rod is a prima donna and a big baby, but you already know how I feel about him, his .180 start is par for his course. Big games, try to find him.

Royals starters are abysmal. With all their hitting, the may slug their way into contention, but they ain’t going anywhere.

Chan Ho Park is much better this year since he became more of a junk pitcher. Get him out before the roof falls in and hope for double plays when he loads the bases, and you may have a twelve game winner.

Scott Spiezio is back and the Mariners look better already. They are panicking right now. If they don’t take at least two from the A’s this week, they will become extremely nervous.

Of course if Seattle is still last in the league in on base percentage much longer, they will continue to struggle. Homers they don’t hit.

Phenom Adrian Gonzalez is up with Texas as Mark Teixeira headed to the DL. They rave about Gonzalez, but I have never seen him do anything noteworthy.

Toronto looks dead in the water unless Roy Halladay is on the mound. Of course, with Carlos Delgado hitting under .130, things may get worse.

Paul Abbott knows how to pitch and Lou Piniella knows when to get him out of the game.

Dan Wright’s days in the White Sox rotation are numbered. Scott Schoenweiss gave the Sox a nice outing Saturday.

Jarrod Washburn looks like a different pitcher from his 18 win season two years ago. I don’t think his arm is the same, and he really labors on the mound. Six innings and he is toast. Maybe five on bad nights. Scott Shields will see plenty of work when Washburn pitches.

Whatever happened to Aaron Sele? Just wait, he will get a start soon.

Kevin Appier needs extended spring trainig even with the Royals in desperate need of a righthanded starter.

The Giants are dead offensively without Ray Durham in the lineup. Here’s the order they need: Durham, Alfonzo, Grissom, Bonds, Pierzinski, Snow, Tucker, Perez, and the pitcher. Anything short of full production from this crowd spells third place for SF.

Troubling thought, the Giants aren’t winning at home.

Billy McMillon has emerged as a terrific pinch hitter.

Antonio Osuna, remember what I said about him. The soona you bring him in, the soona you go home with a loss. The Padres are learning what the Yankees painfully learned last season.

Otsuka can help the San Diego pen which may get better when Rod Beck comes back late next month.

Oswalt and Hudson, two little guys who may be the two Cy Young award winners in their leagues when this season is all said and done.

Aubrey Huff at .170, that’s not going to last.

Richard Hidalgo at .442, now that may drop .150 points, but he can swing the bat.

Richie Sexson has 4 homers and ten RBI and is still hitting .210, this will get better.

Robby Alomar at .212, I’m not sure how much better that will get.

How about Brad Wilkerson .107 before going 3-3 Saturday?

Alfonso Soriano, born to hit.

Todd Walker too.

Jimmy Rollins at .121, what the heck happened to him?

Scott Rolen is finally delivering on the 90 million contract for St. Louis.

Nice game for the Cards Jason Marquis too.

Oliver Perez may some day be a good major leaguer, but not for the Pirates. He needs a few more years and by then he will be out of Pittsburgh.

Jose Mesa and Armando Benitez, which reliever will blink first. Both have been lights out so far for the Pirates and Marlins.

Carlos Beltran has now officially come into his own and I’m outta here.