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.The A’s have relied on excellent starting pitching to post the best combined record in baseball the past three years during the months of August, September and the first few days of October.

Sunday’s starter Ted Lilly is not in the group that put that mark on the books. Lilly looked extremely uncomfortable in his first start back from the DL against Anaheim on Tuesday.

Seattle has only five hits in the two games played in Oakland this weekend, Sunday this will change. Once again, the A’s hope to get a few innings from Lilly, before turning to Aaron Harang or Mike Fyhrie to hold the Mariners until the rest of the bull pen can be brought in.

Joel Pineiro started once in Oakland last season and didn’t fare very well. He is capable of keeping the A’s at bay, while his teammates score a few runs.

The game becomes important to the A’s because Ramon Ortiz, lifetime 8-1 versus Texas, pitches for the Angels Sunday. Kenny Rogers goes for the Rangers and he has been hit hard by the Angel batters over the course of his career.

Anaheim is using its pen every game and desperately needs a complete game from somebody to give them a rest. It could happen Sunday. With the A’s series starting on Monday night and John Lackey the first pitcher for Anaheim, the pen will be tested early in the week.

I see definite trouble on the horizon for Anaheim in the four game series in Oakland. Not only will the Angels face Cory Lidle, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito and Tim Hudson over the week, but Mickey Callaway starts game two followed by Jarrod Washburn and Kevin Appier.

Adavantage A’s. Disadvantage Angel bull pen. It will make a difference.

The Giants get to beat up the Padres again Sunday when Jason Schmidt goes against Jake Peavey. The Giants own the Pads and get to see them again next week (Sept. 23) as part of the last week’s action. The Dodgers will lose this race simply because the Padres are hopeless against the Giants.

Andy Ashby, blister and all, tries to salvage the last game Sunday against Denny Neagle in Colorado. LA hits in Coors Field and just might pull it off before opening the four game series at home Monday night against SF.

The days are growing short for LA and coming home tied or one game back of the Giants will be a huge boost for the team. They need this game Sunday.

Paul Shuey, brought in to bolster the eighth inning relief corps for the Dodgers, has been abysmal, but who would have known he would have been this bad in the NL.

Wade Miller tries to keep Houston afloat. It just never happened for the Astros, and I think St. Louis is a live playoff contender. They hung in through the most dire circumstances and that counts for a lot in my book. The Cards need to figure out a way to outscore Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling and they will be in business. I’m rooting for St. Louis to knock out Arizona when the playoffs start. The 2002 Cards are a real baseball story.

If Barry Bonds stops swinging for the fences, he can hit .390 this season. Frankly, he can do whatever he wants in the game, he’s that good. He just drives everyone connected to his team nuts with his attitude, including his manager.

The A’s will be in a tough game Sunday, requiring many moves by the managers. So far, Art Howe has outmanuvered Lou Pinella at every turn. Art will have a challenge using his pen Sunday.

The Yankees struggled in September two years ago and then blew through the playoffs once they ridded themselves of the pesky A’s, so I don’t put much stock in their recent struggles against Chicago this weekend.

Somehow, NY has played good October baseball since1921.

Let’s see how far Ted Lilly has progressed, because the A’s could sure use him if they need to pitch the big three the last weekend of the season in Texas to win the division.

Sunday baseball in September, only three more Sunday games before the season closes.

Too bad, I like these games.