Mano a Mano

This is up for grabs now. I like the A's chances if they can get to the Angels starters. Let's Go Oakland!!

It isn't paying off so far.  Escobar pitched well Tuesday, and he only threw 80 pitches.  But Washburn (Sunday's starter) and Lackey both were knocked around and out early.

I mentioned last night that we had a couple of advantages: home field, and Scoscia's four-man rotation.

The offense was still lousy today.  We just managed to get the right kind of hits (run-scoring double, homer, homer).

I was a little surprised by Durazo's absense from the lineup.  Did he have bad numbers against Franklin?

Much credit to today's pitchers.  Redman came through when none of us thought he would.  Rincon threw two shutout innings.  Bradford and Dotel were both fine.  They deserve the credit for today's win, along with Bobby Crosby.

It's a good thing Crosby can't bunt.

Today was an unexpected and heartening boost all around.  Anaheim lost when the Rangers were playing several light-hitting scrubs and had R.A. Dickey as a closer.  We won on a day when Redman pitched at home and we got a grand total of five hits.

Mulder still shouldn't be starting tomorrow.  But if Redman can surprise me, maybe Mark can too.

If there's any single thing we're great at, it's winning two games in a key October series.

I got home from work totally unaware of what the score was, went straight to my closet and put on my lucky Tejada jersey...THEN turned on the t.v. It was the top of the 9th. with one out. Dotel took care of it and then you know the rest.
During the Baltimore series when Miggy said, "Those guys don't need me any more, they got a great one." and that he watched and pulled for his old team, I knew his jersey would be good luck for Crosby.
I ain't EVER taking this son of a bitch off till we WIN it all.

This is freakn GREAT, I got to watch 95% of the game in school cuz my teachers were so very kind..!! much thanks to the rangers on the side, and I can't wait to go to this saturdays game-- it could decide who goes! =D!!

after attending yesterday's loss i was feeling physically sick.  seeing the angels down in the ninth when we had the lead....then the angels won and we lost to fall a game behind - i could hardly take it.  but to the degree in which i was down yesterday, i'm at the same degree just joyously happy.  considering how Redman was able to pitch so well at home today, i'm all but expecting a Cy performance from our other starting Mark.  i think it's time for Mulder to get his groove back for the post season.  hell, the post season has already started....this series against the angels determines if we advance the next round.
i'll be at all 3 games this weekend in my green and gold, blowing my horn in support!
Let's go OAK-LAND!!!!!

Mulder, Zito & Hudson should be able to take 2 of 3 from the Halos.  The momentum has clearly shifted and AN will have large energized fans half way to Mount Davis for these games.  

We can't underestimate the power of the fans in the ballpark.  The Big Three will pitch in top form under this spotlight, especially Zito. They should play well to the packed ballpark and Crosby's walk-off homer is a preview of a resurgent offence.

The A's also can turn to Harden in late innings if needed this weekend.

(Thanks for this great site Blez.)

Three game playoff...
Five game playoff..
Seven game playoff...

This stuff is great!

I dont think anybody will be complaining about crowd size this weekend.

Yes, I'll take it and we got it!!!  We got the Angels right where we want them.  Going to be a great baseball weekend win or loose.  (right, win only, if loose then sunken into October dispair again.)

The Yankees broadcasters just said on YES that the rumor going around baseball is that the Orioles are getting a $100 million payoff from MLB to accept the move of the Expos to Washington. "Is this a great country or what?" Jim Kaat added.

That's good news for the A's staying in Oakland, I think; Schott and Hoffman can squeeze a nickel tighter than anyone, and I'm pretty sure they're not going to give Peter Magowan two billion nickels to let the A's move to San Jose.

IF the A's make the playoffs, they could steal the second seed from the Twins. The A's beat the Twinkies five of seven times during the season, and right now, it looks like there's a decent chance that the AL West winner will be tied with the Twins for the #2 seed and go to the head-to-head tiebreakers.

(If the Twins beat the Yanks tonight, they're a game ahead of Anaheim and Oakland; if they lose, it's a three way tie.)

Bobby has done a GREAT job this year - if he doesn't get AL Rookie of the Year, someone should have to pay all Oakland fans!  1 game down - 2 to go to clinch our playoff spot!  I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT!  LET'S GO A'S!

I'm just beyond words about this game.. I had to leave home after the 6th for an appointment and I couldn't concentrate on anything because I was so worried about this game.
My friend text messaged me that they had won,  I almost jumped up and screamed!!

This is really great... I am soooooooo proud of Crosby, as I have been all season.

BTW, as a funny note, someone actually tried convincing me that Bubba Crosby (of the Yanks) was as good as, or even better than, our Bobby!! ~I chose to ignore them!!

I agree with everyone that wants Bobby as Rookie of the Year... there's no question about it!!

I went to bed earlier than usual with a sick feeling.  I had a dream (or nightmare) that the A's lost today and the Angels won.  When I woke up this morning and thought about it, it made me even more sick.
Well, great thing the opposite happened.  :D
Feel much better now.

As for this game, great job by Redman.  For some reason I was very optimistic about him starting a day home game ;)
Crosby came up BIG!  Now if the rest of the A's bats can find life.  It was painful watching the A's make Franklin look like Cy Young.

when Crosby hit the HR i was real happy kind of like when A's got the 20 game Streak.. When Hatty and Miggy hit Walkoffs to win 19 and 20. Anyways OAKLAND WILL SWEEP ANAHEIM.. I WILL BE HERE AT HOME WATCHING THE GAMES CUZ IM TOO LAZY TO GO WATCH THE A'S gAMES in Oakland.. LETS GO OAK-LAND !!

The smart money is on the A's--all around sports--the question is: can the big three step up to the plate like they have in past years during the post-season, right now ... before our season is over.

Flat out the A's will ride this momentum the whole weekend......just win 2 out of 3 guys thats all it will take.

and one more thing......get loud....

MARCO!!

50,000+ screaming A's fans will make a huge difference!

but i'm at school.  LET'S GO OAKLAND~!

Went to work to support my food habit.   Went to "lunch" at the ballpark.   Got handed a free ticket in a sweet seat.   Had a beer.  Caught an amazing game.  Went back to work and made some more money.  

Here's hoping the next three days are the same.  

GO A's!

almost jumped up and screamed?  i was hiding from the super on a far part of the construction site so i could listen to the mariners announcers call the a's win, and I DID JUMP UP (out of the truck)AND SCREAM!

I didn't get a minute to myself. Work is flat out crazy at this time of the month. Finally at 5:00 before going home I went to Yahoo Sports. Did they? Am I stong enough to look? Yeeeaaah! Could anything be sweeter? Oh, wait! What's that? Bobby Crosby, the coolest rookie the A's have ever had in my 27 left coast years, struck the winning blow. Oh, man! And he says that he didn'let himself go up thinking about a home run or anything. But he admitted to thinking in the eighth how cool it would be to hit a walk off and win the game. To paraphrase Mr. Giambi, dream the homer, hit the homer! Let's Go Oak-Land!!!!!!! Let's Go A's!!!!

What a game!!  Great to see the guys dig down DEEP and hang in there!!  That's the kind of win that can turn the season around, and carry into the postseason.  Bottom line is you have to like our chances with the big three going this weekend at home.  

Wish I could join you at the Coliseum, but I live out of state now.  Those of you who do make it out there, make sure you are loud!!  GO A's!!!!  

I've started to hope again. That's never a good thing. Maybe, just this once, I won't be crushed.

If this three game series is the start of the A's playoffs, I hope they get the "losing in the first round" monkey off their  backs.

The offense need to pick it up.  Someone needs to step up bigtime.

I AM OFICIALLY CALLING OUT ALL A'S FANS THAT LIVE IN THE BAY AREA. YOU MUST GO TO AT LEAST ONE GAME. TICKETS R STILL AVAILABLE! LETS TRY TO DRAW 50,000

It is important to have positive mojo in the stadium.  Not just believe we will win.  but knowing we will win.  like the feeling during games 18,19, 20 of the streak.  we need to react as if we have already won.  NO heavy sighs if Mecir or Rhodes comes in.  They have all done it before and they will do it again.  Remember how it felt when Hatteberg told it good bye in game 20?  Hold that feeling till sunday and beyond an with a crowd full of believers we can loose.  I believe this is the only difference between the Dreaded and despised Yankees and the sad sack cubs and Bosox The yankees believe( read Know) and the other two know in the end they will fail and this has gone on 90+ years so lets go A'S Fans.    Also A's luncheon at Francescos at noon.  Marty Lurie Shooty Babbit and a player to be Named  See you ther with the A's Avenger  

They carried this team for 5 years. They were the reasons for the recent collapse. Now it is one series to prove they sill are the force that they once were.

If they can do it this weekend, it may be the confidence they need to get it done in the first round for the first time ever.

And we can most certainly do it again!  Wish I could be at every game - I'll be there in spirit screaming and cheering as loud as my little lungs will allow!  LET'S GO A'S!

The A's need to start hitting cause you know the Angels are gonna.