A's should increase lead this weekend

by alamedaman on Aug 11, 2006 10:45 AM PDT Comment 28 comments

The vagaries of the schedule have dictated that the A's have already played some of their tougher intra-league opponents, and the Angels have some key challenges left. Specifically, the Angels have 10 games left with the Yankees and Tigers, while the A's have finished with those teams and done well, 6-3 and 3-3 respectively. (Details in earlier post.)So now there is opportunity (opportunity, not guarantee) to stretch the lead this weekend, when the Angels play the Yankees, carrying over to a fourth game on Monday), while we play Tampa Bay at home. These are the opportunities that division winners need to take advantage of--really beat up on the weaker teams!

The Angels are also 14 games through a tough period of their schedule, in which they play 24 games in a row. They are 7-7 so far, and have lost some ground to our guys. They lost the last two to Cleveland by a combined score of 18 to 2. (Gloating material except we split the last two giving up 20 runs and scoring 7--funny ole game, baseball.)

Like most of you, I think the season is likely to come down to the last 10 games, of which 7 are the A's vs. the Angels. It's just someone is going to have a lead going into that period, and I'm thinking it could be the A's with a 6 game lead or better,,,,,if we can take advantage of our schedule advantage (hard earned advantage, I should say.)

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I wouldn't take Tampa Bay

for granted. They have a good young club and at least one very good starter (maybe more?) that the A's will see.

by OaklandSi on Aug 11, 2006 10:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I didn't mean for my comments to take TB

for granted. Sorry if it came across that way. I'm just comparing the strength of schedule of the two teams, and seeing an opportunity for the A's. I think KC just showed the BoSox, and all of us, that no one can be taken for granted. And I agree with your comments about TB. But still, I'd like to think we will be 4 1/2 ahead of the Angels next Tuesday morning.

by alamedaman on Aug 11, 2006 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, Tampa Bay

took 2 of 3 from us early this season. I think we scored a total of 6 runs in that series.

"I don't know if you know but France made it to the World Cup final. They all tested positive for being assholes" -Lance Armstrong

by sf drift king on Aug 11, 2006 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

and

it does feel nice to know that we weren't the only team in the league to be swept by KC at home.

the home run that Eric Chavez did was tight. Sprots4Kids quote

by Satchmo22 on Aug 11, 2006 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The A's didn't get swept by KC

at home. They lost the series 2-1.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Aug 11, 2006 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe it's just hard to believe that

that game actually occurred... After all, Jason Kendall hit a homer in this supposed game.

by calgbear on Aug 11, 2006 1:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice analysis of the schedule

By the end of next week the Angels bullpen could well be in shambles after facing NYY and TEX.

"And no way in hell am I his ex girlfriend!" --Jay Witasick

by BruceBochte on Aug 11, 2006 10:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

great point, I hope so.

by alamedaman on Aug 11, 2006 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I personally hope the Angels hang around..

just so I can be in attendance when the A's clinch the division on September 28th with an entire section of AN!
Is that too much to ask for? I won't object to clinching on their homefield for a change on Sat Sept 30th either.

"If Kendall hits a homerun, I'm doing a pole dance on the foul pole" - BBG (Monday game in Anaheim)

by Erik being Erik on Aug 11, 2006 11:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm for clinching right here in Oaktown,

the 22nd, 23rd or 24th of September. And then having a week for the right guys to get rest, the right guys to get more playing time, the starting rotation being lined up for the playoffs, and the bullpen ready and raring to go.

by alamedaman on Aug 11, 2006 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The dynamics that weekend

are going to be interesting. It will either be a non-stop party (A's already clinched), incredibly tense (still undecided), or a wake (A's eliminated) in the AN section.

"The first night, we were right there," Bradley said. "All we needed was a couple of touchdowns, and we would have had them."

by jeepers on Aug 11, 2006 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

not me

i want us to clinch the division early! no need for last minute drama! you just never know what can happen with this streaky A's team.

i would like the A's to clinch the division title before that last weekend so the angels can play the division champs in their house in the last series of the season. :)

by gotgreen on Aug 11, 2006 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We are 4-5 against Detroit,

and Anaheim has a 2-1 and 3-2 leads over NYY and DET respectively, so far. So I guess the Angels won't necessarily roll over against those teams.

And teams like Tampa Bay and KC, even w/ ugly won-loss records, are always tough customers for the A's.

by arch on Aug 11, 2006 11:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm not saying the Angels will

roll over, nor that our opponents with losing records will roll over. Simply making the point that the probabilities are on our side, and we need to take advantage of it. You still have to win the games--and as I pointed out above, it's opportunity, not guarantee. Just look at what KC just did to the BoSox, and you'll see the lower positioned teams often strike back.

by alamedaman on Aug 11, 2006 11:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

cautioned optimism ; )

by arch on Aug 11, 2006 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kind of get tired of these "we should

be ahead of the Angels by _ games" diaries.

I mean, the A's "should have" won the West in 2004, but they squandered a pretty sizeable first place lead in the last month. This of course was fueled by Mark Mulder's demise and management's refusal to bench Mulder, who "should not have" pitched so much and "should have" been rested before things got critical.

And, like I've said before, the A's have lost home series in August to the Royals, by sweep, each of the last two years. Let me repeat: the Royals swept the A's at home in August each of the last two years!!!! The A's "should not have" lost these series to the Royals, and if they did, it "should not have" been by sweep.

And we just saw the Royals sweep the Red Sox - but "should they have?" And the Indians beat the AAAAngels 2 of 3 - "should that have happened" considering each team's record and starters?

The games have to be played and come crunch time the better team will win. I just think and hope that team will be the A's. I

by oaktownmario on Aug 11, 2006 11:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Mulder

Don't pin it all on the A's decision to not rest Mulder. He's a headcase. He's pulling his disappearing act again with St.Louis. He pitched so poorly last month, they put him on the DL.

"I don't know if you know but France made it to the World Cup final. They all tested positive for being assholes" -Lance Armstrong

by sf drift king on Aug 11, 2006 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not pinning it all on Mulder

just used him as an example. And blamed management also.

But the 2004 team was dreadful in hitting with risp, etc. and the bullpen (namely Dotel and Rincon), sucked down the stretch. But sucking was an all around team effort.

And I agree, I don;t think Mulder will ever be same after that broken hip/loss of steroids injections . . .

by oaktownmario on Aug 11, 2006 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm concerned about tonight

First, Kazmir very fresh. Then on the other end the Yanks had a LOOONG rain delay last night (i went to bed in the 7th and it was 12:30) and probably didn't get back into NY til early this morning so there may be fatigue at play, plus Lidle starting.

by AndreafromNJ on Aug 11, 2006 11:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs