Well, the A's take the field for the day game, in what will be their fifth sweep opportunity this young season. Although this homestand has been lacking an offensive explosion (the A's hadn't scored more than 3 runs until yesterday), they are looking to leave town with a 4-2 record with a win today.

Joe Blanton will take his tough W/L record to the mound in an effort to secure his third win of the season. Despite sporting a 3.88 ERA in eight pretty quality starts, he has only won two games, while losing five, in a combination of opposing ace pitching, poor defense behind him, and just bad luck so far this season. If you had told me before the season that Blanton would be 2-5 in the second week of May, I would have put the A's record somewhere near the Rangers. But clearly, Blanton has absorbed most of the A's poor play, and there is probably no one more anxious than he to turn things around.

On the opposing end, the A's will be facing RHP Jeremy Guthrie, and MLB's Mychael Urban correctly called Mike Sweeney's start today, but he is the DH, so Barton is in the lineup also.

Baltimore:

Torres, 2B
Mora, 3B
Markakis, RF
Huff, DH
Scott, LF
Millar, 1B
Payton, CF
Hernandez, R, C
Hernandez, L, SS

Your 2008 Oakland Athletics:

Suzuki, C
Barton, 1B
Sweeney, M, DH
Cust, LF
Brown, E, RF
Crosby, SS
Ellis, 2B
Hannahan, 3B
Sweeney, R, CF

LET'S GO OAKLAND!!!