While we're all nervously hitting refresh, in hopes of being the first to hear of the next big trade, the Athletics are probably just exhausted. Today is the 16th game of a 28 game stretch without a single day off. Think about keeping your head together for that many games in a row while also wondering which of your teammates will still be on your team tomorrow.

That said, Oakland has been playing some pretty decent baseball lately, with hard fought games against some very good teams. Now, after consecutive series vs the Angels, Twins, Yankees, and Red Sox, I guess that the Blue Jays count as something of a respite. Can the A's keep playing exciting baseball with Patterson in the outfield, Everidge at 1st base, and Pennington at shortstop (please, not Crosby...)?

Links

• Probable pitchers
• Blue Jays stats
• I have graded both GOG #32 and GOG #33. Check out your scores... you know, if you're into that sort of thing. Also, doctorK now stands alone in contention for our attendance award!

GOG #34 :: Now that we're done trading everyone away, let's play baseball! (33 points possible)

Three game series vs Toronto Blue Jays -- July 31-August 2

UPDATE -- answers added below in bold

1. Series outcome [3 points] 2-1 Toronto
2. Which leadoff hitter gets on base more times, Scoot or AK? [+1 if right, -1 if wrong] even though Scutaro only played in two of three games, he still wins this one 5-3
3. The GOG welcomes Tommy Everidge! :: Predict his AB/H/XBH [2 points each] 12 AB, 4 H, 2 XBH
4. How many innings does Scott Richmond pitch in his first start back from the DL? [3 points] 3 innings
5. Though his last three start have been uninspired, Ricky Romero is definitely in the running for RoY. Check out two starts from late June / early July when he faced the Phillies and Rays (both good offenses) and threw a total of 15 innings of shutout baseball with 14 strikeouts to 5 walks. Predict Romero's IP/ER/K in his game 2 start [2 points each] 7 IP, 2 ER, 5K
6. Does Hairston manage to play in the series? [+1 if right, -1 if wrong] yes
7. How many hits for Cliff Pennington in the series? [3 points] 2 hits for Pennington
8. Vernon Wells is in year 2 of his 7 year, $126M contract. And the Blue Jays can't be happy about that, because he has been worth 1.2 wins *below* replacement so far this year (and he was nearly a 6 win player just 3 years ago!). Predict H/K/BB for the Blue Jays CF [2 points each] 3 H, 2 K, 1 BB
9. Rickey's number 24 will be retired on Saturday, but 67MARQUEZ makes the case for retiring 35 as well. That, of course, would require Landon Powell to switch to a new number. Does Landon get in the game on Saturday? [+1 if right, -1 if wrong] no
10. The Blue Jays are last in the AL with only 15 saves total. Scott Downs has been the closer since BJ Ryan's release. How many saves does Downs earn in the series? [3 points] 0 saves for Downs (but 1 for Frasor)/li>

First pitch will be thrown by my man Dallas Braden at 7:05 pm. Guess away!

Results

Wow. I must have gone really easy on the questions, because some of the scores on this GOG are crazy high. Three people with 19 points?

Overall scoring statistics

• mean = 11.9375 points
• standard deviation = 5.43407 points
• mode = 11 or 19 points


via cfcp.uchicago.edu

Scores

Life's just not fair. zaniac75 puts up one of the all-time best scores in GOG history, but only gains 2 points on nevermoor. Also, mikeA picked the wrong GOG to miss, as the gap between second and third places widens to 26 points.

New members of the 200 points club are A'sfaninNC, Rated-R Superstar, and me!

name	place (this GOG)	score (this GOG)	# of GOGs	place (all GOG)	score (all GOG)	place (by AVG)	score by AVG
zaniac75	1	21	32	2	258	5	0.243
nevermoor	2	19	32	1	270	3	0.255
A'sfaninNC		19	28	4	213	6	0.231
Rated-R Superstar		19	28	6	202	10	0.222
GoAs	5	14	28	8	191	15	0.202
Blicks	6	13	16	28	99	23	0.185
train80	7	12	30	10	176	26	0.178
micdog2001	8	11	28	7	195	13	0.209
doctorK		11	34	11	175	31	0.155
harenshair		11	13	21	118	1	0.267
oblique	11	10	27	13	163	25	0.182
colin	12	9	33	5	211	20	0.193
JLeverenz	13	8	22	16	152	11	0.211
adragon		8	24	19	125	29	0.159
streetfan	15	3	32	15	153	33	0.144
muffinpryde		3	30	12	169	27	0.169
Mantecan As Fan	DNP	--	1	95	1	N/E	0.024
swatnick	DNP	--	21	9	180	2	0.259
SoCal As Fan	DNP	--	14	30	93	18	0.200
NateHST	DNP	--	15	24	112	8	0.225
DCinWC	DNP	--	16	31	84	30	0.158
mikeA	DNP	--	31	3	232	7	0.227
ZeroIndulgence	DNP	--	19	23	115	24	0.183
gigglingone	DNP	--	16	22	117	9	0.225
Kimberly	DNP	--	20	19	125	21	0.190
vegAN ryAN	DNP	--	4	51	27	N/E	0.185
diehardoaklandfan22	DNP	--	16	26	106	14	0.202
Walton711	DNP	--	1	78	9	N/E	0.214
travdog6	DNP	--	2	95	1	N/E	0.013
Boonee	DNP	--	3	56	19	N/E	0.174
RayJEdd	DNP	--	12	27	104	4	0.252
A'sBowlingLeague	DNP	--	2	56	19	N/E	0.244
elephantbaseball	DNP	--	19	18	126	17	0.200
brian.only	DNP	--	4	69	14	N/E	0.096
robertmelvin	DNP	--	6	42	41	N/E	0.188
OaktownPower	DNP	--	16	25	110	16	0.201
roscoe	DNP	--	29	14	161	28	0.168
Flashfire	DNP	--	1	87	6	N/E	0.143
designatedforassignment	DNP	--	3	67	16	N/E	0.145
tresselfan	DNP	--	4	84	7	N/E	0.046
KMoAsFan	DNP	--	4	55	20	N/E	0.137
Gallagher's Watermelons	DNP	--	1	74	10	N/E	0.238
GreenOctober69	DNP	--	1	81	8	N/E	0.190
SLOtown	DNP	--	10	36	60	N/E	0.174
Angry Sean	DNP	--	30	17	148	32	0.148
baseballnut020	DNP	--	9	40	51	N/E	0.173
MaineAthletic	DNP	--	12	32	73	22	0.187
j_rich36	DNP	--	1	84	7	N/E	0.167
scutaroknowstheway	DNP	--	1	91	3	N/E	0.071
FormerHuntsvilleStar	DNP	--	9	33	71	N/E	0.247
jay_sensei	DNP	--	6	41	44	N/E	0.227
easyraider	DNP	--	13	29	94	12	0.209
Athletix Man	DNP	--	9	37	59	N/E	0.199
Athletics fan and runner	DNP	--	6	51	27	N/E	0.133
Holy Toledo!	DNP	--	1	91	3	N/E	0.083
Nico	DNP	--	1	74	10	N/E	0.278
EddieVegas_NRAF	DNP	--	1	99	-1	N/E	-0.028
JLaff	DNP	--	1	90	4	N/E	0.111
WaddellCanseco	DNP	--	5	50	28	N/E	0.164
crb29	DNP	--	11	34	70	19	0.196
eastcoasta'sfan	DNP	--	4	54	23	N/E	0.161
Oaktownflav	DNP	--	3	62	17	N/E	0.156
Future Ed	DNP	--	6	42	41	N/E	0.197
JediLeroy	DNP	--	1	81	8	N/E	0.222
Dalesman	DNP	--	2	87	6	N/E	0.083
nateh37	DNP	--	7	44	39	N/E	0.174
anomaly_kat	DNP	--	3	59	18	N/E	0.173
sprtsnwyn	DNP	--	2	62	17	N/E	0.250
VORP is too nerdy	DNP	--	4	46	32	N/E	0.234
asyouwish33	DNP	--	1	81	8	N/E	0.250
jeffro	DNP	--	4	59	18	N/E	0.150
Cutthemullet	DNP	--	3	53	24	N/E	0.238
stabbin_mcadams	DNP	--	1	74	10	N/E	0.312
jasonthea	DNP	--	4	48	30	N/E	0.219
fruitattack	DNP	--	11	47	31	35	0.086
Helloooo 1st	DNP	--	6	45	34	N/E	0.165
King Richard	DNP	--	2	71	13	N/E	0.203
jpl	DNP	--	8	39	55	N/E	0.222
baseballgirl	DNP	--	1	74	10	N/E	0.286
whiteshoes40	DNP	--	18	35	68	34	0.116
walkoff baltimore chop	DNP	--	1	84	7	N/E	0.200
spiffyjwc	DNP	--	2	71	13	N/E	0.194
samljm	DNP	--	1	78	9	N/E	0.265
pam5981	DNP	--	7	37	59	N/E	0.276
Gaijin_Suketto	DNP	--	1	69	14	N/E	0.424
tosk	DNP	--	5	49	29	N/E	0.179
mikev	DNP	--	1	62	17	N/E	0.515
stranahanahan	DNP	--	3	68	15	N/E	0.152
Leopold Bloom	DNP	--	1	95	1	N/E	0.029
ElQuesoCapitan	DNP	--	3	59	18	N/E	0.194
Trainman	DNP	--	2	91	3	N/E	0.049
OptimistPrime	DNP	--	1	89	5	N/E	0.179
dtownmbrown	DNP	--	3	62	17	N/E	0.167
chillicothe20	DNP	--	1	78	9	N/E	0.265
ChadGod	DNP	--	1	71	13	N/E	0.382
SamYam	DNP	--	3	56	19	N/E	0.186
JLopez	DNP	--	2	91	3	N/E	0.046
robbo650	DNP	--	4	62	17	N/E	0.132
Steve in Napa	DNP	--	1	95	1	N/E	0.032