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GOG #29 vs Seattle

All Star Game GOG

Baseball Reference

The Questions

1. Series outcome (3 games) [3 points]

2. I spent my summer vacation in Kansas City: Ryan Cook went from just trying to make the team out of camp to pitching a perfect inning in the All Star Game. How many appearances/BB/K's for Ryan in the series? For the Twins representative Joe Mauer, how many H/XBH/BB/K's in the series? [2 points each; 14 total]

3. Josh Should-Have-Been-An-All-Star Reddick has been an unbelievable pick up for the A's in the first half, but he really seems to have caught fire since he was snubbed from the midsummer classic. Before the roster announcement came on July 1st, Josh was batting a tidy .260/.342/.517. In seven games this month, he has put together 9 hits (5 for extra bases) and 4 walks. How many AB/H/XBH/BB for Josh in the series? [2 points each; 8 total]

4. Closer Matt Capps returns from the DL (right shoulder inflammation) for the start of the series, and his name is already being mentioned as trade bait. Can Matt do well enough to escape the hell that is 2012 Twins baseball? Predict Matt's appearances/H/BB/K/pitches thrown +/-3 [ 2/ 2/ 2/ 2/ 4; 12 total]

5. We're halfway through the season, and the A's are making it interesting, or at the very least making Billy Beane's "buyer or seller" decision a tough one. Right now, the A's are very much in the playoff hunt at only 2.5 games out of a wild card spot. After Sunday's action, are the A's within 1.5 games of a wild card spot? [1 point] How many games back of the wild card are the A's after Sunday? [4 points if right on; 2 points if within a half game either side]

6. Compliant Pork is still proving himself to be a decent addition to the Minnesota roster. Willingham is leading the Twins' offense in home runs, RBIs, walks, runs scored, and OBP. Oh... and strikeouts. How many AB/H/BB/HR for Josh? [2 points each]

7. So far this season (and let's be honest, for most of the past decade) the A's foundation has been their starting pitching. No exception in this series with A.J. Griffin, Tommy Milone, and Jarrod Parker scheduled to start. Guess over/under/tie for the three Oakland starters combined: 20 IP / 17 H / 7 ER / 11 BB / 15 K's / 319 pitches thrown / 2 wins [2 points each with one exception: if you correctly guess "tie" on the pitches thrown, that part is worth 10 points] If there's a change in starter, then the replacement pitcher's stats count.

Answers due by Friday at 5:10pm PDT