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Open Thread: Game 16 - A's at Seattle

By papiblez

The A's and Rich Harden with a 1-0 record and a 0.68 ERA goes against the Mariners and Ryan Franklin with a 1-1 record and a 2.18 ERA.

Jeff Sullivan over at LookoutLanding.com gives the following scouting report of Franklin (to read my report on Harden, go check it out on Jeff's site):

Ryan Franklin's a guy who comes at hitters with a broad assortment of grade-50 (20-80 scout scale) pitches, hoping to keep guys off balance and make them get themselves out. When he's working, he induces a load of routine fly balls to go with a few standard grounders, but when he's off, he's what we call a "slump-buster". Eric Chavez has hit .300 against Franklin with four homers in his career, so this might be just what the doctor ordered to help him get out of his funk.

Unlike a Zito or a Pineiro, you can't judge Franklin by how he does in the first inning, because he has a tendency to come and go. So it is with pitchers who put the ball in play. If he makes it through seven innings, it's because Oakland hitters haven't figured out how to time his pitches, something that drives opposing fans crazy. Franklin's equally likely to go five and give up six runs, though. Look for Chavez and Durazo to get some good hacks and, if nothing else, real solid contact.

The A's lineup looks like this:

Kotsay
Kendall
Chavez
Durazo
Hatteberg
Ellis
Swisher
Thomas
Scutaro

The M's lineup looks like this:

Suzuki
Reed
Beltre
Sexson
Boone
Ibanez
Winn
Olivo
Valdez

Harden looks to be the team's Martin Brodeur (stopper for those who aren't hockeyphiles) once again.

LET'S GO A'S!!!

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