The A's and Joe Blanton with a 9-11 record and a 3.60 ERA take on the Red Sox and Curt Schilling with a 6-7 record and a 6.28 ERA.
Blanton has a 3.60 ERA. Guess what his average run support is? Bingo, you got it, 3.60 per game. That's the worst among qualifying rookie pitchers. Even Scott Kazmir, the Tampa rookie, has received an average of 4.92 of run support.
The A's go into the toughest ball park in the American League to steal victories. The Red Sox have Schilling going, who hasn't been the Schilling of old lately, but don't think that he won't suddenly get better against the A's inconsistent offense. It's happen a myriad of times this season.
Let's just hope for the A's sake that Big Joe has a huge game in him against a potent offense.
The A's lineup looks like this:
Ellis
Kendall
Kotsay
Chavez
Payton
Hatteberg
Johnson
Swisher
Scutaro
Kendall continues to remain in the two-hole and Macha continues to defy logic by placing him there.
The Red Sox counter with this lineup:
Damon
Renteria
Ortiz
Ramirez
Nixon
Varitek
Olerud
Mueller
Graffanino
Johnny Damon suddenly gets healthy with the A's in town. I wonder how loud the boos will be for Jay Payton. Knowing Boston, they will be heard in Quincy.
LET'S GO A'S!!!!!!!
