The A's and Bazooka Joe Kennedy with a 7-12 record and a 6.08 ERA take on the Angels and Ervin Santana with a 10-8 record and a 4.69 ERA.
Well, AN, this is it. It's win or go home. Rich Harden apparently asked Macha if he could start and Macha said no. You've got to admire the guy's determination to be on the mound in a crucial game. But instead the A's in essence get their sixth starter.
Santana has faced the A's three times this year and allowed a grand total of three earned runs in 21 1/3 innings. It doesn't look good right now. But if the A's can somehow squeeze out a victory, they have Haren and Zito going over the next two games.
The A's put out this lineup to try and put off their elimination:
Ellis
Kendall
Kotsay
Chavez
Crosby
Johnson
Payton
Melhuse
Swisher
If you're looking for an answer as to how much Hatteberg has fallen in the eyes of management, he isn't in the lineup on possible elimination night. This is an indication to me that Hatteberg will not be back with the A's for 2006. Not that there was much question anymore.
The Angels send out this lineup:
Figgins
Cabrera
Anderson
Guerrero
Molina
Rivera
Erstad
Quinlan
Kennedy
LET'S GO A'S!!!!!!!
