To say the A's offense needs to...um...be different, be better, or be there at all, seems to be a colossal understatement.
It's times like this when our pitching doesn't really seem to matter. It could be fantastic, or average, or very bad, but the results are still the same, which is so disheartening. Not trusting your offense to score a run for your pitcher is about the worst feeling in the world; maybe even worse than having an average pitching staff. At least with that problem, you know your pitchers will give up runs, but you know your offense can get them back. Right now, it feels like an insurmountable hole when the A's get down by the marginal score of 2-0, no matter who they're facing.
Of course, it's about time for our offense to put up one of its games that lulls us into a false sense of security...I hope.
Will things change with FT and MaEl back in the lineup? Will the rest of the lineup learn to stagger their slumps? Do we need another bat?
Zito's on the mound today, trying to stop the skid. I think Z can have a big game today, if he locates the curve and gets the early calls. Despite the last two games; Arizona is not much of an offensive powerhouse, but I say that with caution, since they've certainly been better than us. Today's game was touted as a "great pitching matchup", but really, hasn't everyone against the A's been a great pitcher lately? <rim shot>
I will actually be at the game today, so I'm leaving an open thread for your use. Use it wisely. louismg will take you the rest of the way, since I'll be driving back to Los Angeles.
If someone could post the lineups in the thread, that would be awesome!
Lineups:
Arizona
Counsell - SS
Byrnes - CF
Tracy - DH
Jackson - 1B
Gonzalez - LF
Estrada - C
Green - RF
Hudson - 2B
Easley - 3B
Your Oakland Athletics
Kendall - C
Swisher - LF
Kotsay - CF
Thomas - DH
Crosby - SS
Johnson - 1B
Payton - RF
Ellis - 2B
LET'S GO OAK-LAND!
