The A's and Lenny DiNardo with a 3-4 record and a 2.47 ERA take on the Blue Jays and Josh Towers, who is 3-5 with a 5.59 ERA. The A's open the second half of the season where they've always excelled since the year turned 2000.
It was a rough road trip that ended on two very good notes in New York. I anticipate the bats being a little slow (wait, aren't they always?) and the A's taking a few innings to adjust. It always seems to be that way when a team comes off a grueling road trip. We'll see if that's the case this time or not.
The A's starting lineup looks like this:
Stewart
Kotsay
Swisher
Cust
Chavez
Johnson
Ellis
Scutaro
Suzuki
Now this is a lineup I can live with on a daily basis. Although Kotsay probably shouldn't be batting second very often. But at least Suzuki is finally in there. Perhaps we're going to see more of him on a regular basis now? I wouldn't complain about that. Not in the least.
Here is the Blue Jays lineup with 500 home run club member and former Athletic Frank Thomas. You know he likes hitting in Oakland.
Wells
Rios
Glaus
Thomas
Hill
Thigpen
Lind
Phillips
Clayton
Hopefully DiNardo gets back on the right track tonight. It would be good to come home and keep the ol' momentum going from the New York beatings. They do it against a pitcher that Chavez has owned in the past and Dan Johnson has also done well against. Ironically, Bobby Crosby also has very good career stats against Towers and the A's are giving him a day off. Hmmmmm.
LET'S GO A'S!!!!!!!
