The Angels didn't do their "run differential" any favors last night, falling 13-4 to Tampa Bay and leaving the A's just 4 games back entering play tonight. Oakland would love to see the Angels cool off and get better acquainted with their Pythagorean "Expected Won-Loss Record," and with James Shields and Scott Kazmir going against them tonight and tomorrow, opportunity could be knocking...
...If the A's can win, that is. The Yankees are in town, with a recent history of starting slow and then getting hot right around the first time they play Oakland. Dana Eveland, whose left hand is hopefully back to its original size, gets the call tonight against sinkerballer Chien-Ming Wang. Wang is in a rare slump, having allowed at least 5 ER in four consecutive starts - 23 ER in 23.2 IP over that time.
Tonight's starting lineups:
Damon - LF
Jeter - SS
Abreu - RF
Rodriguez - 3B
Giambi - DH
Posada - C
Betemit - 1B
Cano - 2B
Cabrera - CF
Hannahan - DH
Crosby - SS
Cust - LF
Chavez - 3B
Ellis - 2B
Barton - 1B
Buck - RF
Gonzalez - CF
Suzuki - C
