5:05 PM start time. Awfully kind of them to wait until work was over. It's like they know.
The Oakland A's, riding a modest 2-game winning streak, look to keep the bats going tonight in Detroit, as they welcome back Brett Anderson to the starting rotation. Anderson missed his last start with a nagging blister on his throwing hand. He covered the blister when throwing earlier this week, but according to the A's preview on MLB.com, his finger is now "naked". I can't make this stuff up!
Brett Anderson has pitched better this season than his numbers will indicate (0-3, 5.79 ERA), but he is susceptible to the big inning. He needs to minimize the damage when he gets into trouble. He has also been the victim of poor run support; let's hope the A's can change that trend tonight.
The A's offense will face RHP Edwin Jackson, who has thrown well so far this season for the Tigers; who sport a 17-15 record coming into this weekend's series. The A's still have work to do to see .500; yet they are still only 5.5 games behind the first-place Rangers, who are playing well.
The A's have Santiago Casilla back in the bullpen tonight, which will provide another strong arm there, and he came with a friend! Aaron Cunningham, a Spring Training AN favorite, has been called up (Blevins and Gray sent down), and is in the starting lineup at right field (poor Buck).
Let's look at the lineups:
Despite injury speculation, Holliday is starting in LF tonight; joining Sweeney and Cunningham. Cust will be the DH; Crosby third base.
LET'S GO OAK-LAND!
