Sweep sweep sweep sweep sweep SWEEP! Do you think I can root for the sweep, and still root for the Rangers against everyone else but the A's? Maybe we can also sweep the Angels for Texas and they can win every other game? Maybe I will have a hard time with the four game series against Texas next week? Maybe I'm way over-thinking this and should stick to football in October? In addition, I should probably also cut down on afternoon caffeine.
At any rate, the A's are going for the sweep tonight against the Rangers in their own ballpark, as Trevor Cahill takes the mound against Dustin Nippert. Cahill's last start was of the crappy variety; he was pulled after the third inning having thrown 74 pitches and allowing three runs.
It has truly been an up-and-down season for the young righty, and at the risk of sounding like Joe Morgan, his main trouble is that he's just not consistant. He's also extremely young, and will figure some things out over the off-season and Spring Training. I think he has the stuff to become an effective pitcher in the league, but probably should have spent this season in AAA. I think of these last few starts as Cahill preparing for 2010; and I'm more than okay with that.
Cahill is working tonight with an 80-pitch limit, so he needs to set the tone early. If he makes a habit of deep counts (as he is wont to do), he won't be long for this game. Texas needs this game; expect them to pull out all the stops tonight.
Thought this was a fun stat to share from MLB.com today:
Guess who leads the big leagues in stolen bases since the All-Star break? Yes, the running A's. Rajai Davis stole his 37th bag of the season Tuesday, giving Oakland 66 in the second half. It's the most it's stolen in the second half since the 1992 team had 68. ... With 120 stolen bases on the season, the A's are 21 from matching the team's highest total in 16 years.
Along with that stat, Rajai Watch 2009 is at a shocking .314. He's in the game tonight.
Your lineups:
LET'S GO OAK-LAND!
