Game 130 - Game Thread - A's @ Bronx - Harden Sweeps Up this Morning

To dream the impossible dream.

Heading into the third and final game against the Yankees, the A's--our Oakland A's--are in a position to sweep the series.

Huh.

Now, I haven't been eating much and my sleep is perennially screwed, so I might be mistaken. But I think we have an opportunity to sweep the Yankees. In New York.

That's the New York Yankees. Not the New York Knicks. I'm fairly certain Moose Costco could take them, armed only with a sock full of oranges.

To sweep the New York baseball Yankees, you need to bring out your big guns.

You need to bring out Rich Harden and his smirk.

Me n some of the fellas--namely, wacchampion, ohtobe21likehuston and their respective nephews--watched from the Value Deck (is your deck old, worn out and in need of replacing?) from their Authentic Fan perch last Friday, as Dick Harden mowed down the Blue Jays like they were little leaguers, and not that team from Mexico--a bad one. This Harden fella? He can play some baseball. Why is it again that the Rangers left him off their roster last post-season?

Richard gives us the chance to sweep the team in pinstripes, those fabulous men, those boys of summer, those wild young Turks, wind at their backs...sorry. It's tough not to wax on about the Yankees.

Phil Hughes goes for their side. The last time he was rocked was the last time we faced him. Last month.

All things point to a good showing from the Oakland squad.

That's why the AccuScore projections on Four-Letters preview have it 73% chance the Yankees win. The Yankees win.

So, what 's to thank for the success thus far in New York? Well, there's the heroics of Brandon Allen on Tuesday night and the heroics of Coco Crisp last night--both big reasons the A's are in position to sweep the Yankees for the first time since Frank Thomas was a newly signed member of the club--namely June 9-11, 2006. Perhaps another Athletic will step up this morning--Eric Sogard will spread tree cookie love to the short porch in right (although this may be hard to do sitting next to Bob Melvin), or Pennington will feast again on Phil Hughes offerings, or maybe it's the Pig's turn. Sure, the Grandy man can. But they don't have a single pig in that lineup, do THEY?

Plus, we get the MLB debut of Anthony Recker.

And pigs are good luck. As is a nice young nucleus of talented ball players, itching to show the world what they can do. World, meet Brandon Allen. And this is Jemile Weeks. We're coming back next year, bitches, with healthy pitching and some offense. If y'all don't know what time it is, y'all better ask somebody. Seventy-three percent. Kick they ass, Rich.

Lineups, per Susan Slusser

OAKLAND

1. Jemile Weeks, 2B
2. Coco Crisp, CF
3. Hideki Matsui, DH
4. Big Pig Willingham, LF
5. Brandon Allen, 1B
6. David DeJesus, RF
7. Cliff Pennington, SS
8. Anthony Recker, C
9. Scott Sizemore, 3B

NEW YORK

Have decided they wanted to torture me late into the night, not releasing their lineup, laughing at my pain, suffering and humiliation, simultaneously blaming me for it. The Yankees are evil, folks. Evil and aggressive. They stole Bed's baby, denying a dingo a decent meal. That's just the kind of bastards they are.