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OK I've just learned that after today they aren't going to play any regular games for 4 days, and I'm outraged. This morning, I have already lodged complaints with my local hardware store and delicatessen -- they get the brunt of most of my complaints about things because I know where to find them. Again, I'm outraged. Did others know about this??? Shameful.
Well, enjoy baseball while you can today, I suppose. The A's are trying to make it 4 of 6 against the teams boasting the best records in their respective leagues, and that's no small feat. Speaking of "no small feet," Bartolo Colon takes the mound today for the A's in search of his 13th win.
Pitching for Boston, and making his first big league start (and second appearance) is RHP Brandon Workman, a 2nd round pick (2010) from the University of Texas. When you browse scouting reports on Workman, you see some useful information along with statements like, "His fastball ranges from 88MPH to 96MPH". Really? His fastball is somewhere between "below average" and "fantastic"? Thanks, that's really helpful.
What scouts agree on about Workman is that he throws strikes, is durable, has a decent cutter and breaking ball, and has not always shown mastery of his changeup. Perhaps his changeup is a "workman-in-progress". Teams often struggle, especially the first time through the order, against pitchers they've never seen before, so we'll see how the first 2-3 innings go for the A's at the plate...
It's generally a good sign when your lineup against a RHP has Seth Smith batting 8th. The lineups:
