Game Thread #63: A's at Orioles

Much of AN's front page staff and quite a few community members are headed east today, where the Stockton Ports are facing the High Desert Mavericks at 2:09pm. It's going to be 104 degrees at Banner Island Ballpark, so that's just fantastic.

Meanwhile, there's Major League Baseball going on as well, a Saturday matinee in Baltimore that will determine the series winner. Scott Kazmir is pitching for the A's, carrying a 6-2 record and 2.40 ERA into the start. He's being discussed more and more seriously about pitching for the American League in the All-Star Game; his performance to date would certainly warrant an appearance.

The Orioles are countering with Ubaldo Jimenez, the Ubaldo Jimenez of 2010 Colorado Rockies first-half, borderline messianic fervor, when it seemed like he truly couldn't be beat. Then the All-Star Break happened and he came back down to earth just a little bit. He had a very solid year for the Indians in 2013, though, posting a 13-9 record and 3.30 ERA, racking up more than a strikeout per inning.

Here are the lineups, with three (count 'em — three) Oakland "catchers" making an appearance (John Jaso DHing, Stephen Vogt in right field, and Derek Norris actually doing the catching):