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Game Thread #129: A's vs. Angels

"Hey Krukkie, it's the Sunday night game on ESPN so I found a suitable photo!"
"Hey Krukkie, it's the Sunday night game on ESPN so I found a suitable photo!"
Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

...For the sweep! The bad news is the A's managed to put themselves in a position where they need a sweep this weekend in order to travel come out of the first OAK-LAA showdown in first place. The good news is that Oakland has a chance for said sweep, having won low scoring games Friday and Saturday nights.

76-52 after 128 games. That's the story for the A's and for the Angels as we brace for the regular season's final 34 games. Or 35, if there should happen to be a one-game playoff. Heart-Attacko Theatre: At the ballpark, daily, through the end of September.

The A's are 8-3 against the Angels so far this season, 5-0 at home, as they send Scott Kazmir to the mound to face off against the Angels' now-ace-again of the staff, Jered Weaver. This is the ESPN Sunday night game, so I will now launch into a batter by batter analysis comparing each A's and Angels hitter to Derek Jeter.

Tonight's starting lineups feature an absence of Josh Donaldson:

Today's Lineups

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OAKLAND A'S
Kole Calhoun - RF "Hits to all fields like Jeter"
Coco Crisp - DH "The A's engine, kind of Oakland's Jeter"
Mike Trout - CF "Jeter-like Hall of Fame potential"
Sam Fuld - CF "Scrappy Jeter-like overachiever"
Albert Pujols - 1B "More range than Jeter"
Stephen Vogt - 1B "I believe in Derek Jeter"
Josh Hamilton - LF "Just like Jeter on Opposite Day"
Brandon Moss - LF "Just like Jeter on Opposite Day"
Howie Kendrick - DH "Has that Jeteresque right field stroke"
Josh Reddick - RF "A practically Jeteresque human highlight reel on defense"
David Freese - 3B "Clutch World Series performer, not unlike Jeter"
Derek Norris - C "Has literally no chance to be MLB's best Derek"
Erick Aybar - SS "Know who else is a SS? Derek Jeter"
Alberto Callaspo - 3B "Hits to all fields like Jeter"
Chris Iannetta - C "Has Jeteresque knowledge of the strike zone"
Eric Sogard - 2B "Wizardry up the middle just like Jeter"
Gordon Beckham - 2B "Not every #1 draft pick can be like Jeter"
Andy Parrino - SS "Know who else is a SS? Derek Jeter"