Game Thread #68: Athletics vs Angels

While this may ultimately be a lost season (though don't completely give up hope yet!), last night's wild walk off victory versus the Angels showed why these A's are still worth rooting for, and why every game is still worth watching. Just about anything can happen! The victory allowed the A's to move within one game of the Angels in the division, and look to share the cellar of the division with their rivals today. Baby steps.

It will be the first planned bullpen game for the A's this season, though any fan would know that it seems as though practically every game the A's play is a bullpen game. Taking the mound first for the A's today will be Andrew Triggs, just recalled from the minor leagues once again, and will likely be looking to pitch 3-4 innings, depending on how effective and efficient his pitching is. In order to bolster the bullpen for today's game, Tyler Ladendorf was sent down to make room for Triggs, allotting the A's an extra arm in the bullpen for the time being. Liam Hendriks is due off of the DL soon and will hopefully pitch the way he did in his previous season now that he is recovered from his injury to provide further bullpen support in coming days.

It is fitting that, having served as the Giants' posterchild for many seasons across the bay, Tim Lincecum looks to make his comeback with the A's other biggest rival after having not pitched in nearly a year. Having spent the past few years ping-ponging back and forth between being a mediocre pitcher and a bad pitcher, largely due to drops in fastball velocity, Lincecum is looking to prove that he can still pitch at the big league level after three successful rehab stints in Triple A. In his last start in the minors, Lincecum pitched seven innings and allowed only one hit, one walk, and recorded eight strikeouts.

Lineups are below.