Seattle: 57-95
Athletics: 71-81
GAMES
Game 1: Felix Hernandez vs Dana Eveland*
Game 2: Carlos Silva vs ?
Game 3: Brandon Morrow vs Sean Gallagher
I don't want to talk anymore about Felix regressing this season. Dana Eveland is decent but not altogether all that good since he throws too many balls and misses too few bats.
Justin Duchscherer was scheduled to make this start before he got scratched for the remainder of the season. The Athletics don't even know who's going to take this turn yet but it's even money that he'll be a more skilled pitcher than Carlos Silva. I'm not sure I've loathed a Mariner more. Even Vidro was funny in a way when he was succeeding somehow and the Ms were winning. On a side note, I spelled Duchscherer right without looking.
Sean Gallagher's been markedly worse since switching leagues, seeing his percentage of strikes thrown dip a whopping seven percent. At the same time he's posting a hilarious 27.4% groundball rate. If Brandon Morrow retains some semblance of control, he could pass through the A's "hitters" like an intelligent thought on the PI boards. If he's lousy with command, the A's might wait him out into many walks and pretty much anyone can hit a fastball if they're sitting on it.
Likely Starters:
C Kurt Suzuki
1 Daric Barton*
2 Eric Patterson*
3 Jack Hannahan*
S Bobby Crosby
L Aaron Cunningham
C Rajai Davis
R Travis Buck*/Ryan Sweeney*
D Jack Cust*
Lots of lefties. And a whole lot of terrible.
The A's are nearing the century mark for runs under average as a hitting unit. It makes the Ms, at around 70 below, look almost competent like, but judging from our lineups the past few days, I wouldn't excuse you if you decided to go watch curling or something.
CONTEXT
If we're going to continue the streak of losses, Oakland, against whom we play six of our final ten games, represents a tough test as they have plunged in the second half of this season. These lineups suck. I mean, suck. Really really suck. So much so that I cannot even come up with a funny analogy. They suck that bad.
Be aware of that before you heap praise on Felix or Morrow for "turning it around." Be aware of that when Silva gets rocked. Both sides' hitters are terrible.
THIS SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
La Terrible
Unibroue Brewing Company. Chambly, QC
I swear I bought a bottle of this at one point, but it's gone from my stores and I have no record of ever trying it. But it's appropriate.