With the month of April coming to a close, one would think that the upcoming four-game series between the Athletics and Angels would be just another set of division rivalry games.
Who would have thought that the best record in the American League would be on the line?
Tonight's pitching matchup should consist of Chad Gaudin for the A's and Jon Garland for the Angels. Chad is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA, and is looking very impressive given the fact that he had surgery done on his left hip and his right foot in December.
Garland, who spent most of his career with the Chicago White Sox, is 3-2 and has a 5.04 ERA.
After acquiring Frank Thomas last week, what was once a bleak lineup that depended on timely hitting is now intimidating. It looks to draw a lot of walks, and it will never truly be out of any game.
The A's showed that in their last series against the Mariners, where they took a 2-0 deficit going into the eighth inning and turned it into a 4-2 victory. That four-run inning could have been a lot more too, as the bases were loaded when the final out was recorded.
Pitching matchups for the rest of week should include Greg Smith vs. Joe Saunders in game two, Dana Eveland vs. Ervin Santana in game three, and Justin Duchscherer vs. Dustin Mosely in game four.
This series should serve as a reality check for the Athletics. If they perform well, the rest of the AL should take note that this young team means business, and that it will only get better as the season goes on.
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