markb

Easily safe. This better get overturned.

Oh, it's going to be one of those nights.

Lot of squared up balls against Skaggs so far.

Aybar deserves his second gold glove if he continues to play D like he has so far.

Not sure they have to go anywhere for it. If Bedrosian and Alvarez keep teabagging AA like they have, whatever relievers may still be struggling by midseason could become expendable.

I'm daydreaming of Hamilton returning in-form, Trout and Pujols emerging from their funks, and just bitchslapping every other team around for a while. It looks like we're going to need to put together a really good streak at some point to stay with Oakland. Richards completely dominating, Skaggs looking solid, and Cowgill with a .422 OBP are all beyond what any reasonable person expected prior to the season, and it's really helped us get through injuries to 2 of our best hitters. Howie and Aybar have also been at their best so far.

With 3/4 of the AL hovering around .500, I feel like the season will be over around 100 more times this year.

Hud is best as it is right now -- someone else's full time headache while providing the rest of us with the occasional awesome soundbite.

I know we're fickle around here, but giving up on a guy with a 3.66 ERA in 34 major league starts in favor of a guy with 2 major league starts makes me scratch my head. Santiago's peripherals definitely indicate some regression on that ERA, but he deserves a lot more leeway before declaring him unfit to start.

Assessing value using RBI/AB?

Even though he didn't get in the game because Richards got through it, Morin getting up in the 7th means Scioscia may finally be ready to put him into higher leverage situations as well.

I hadn't heard this, so if that's the case then bravo.

I think the fact that the 2-4 hitters were up in the 8th was just a coincidence. Pretty sure we're just back to Smith setup, Frieri closer again.

He's been on a tear the last few days, which is weird since we won 4 of 5.

Sure wish he'd been allowed to go deeper into the game, but I'll take it. It's like Scioscia forgot he was already stretched out or something.

Finally threw the wrinkle and got a DP out of it.

That strike 2 pitch was where a lot of Frieri's pitches are supposed to go. 6 inches to the left is where a lot of them end up.

With 2 of 3 OF coming off the DL, I think there will be plenty of time for everyone to file through the DH spot, especially since we get nothing from there as it is (Cron's tiny sample size aside).

Cowgill the OBP machine.

Even though it's the middle of the Phillies order, Frieri up in the 8th makes more sense because they're all lefties. That said, it's Smith that's up right now so I guess Scioscia disagrees. EDIT: two lefties and a switch hitter that is.

Holy crap Asche sucks

The curse of the praise thread. Next up, Michael Kohn.

Why not leave Shoemaker in since he didn't come up last inning?

Nice, Lucho. Once again the young guys are doin it.

Man Asche is a butcher at 3rd. I thought he should've gotten to Cowgill's double as well.