Angels – A’s

Angels v. A’s

Gaudin v. Saunders

The Angels come into this game having won their first 3 games of the season. It’s now official; we are on a winning streak. So let me get this out of the way. I WILL NOT pick the opponent to win a game when we are on a winning streak…I will not be responsible for jinxing our wicked hot winning streak…I JUST WON’T.

Now, on to the match up. Chad Gaudin takes the mound tonight for a “revamped” A’s rotation and I can honestly say that aside from his name sounding like something that would go really good with a nice pinot grigio, I know next to nothing about this kid. Well, that’s not true. I know he was in their bullpen last season and now he is starting! Conversely, Joe Saunders is on the hill for the Angels and he will look to continue the success that kept him with the big club last season. It doesn’t need to be said how close these teams play each other and I can’t see this game being any different. Angels hitters oftentimes struggle against the unknown pitchers but they have seen Gaudin before and have been moderately successful against him. In 6 WHOLE innings the Angels have scored 4 earned runs and walked 6 times. If Gaudin can’t improve on those numbers we should be able to easily continue our string of wins. Saunders has been good and bad against the A’s and here’s hoping to more of the good than the bad.

So where do we stand? The A’s are not nearly as good as they were last year and I can’t imagine that Piazza and the likes of Gaudin can make up for the loss of Frank Thomas and Barry Zito. That being said, they seem to be able to throw anyone out there against us and get good results. I think Saunders will struggle early and settle down to get through 5 innings. We pull away late and win this one 6-3.

GA still hasn’t homered but I like all those doubles just the same. Garret WILL homer on this home-stand, dangit!
With Kotchman in the 5-hole look for a ton of Angels base runners tonight.