Game Talk – 5/4/09: Angels @ Athletics – The Battle for Last

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (10-13) @ Oakland Athletics (9-13)

Starters: LAA – Joe Saunders (3-1, 3.41 ERA)  OAK – Brett Anderson (0-2, 5.01 ERA)

Game Info: 7:05 PM PT TV-Fox Sports West, Radio-KLAA 830 AM, KFWB, KWKW 1330 AM

Two teams enter, one team leaves.  The other stays in last place.

OK, maybe it isn’t quite as dire as Thunderdome, but this should still be a big series for the Angels.  The Halos currently sit four games under .500, but are only 4 games out of the division lead.  This was supposed to be an easy walk to the division crown for the Angels with the minor threat that Oakland could be an upstart contender to the throne.

Let’s just say that things haven’t exactly gone according to plan for either team.

Now both teams will be looking to get back into the AL West mix and put their respective seasons back on track by beating their biggest rival.  The two teams have a long history of playing hard fought, tight games against each other, so this might just be the emotional kick in the ass these teams need to turn their seasons around.

What to Watch For:

• Darren Oliver is back.  Can the old man of the bullpen be a steadying force?  With a left-hand heavy A’s line-up, his services will certainly be required.
• Who will start for the Angels?  Abreu has a sore back, Aybar has a busted jaw, Brandon Wood was good in his recent start, Scioscia could always bench red-hot Kendry Morales for Robb Quinlan again or maybe Napoli will DH again.  I’m starting to think that Scioscia wants to try every single line-up permutation possible before the end of May.