The A's might wish they could play all of their games at the Rate...as long as the Chisox are on the other side. It helps that the Pale Hose are impotent, outscored 15-4 in losses the past two nights. Granted, Chisox starter Davis Martin is off of a very good six inning stint vs. the Bosox last Friday, allowing just one run and six hits in an 11-1 win, but note the four games since, the Hose have only scored eight runs. No reason to think that JP Sears can't do what A's starters Osvaldo Bido did last night and Jeffrey Springs on Monday, and Mark Kotsay's relievers haven't allowed a run across 7 1/3 IP the past two nights. Play A's on Run Line

JP Sears likes to hunt punchouts from the left side and he's going to find some willing accomplices in a Pale Hose lineup that has a 28.3% K-rate vs lefties (26th in MLB). Chicago also has a .253 OBP vs lefties (28th), and a .554 OPS, so quality ABs have been at a premium. The A's lefty Jeffrey Springs didn't have his best stuff Tuesday but still K'd 4 Sox in 5 IP. Sears has 7 Ks in 2 of his three starts. Some frustration setting in with Pale Hose as young hitters chase pullside power and try to do too much.

Operation Fade The Pale Hose continues., Especially with the A's throwing a lefty at them. The White Sox have a .548 OPS vs lefties, serious issues in their pen, and a very light bench and not much pop. Davis Martin doesn't get enough swing and miss to survive this A's lineup. This is a total value play getting to fade the Pale Hose at value greater than -150 when the other team has a far superior starter on the bump and a lineup that can mash. I like JP Sears and think he can work this lineup.