I have hit a mini-rough patch; not so much having terrible nights of late but losing that swing game that is the difference between and up or down night. So if this hits, I'm done today. The Athletics have utterly quit on a seven-game slide and this is being played at 9:40 Pacific time so all their body clocks are likely askew. Due to injury, etc., today's lineup is quite lame -- I can barely tell you who a couple of guys are (Jonathan Ornelas?). The Reds aren't out of the WC race and have won five of six. Andrew Abbott has been hit or miss on the mound but only a few A's have seen him and they are 14 games under vs. lefties.
Caesar’s. This entire season, the home/road splits for the Athletics when they face left-handed pitching has been stark. At home, they hit .282 - on the road, they’re at .205. On the road today, against the Reds’ Andrew Abbott, I don’t see them being able to string hits together. Abbott has kept 15 of his last 17 opponents under this line, pitching to a 3.09 ERA over that span.
Springs (hip) allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts over three innings with Single-A Stockton on Friday.
Rodriguez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Marlins.
Cortes went 1-for-2 with a double, three RBI and a walk in Friday's 8-3 win over the Rangers.
Burns (14-2) picked up the win Friday, scattering four hits over seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over the Marlins. He struck out eight without walking a batter.
Pagan pitched a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his 15th save of the season in a 1-0 win over the Marlins. He didn't strike out a batter.
Santillan (oblique) did not allow a hit or walk while striking out two over a scoreless inning for Triple-A Louisville on Friday.
Jump allowed three runs on three hits and four walks while striking out one over 5.1 innings in a no-decision versus the Rangers on Friday.
Butler went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's 8-3 win over the Rangers.
McNeil went 4-for-5 with a solo home run, two doubles and three total RBI in Friday's 8-3 win over the Rangers.
Wilson was removed from Friday's game against the Rangers after getting hit on the hand by a pitch, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
