Had a ticket to last night’s game at Nats Park, acquired in March when we distributed our (half) season tickets. One of about 33,500 tickets sold. Despite dampness and the game’s lack of criticality, a surprising proportion of those tickets were used. Saw the National Anthem played by a violinist from the National Symphony Orchestra on the Electric Slugger, a Louisville Slugger(tm) bat adapted as an electric violin. Like its cousin, the electric guitar baseball bat, a big hit with the fans.

The game itself was a bit entertaining, in the way a Spring Training game is entertaining. Not a lot notable, except for the continued Nats-bashing by Young Mr. Ruf, and Adam LaRoche’s career-high homer/100th RBI.

The win leaves the Nats with the tiebreaker for #1 seed. Though, at this point, Davey is more concerned with his team than with the identity of his team’s next opponent. With a win, the Fightins’ would finish with a winning record. Something I very much doubted a couple of months ago.

In any event, I mention the NL stuff because where I live and work, in San Mateo County, is solid Gigantes territory. Yet the local Sports Authority laid in a huge late September shipment of A’s gear, just for people like my boss, who is today bedecked in an appealing green A’s t-shirt and matching hat in preparation for his holy quest to add luck, noise and cosmic energy to the A’s final game against Texas. It had better be damned loud in the Mausoleum today.

As Don Corleone once said, and who doesn’t remember “How did we come to this?”

100 games started by A’s rookie pitchers. The bullpen over the last two days against Texas has done what the “A” bullpen has done all year, close the game down from the 7th inning onwards. Of course, two of the three relievers last night were rookies, including Doolittle, a shortstop (from my alma mater, U VA ) until beginning of last year. Playing Texas, the best offense in the league, the A’s have actually lowered their team ERA these first two games in the series, to 3.48.

Last night before the game Jonny Gomes, local boy from Petaluma, received the team award for (basically) being the clubhouse favorite, called the Catfish Hunter award. Evidently the ol’ Cat was a real cut-up in the clubhouse, in addition to his 5 rings, Cy Young, and perfect game. Jonny would have to go some to match that, but he did kick in an insurance home run that was huge.

It is therefore fitting and proper that A’s rookie AJ “Mix-a-Lot” Griffin goes against wily, expensive veteran Ryan Dempster in the deciding game. It is also fitting and proper that there are only 400 tickets left for the game.

We’ll have the game on in our conference room. Why not? The boss will be gone

Let’s Go OAKLAND!!

(I am aware that I suck at trash-talking…)

Then Bailey had to go and pitch like Tommy Hunter on a second run through the lineup: straight heat up the gut. Brutal.

I know the O’s have had a ton of games from rookie pitchers (Miggy Gonzo, Chen, Tillman-technically, Britton-technically, Steve Johnson) but nowhere close to 100 games. That’s truly impressive.

Sorry for the dickheaded correction.

But a few of the mid-season prospect additions are starting to show up positively (Dominguez, maybe Green) and the young pitchers are showing more of the potential and less of the inexperience. It’s nice to go out on a relatively positive note and Spring Training may be very interesting for a change. But the depth in the minors is not there yet and the overall skills at MLB level are just barely replacement level. Without a couple of more #3 or so pitchers and something in the way of corner outfielders, 2013 could look a lot like 2012. I don’t expect the Astros to do much in the free agent market, but it would be nice to pick up a couple of bargain mid-level players to solidify things somewhat. They will certainly have the money to do it.

Good luck to all of the playoff teams.