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A's PROBABLE PITCHERS
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 Wednesday, September 26 Fenway Park | 2:00 PM PT
OAK Joe Blanton, RHP (14-10, 3.84)
Athletics (75-84) 		  @   BOS Jon Lester, LHP (4-0, 4.45)
Red Sox (94-64)

Scouting Report:
A's: Blanton pitched five strong innings against the Indians in his last start, but gave up back-to-back home runs to Ryan Garko and Jhonny Peralta to start the sixth inning in a 4-3 loss. The defeat broke Blanton?s three-game winning streak, and it was only his second loss in his last seven decisions. In what will likely be his last start of the season, he will look to finish up strong against the Red Sox.

Red Sox: The left-hander, aside from a poor outing on Sept. 12, has been rounding into form of late. Lester is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four September starts. He has not faced Oakland this season. Just three of Lester's 10 starts on the season have occurred at Fenway, where he is 1-0 with a 3.78 ERA. Lefties are hitting .228 against Lester.


 Friday, September 28 Purchase Tickets McAfee Coliseum | 7:05 PM PT
LAA John Lackey, RHP (18-9, 3.11)
Angels (92-67) 		  @   OAK Dan Haren, RHP (15-8, 3.12)
Athletics (75-84)

Scouting Report:
Angels: This will be the final tuneup for the Angels? ace before he takes the ball in Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the Yanks or Red Sox on Oct. 3 or Oct. 4. Lackey worked seven strong innings in the AL West clincher against the Mariners on Sunday in Anaheim, yielding two runs while striking out seven and walking none. Lackey?s big curveball was his strikeout pitch, set up by fastballs in excellent locations down in the zone. He?ll use the assignment against the A?s as an opportunity to keep his stuff sharp, but he?ll also be out there to win. Over his past six starts, covering 44 2/3 innings, he has issued just six walks while striking out 44 hitters ? evidence of exceptional command. There?s no better competitor around than the big Texan, who is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts against the A?s this year and 11-3 with a 2.99 lifetime ERA in 22 outings against Oakland.

A's: Haren turned in a solid performance against the Indians Saturday, winning for the first since Aug. 21. His only mistake came on Grady Sizemore's two-run homer in the fifth. Haren allowed two runs, seven hits, struck out six and walked one. The right-hander, who started for the American League in July's All-Star Game in San Francisco, will aim to end his season on a strong note against the Angels.


 Saturday, September 29 Purchase Tickets McAfee Coliseum | 1:05 PM PT
LAA Kelvim Escobar, RHP (17-7, 3.46)
Angels (92-67) 		  @   OAK Dallas Braden, LHP (1-8, 6.88)
Athletics (75-84)

Scouting Report:
Angels: After experiencing some shoulder inflammation and on the heels of four straight substandard outings, Escobar is getting 11 days of rest, dating to his last start on Sept. 17 against Tampa Bay, to gear up for the postseason. The team wants its co-ace back in a solid groove and in a confident frame of mind. Escobar figures he'll throw in the area of 80 pitches against the A's, a team that's 3-0 against him this year even though his ERA is a solid 2.70. Escobar has given up 29 hits and 20 earned runs in his past 17 2/3 innings and 12 earned runs in the past two starts, covering 9 1/3 innings. His ERA over that period rose from 2.77 to 3.46, taking him out of serious Cy Young Award consideration.

A?s: Braden, a 6-foot-1 lefty from Phoenix, Ariz., hasn't thrown a quality start since his big league debut, a three-hit, one-run performance over six innings in Baltimore on Apr. 24. Since then, he has allowed 57 runs in 63 1/3 innings. The Cleveland Indians celebrated their 2007 American League Central title after beating Braden on Sunday, when the rookie was filling in for injury-addled starter Rich Harden. Braden will fill in again for Braden this weekend.


 Sunday, September 30 Purchase Tickets McAfee Coliseum | 1:05 PM PT
LAA Jered Weaver, RHP (13-7, 4.01)
Angels (92-67) 		  @   OAK Chad Gaudin, RHP (11-13, 4.56)
Athletics (75-84)

Scouting Report:
Angels: Having thrown more innings than at any time in his career, Weaver was given a few extra days to rest his arm before his final tuneup for the postseason, where he?ll start Game 3 in the ALDS. Weaver?s command wasn?t sharp, 105 pitches forcing him out after only five innings, but he got enough outs to gain credit for the win against the Mariners in his last outing. Weaver yielded nine hits and four runs (including a two-run homer by Raul Ibanez) and didn?t walk anyone but had only one strikeout. His fastball was in the low 90s but he didn?t have his premium stuff.

A's: Gaudin's undoing on Tuesday was a familiar one: walks. He escaped trouble against the Red Sox in the first inning, allowing just one run, and then he cruised into the fifth of a 1-1 game. Sixteen balls on 23 pitches later, he had walked the bases loaded and walked in a run without recording an out. He left the game with a career-high seven walks allowed, along with three runs on three hits over four-plus innings. Sunday's game at home against the playoff-bound Angels is Oakland's 2007 season finale.