The Week That Was (Starters)

Braden (L): 7 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Mazzaro (ND): 3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

Cahill (W): 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Gonzalez (L): 7 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 7 K

Sheets (W): 6 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K

Braden (W): 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

Totals: 37 1/3 IP, 25 H, 13 R, 12 ER, 15 BB, 32 K

Record: 4-2 WHIP: 1.07

Bottom Line: Cahill and Mazzaro are garbage; Gonzalez walks too many damn batters; Ben Sheets is probably better than his numbers indicate, but should nevertheless only be the No. 1 guy on a team like, oh, I don't know...the Brewers. Braden and Duchscherer are fighting to be discussed as top starters in the game today; unfortunately for both of them that means fighting with their body to comply with their wishes.

Prospectus: John Shea reports that Duchscherer may make his scheduled start on Saturday. If that's true, it significantly increases the possibility of quality innings from the starters. I don't know if the A's organization is going to face it now or in the future: without one more veteran guy in the rotation (perhaps one they already have), at least one start out of every five is going to be garbage until Brett Anderson comes back, and two out of five have a high probability of being garbage if Duchscherer is out for a prolonged period of time. As far as guys developing, I think it's a lot better opportunity for Mazzaro or Cahill to come in in the fourth or fifth inning without any pressure than to have the expectation of going six or seven from the outset, which is not realistic at this point in time. If Gaudin's role is to mop up garbage innings, until Anderson is back, the fifth spot is prime mop up garbage innings time.