Three Outs

When I try to explain to foreigners what baseball is, I say that baseball is the struggle between the batter, the guy with the bat, and the pitcher, the guy throwing the ball. In the batter's mind, the hardest thing in the world to do is not make an out. In the pitcher's mind, the hardest thing in the world to do is to get one.

For Oakland relievers the last six games, the hardest thing in the world to do has been to record any out. For Michael Wuertz, it was especially improbable that he be the one to get those final three outs that won the ballgame. Struggling to get back in form after surgery, Wuertz has been unimpressive since coming back. Just when it seemed like the bag of Oakland relievers pitching tricks was empty, Wuertz pulled out a win.

Of course, that doesn't change much about the problems in the bullpen since entering Boston. They were lucky to win the last game in Fenway, and they were lucky to win the last game at home against the Twins. But then again, the fact that they got it means a whole hell of a lot. If the bullpen blew it on three consecutive nights, I don't think they would have recovered. The fact they didn't means they might start getting back into being the best bullpen in baseball. There's a reason that they win almost every game in which the offense scores four runs or more in: the bullpen has been nasty.

Not a moment too soon, as the Angels come into town tomorrow, and they're on a tear. They won't slow them down all in one go, but they certainly can't stop them if the bullpen can't stop anybody. Now at least when they go into the ninth tied or with a lead, they can at least say it's a fifty fifty shot.