Walks and Strikeouts

The Oakland A's face a rotation this weekend with all five in the two twenty in fewest walks per 9 IP. Liriano has a high strikeout per 9 IP ratio, the others do not. The A's counter with Braden tonight, who gives up the fewest walks per nine of any pitcher in the majors (or did) and is fourth in WHIP, and Gio Gonzalez, who is in the top ten in strikeouts per 9 IP. Add to the mix the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, and the likelihood of the four- and five-run innings like the A's experienced at Fenway recede into the distance.

The difference could be the virtual day off between the Red Sox and Twins series at home, because of the time difference, and the virtual ten-game homestand, because of the "road" series against the Giants a week from today. They don't play a game outside the Bay Area again until the fifteenth of June.

The Twins are on the back end of a West Coast swing, and a pitcher's park is just what their offense doesn't need. The pitching staff might be able to take advantage of struggling hitters on a tough road trip and pitch them like they did the Giants last month. Those games were all close, but the A's managed to scratch out just enough runs to win them, although an assist has to be given to a struggling Pablo Sandoval and Bengie Molina, who grounded out or struck out it seemed like in the ninth just when it looked like they might have something going. The Twins' have these guys Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.

The A's won't win unless they keep people off the bases, especially via the base on balls, because the Twins aren't likely to give up much in that department. If you get on against the Twins, it's going to be by the bat, and the A's have proven that stringing together clean hits is asking a whole hell of a lot from them. While we hold our breath, let's just hope Braden, Gonzalez and Cahill don't let the game get out of reach.