Category: Oakland Athletics

Hurdle and Francona named top skippers of the year

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That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

Clint Hurdle the Pittsburgh Pirates manager was named National League manager of the year and Cleveland’s Terry Francona was named American League manager of the year on Tuesday. The vote to elect the two managers was taken by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Hurdle won 25 of the 30 first place votes beating out the Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and Fredi Gonzalez of the Atlanta Braves.

Francona edged the Red Sox John Farrell by 16 points, Francona had 16 first place votes and ten second place votes. Francona who led Cleveland to their first post season since 2007 gets much of the credit for turning around a Cleveland franchise that was trying to find their way and playing in front of some small crowds at Jacobs Field prior to Francona’s arrival.  Farell piloted the Sox to a World Series Championship this season.

If the S.F. waterfront fails the Warriors can move next to AT&T Park: I can only go by the history of San Francisco and the city is a very tough town to build anything. The best example and were talking sports here to ask the San Francisco Giants how long it took the Giants to get an approved stadium to build a park in the City it took over a decade and three elections.

The Warriors are going to realize this is not Orange County or Santa Clara County, this is not an area where you can build a new stadium just about everywhere you wish if you have the money. San Francisco is a very environmentally minded city, the Environmental Protection Agency is going to come out with some studies about those piers there.

There might be some fish there that might be on the endangered species list whose been around for thousands of years. The people of the Bay Area belong to some very special cities and with all respect to the Warriors with the new ownership and the new management I don’t think they realize that. Warrior owners Joe Lacob is from the east coast and Peter Gruber is from Hollywood and is a big movie mogul.

The Angels were thinking of building a park in downtown L.A. and you know what that’s legal they can do it the Dodgers don’t have territorial rights in Los Angeles that’s why the Angels are called the Los Angeles Angels, the Dodgers wouldn’t fight that. The Southland is different and the Golden State Warriors are up for a rude awaking here.

The Warriors are really going to have to tweak this plan in many phases before the voters, EPA and other environmental groups before the voters of the city say “okay build your arena.” You can still have it but it’s not as easy as they thought it was going to be.

With ex San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos leading the charge against a water front arena it could be a big battle and look I’ll give you a comparison I just came back from a week in Hawaii, it’s a beautiful place, the water is clean, it’s just great the Islands are beautiful. San Francisco’s number one industry is not the Giants, it’s tourism.

If you build a big monstrosity on piers 30-32 where it would be an eye sore for the people who come to the city that is no good if I’m the San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee I would seriously have to think this one over, but I knew former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein years ago and I talked to her and I gave her an award for doing the Juan Marichal day and I’m sure if Feinstein were still mayor she would say, “San Francisco is a special city and you can’t appeal something just because you have $144 million.”

Let’s set the record straight right here, it’s not going to happen and let’s go back to the city any big structure could be an eyesore to the shoreline to the bay and the Warriors are thinking very hard about this and they better have some good attorneys ready because this could be a real long fight.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the former Spanish radio and TV voice for Warriors and Clippers basketball and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk Radio

Sonny Gray has successful thumb surgery.

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Image

OAKLAND, Calif. – A’s right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray has undergone successful surgery on his left thumb, the team announced today.

The surgery was performed Thursday by Dr. Thomas Graham at the Cleveland Clinic Hospital. The procedure was an internal fixation with a screw to repair the thumb fracture. Full stability of the thumb has been restored and Gray is expected to be fully recovered in time for spring training in February 2014.

Gray was 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA in 12 games, 10 starts, with the A’s this season. The former number one draft pick out of Vanderbilt became a instant local star after his July call up from Triple-A Sacramento. He was also 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two ALDS starts, including a no decision October 5 where he tossed eight scoreless innings.

A blast from the past:Telemundo ch 48 once televised A’s games in Spanish

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[category Oakland Athletics]

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

OAKLAND–As we approach the 24th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake, this Thursday the 17th, which stopped the World Series for eleven days, we must remember what was going on in 1989 and during those years.

Just after the Oakland Athletics defeated the San Francisco Giants in that 1989 World Series, with two victories prior to the earthquake and two victories after the earthquake, KSTS CH 48 Telemundo would begin a schedule of weekend games live in Spanish of the four time World Champion Oakland A’s.

Then, General Manager, Joe Cruz, built a brand new set, colors Green and Gold, and authorized an expense of a few thousand dollars to build such a nice set. Yours truly was the Sports Director and Anchor those early years at Telemundo. The play by play of the games then were done from those studios, live, with a green screen in the background calling A’s games.

In this I Phone-Twitter-I Pad-Smart Phone and whatever else world we are living today, it is good to remember the many things that were done on radio and television. Like an old friend in the business tells me: “everything already has been done, at least once, although some people think they are re-discovering the world”.

Just one of my many memories in the business, which I thought was appropriate to remember during this week, when we celebrate 24 years since the earthquake that stopped the World Series for eleven days.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

OAKLAND–As we approach the 24th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake, this Thursday the 17th, which stopped the World Series for eleven days, we must remember what was going on in 1989 and during those years.

Just after the Oakland Athletics defeated the San Francisco Giants in that 1989 World Series, with two victories prior to the earthquake and two victories after the earthquake, KSTS CH 48 Telemundo would begin a schedule of weekend games live in Spanish of the four time World Champion Oakland A’s.

Then, General Manager, Joe Cruz, built a brand new set, colors Green and Gold, and authorized an expense of a few thousand dollars to build such a nice set. Yours truly was the Sports Director and Anchor those early years at Telemundo. The play by play of the games then were done from those studios, live, with a green screen in the background calling A’s games.

In this I Phone-Twitter-I Pad-Smart Phone and whatever else world we are living today, it is good to remember the many things that were done on radio and television. Like an old friend in the business tells me: “everything already has been done, at least once, although some people think they are re-discovering the world”.

Just one of my many memories in the business, which I thought was appropriate to remember during this week, when we celebrate 24 years since the earthquake that stopped the World Series for eleven days.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk

Raiders head to Arrowhead looking for 7th Straight win in Kansas City

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By. Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — After dispatching fellow AFC West foe the San Diego Chargers 27-17 last week at home, the Oakland Raiders (2-3) hit the road to take on another AFC West foe, the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) Sunday at Arrowhead. Oakland is seeking their seventh straight win in Kansas City, dating back to 2007.

With former incumbent quarterback Matt Flynn being released on Monday, the Raiders have officially become Terrelle Pryor’s team. On the Flynn experiment, head coach Dennis Allen mentioned “it just didn’t work” during the team’s press conference Monday.

Pryor looked good in the pocket while playing the best football of his career last Sunday night against San Diego, completing 18-of-23 passes for 221 yards and two first quarter touchdowns.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, Pryor currently ranks fourth in the NFL in completion percentage, completing 72.7 percent of his passes from the pocket, which is higher than more accomplish quarterbacks such as Drew Brees (69.7), Matt Ryan (69.3), and Aaron Rodgers (66.4).

The one player that will give Oakland its best chance at collecting their seventh straight win at Arrowhead is wide receiver Denarius Moore.

In Oakland’s 26-16 victory last season at Arrowhead, Moore played a vital role in the win, hauling in 96 yards on five catches including a nine-yard touchdown grab. Over the past three games, Moore has 20 catches for 274 receiving yards (18 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. Moore is Pryor’s first option when he drops back to pass.

First-year Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has pumped new blood into Kansas City after their dismal 2-14 season a year ago.

Kansas City took down the Tennessee Titans, 26-17 in Nashville last week, and is playing great football which will be a huge challenge for the Silver and Black.

After playing musical chairs at quarterback, Kansas City traded a conditional second round pick in next year’s draft for former San Francisco 49ers’ No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Alex Smith. Smith isn’t your typical strong-armed quarterback (18th-best quarterback according to nfl.com), but has been very accurate for Kansas City. Smith has thrown seven touchdowns and only three interceptions, but the offense isn’t what makes this team click.

Its the seventh ranked defense (first in points scored against per game at 11.6) in the NFL that has Kansas City running on all cylinders.

Linebacker Justin Houston is the straw that stirs the drink for Kansas City’s defense. Houston is second in the NFL with 8.5 sacks and will no doubt be keeping his eyes on Pryor’s every move. Fellow linebacker Derrick Johnson leads Kansas City with 35 tackles (31 solo).

Kansas City’s has a very formidable defensive line led by defensive end Tamba Hali and rookie defensive tackle, Dontari Poe. Facing the Chiefs defense won’t be a day at the park for Oakland.

Oakland has got to play near flawless football if they expect to leave Arrowhead with a 3-3 record heading into their bye week next week.

Player to Watch for Oakland:

No. 24) Charles Woodson (FS) — The reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week is still playing at a high level at this stage of his career. Against San Diego, Woodson tied the NFL’s all-time record for defensive touchdowns when he recovered a third-quarter fumble, giving him 13 for his career. Woodson’s fourth-quarter interception sealed the win for Oakland.

Player to Watch for Kansas City:

No. 24) Brandon Flowers (CB) — Flowers is one of the better cornerbacks in the league that no one really talks about since he plays in a small market like Kansas City. Flowers has the ability to take the opposing team’s best wide receiver and shut him down for the game. Expect Flowers to shadow Denarius Moore for much of the game.

 

 

Just marvelous, Justin Verlander

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That’s Amaury News and Commentary

OAKLAND–There is a reason the Detroit Tigers gave Justin Verlander a 7-year extension(with an option for the 2020 season) for $180 million this past March.That is twice the total payroll of the Oakland A’s.  On game five of the American League Divisional Series, Verlander gave a pitching exhibition.

The Oakland A’s bats had no chance. Verlander was a master, mixing his over 96 mph four seam fastball, with a slider in the mid 80’s, an unhittable curve ball, (his best pitch last night), and an ocassional change,just to remind A’s hitter that on this night he was the devil, that produced 10 strike outs and zero runs for eight innings. Justin Verlander, has won just about everything a pitcher can win, except a World Series ring.

 He was the Rookie of the Year in 2006, he has two no-hitters, he has won a Cy Young and an MVP Award. Rafael Belliard, an old friend, and first base coach for the Detroit Tigers told me prior to game five at the Oakland Coliseum: “We are confident with Verlander, he is one of the best, and we have been focused on one thing, and one thing only- since Spring Training, going back to the World Series and winning this time”.

The Detroit Tigers were the favorites during last year’s World Series, but the Giants surprised everybody and swept them. After Miguel Cabrera hit his first home run of this postseason in the fourth inning, you knew the game was over. I made a remark on the broadcast that the way Verlander was pitching those 2 runs he had of support, seemed like 8 runs. Verlander did not allowed a runner until he walked Josh Reddick with one out in the sixth.

 He had a no-hitter with two outs in the seventh, until Yoenis Céspedes got a clean line shot for a base hit into center field. The best player this year for the A’s was Josh Donaldson, their third baseman, but the best athlete and best ballplayer is Yoenis Céspedes, and by-the-way he was their best hitter again in the postseason, establishing records for Oakland A’S in postseason.

But back to Justin. In two games, during this five game Divisional Series, Justin Verlander did not allowed a run and struck out 21 Athletics. Going back to the 2012 postseason, Verlander has pitched 30 consecutive scoreless innings against Oakland.

A crowd of 46,959 was rocking all night (not a sellout) traditionally games that start at 5PM at the Oakland Coliseum do not sell out, it is not a “comfortable”hour, and then to increase the traffic stress, there was a “Pink”concert next door at the Oracle Arena, which got starter around 7PM.

It was a good season for the Oakland A’s, they won their division for the second time in a row, but last night the best team won. Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera playing with one leg, is better than 40% of the regular players on the field that are 100%.

Congratulations Tigers, good luck the rest of the way. The Red Sox should not be easy, they never are, specially at Fenway.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the Oakland A’s and does News and Commentary weekly for Sportstalk Radio

                                                      

Verlander again, and even more devastating

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By Morris Phillips

Justin Verlander was so good Thursday, it didn’t matter that he repeatedly challenged Oakland hitters with fastballs that they normally salivate over.   The A’s were so concerned with Verlander’s other pitches—particularly his curve which baffled them in Game 2–they were mental messes, guessing, wailing but ultimately whiffing.

The team that built their late-season surge on big swings, big results was well on their way to the off-season in great part due to managing just one base hit in the first seven innings against their nemesis reborn in Verlander.

How good was Verlander?  Historically good.

Verlander stopped the A’s dead in their tracks in last year’s Game 5, throwing 122 pitches, striking out 11 and pitching a complete game shutout.  On Saturday night, in Game 2, he was dazzling again, shutting the A’s down for seven innings while surrendering just four disjointed base hits.

But on Thursday, he was even better, commanding four pitches and making the A’s look foolish.  The big righthander saw the A’s swing and miss 24 times, as the stubborn Oakland hitters refused to jump out of character, hoping to catch one of the heaters and send it a long way.

But the long balls never materialized.   Hits were hard enough to come by and trying to figure out Verlander was next was impossible.  Detroit manager Jim Leyland described it succinctly.

“He was locked in tonight,” Leyland said.  “He used the fastball a lot tonight and when you got that fastball, he’s got three well-above average Major League pitches and another one that’s at least average and maybe a little bit better.  When you’ve got four pitches above average and a couple of them really above average, you can shut down a lot of teams.”

Verlander’s pitched 30 innings against the A’s in post-season now and not surrendered a run.  That’s a new Major League record, one that hasn’t been messed with since 1911.  Christy Mathewson threw 28 scoreless, post-season innings against the A’s back then over a period of seven seasons.

“We weren’t getting very good swings on him,” A’s manager Bob Melvin admitted.  “I thought maybe when it started to get darker, we would get better swings, but he kept throwing fastballs.  I haven’t seen the video to see if he was on the corners all night.”

If Verlander wasn’t on the corners, he was conveniently off the corners.  Throughout his command was flawless and his location as well.  That the A’s had to wait nearly seven innings just to get a hit says it all.  Once all that’s digested, it’s nearly impossible to comprehend that the six-time All-Star had an off-season, struggling with his command and his velocity while his ERA hit nearly 5.00 from May through August.

All the problems ceased in September.  Verlander finished the season with a 2.27 ERA over his final six starts and his confidence soared.

“I’m pitching the way I’m supposed to,” Verlander said.  “I worked my butt off all year to try to get consistent and get myself where I needed to be.  I feel like it finally paid off at the end of the year.”

“He’s getting downhill now,” Leyland chimed in.  “He’s gotten mechanically back in sync, got all his pitches.”

And once Verlander steadied, the A’s presented themselves as Detroit’s first playoff opponent.  It was a match made in historical heaven.

The A’s struck out 57 times in the series, which set a new LDS record, breaking the record established by the Rangers in 2010 when they struck out 55 times against the Rays.   Verlander accounted for 21 of the 57, all at the Coliseum, the biggest enthusiasm and rally killer imaginable.

Give Verlander the ball in a series clincher?  That’s an obvious.  The 6’5” starter joined Sandy Koufax as the only starters to throw consecutive, 10 strikeout, shut out performances in the post-season.   Koufax—arguably the greatest pitcher ever—built his reputation in 1965 when he accomplished the feat by shutting down the Dodgers in Game 5, and then again in Game 7.

The A’s established a more dubious record for getting stopped cold in the ALDS for the second straight season.   Oakland’s 0-6 in the Divison series when it goes the full five games and that’s something they can’t do anything about for a long time, at least not before next October.

The Agony of defeat

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The Agony of Defeat

The Oakland Athletics lost the final game of the AL Division Series. The A’s led the series at one time two games to one but the Tigers won the last two games to take the best of five series 3 games to two.

In addition, the A’s had to watch the Tigers celebrate on their home field. The A’s had to go to the clubhouse and feel the agony of having their season end.

It’s hard to realize that after the great season had this year but end it did. All the hard work day after day

as the A’s won the AL west. All the great performances and thrilling come from behind wins are put aside as the players have to come in tomorrow and clean out their lockers and head home for the winter.

The A’s brass will have to think hard over the winter on ways to improve this team so that the can get

past the first round of the playoffs. The only time the A’s advanced to the AL Championship series was in 2006 and the Tigers knocked them out in four straight.

The fans were great again this year but they left the stadium disappointed as the A’s couldn’t get the job done. The fans will have to “wait till next year”.

So that’s it for the 2013 season. See you again next year as the A’s regroup and start a new quest.

A’s play most important elimination game in 25 years

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That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

OAKLAND–Tonight(5:07PM) the Oakland Athletics will face the Detroit Tigers in an elimination game. The winner travels to Boston to open the American League Championship Series against the Red Sox, the other team goes home.

But why is tonight the most important game in the past quarter century for the A’s?

–For starters, they will face again the same pitcher that eliminated them last year, Justin Verlander on the fifth and final game of the Divisional Series.

–For over 25 years the Oakland Athletics have not been able to go “deep into the postseason”, under three different ownerships.

–I was there for those great championship seasons, the five pennant and three consecutive trips to the World Series in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Those were the days when the Oakland A’s rocked the bay. The Walter Haas ownership was without a doubt the best ever for the A’s and one of the best ever in the history of professional sports in the bay area.

–One year prior to that great run (1987) the Athletics hosted the Major League All Star Game, Oakland was the talk of the Bay Area. I remember as a part of the Oakland A’s All Star Committee, appointed by the A’S, we met with then Mayor of Oakland Lionel Wilson. Oakland was a city on the move. Good things were happening in Oakland, and the Oakland A’s greatly helped into that great civic pride.

–Today the Oakland Coliseum is an antiquated place to play baseball in a time in history were every other team seems to have a brand new and fan friendly park. A victory tonight, puts the A’S in the American League Championship Series and just four more wins from a fifth World Series title.

–An A’s team than wins a World Series this year could be extremely important for the future of this franchise, where they are going to play, and if they will be able to move to San José, per owners Wolff and Fisher desires. The Athletics in the World Series this year, would put the baseball park issue ‘front and center’, no way Commissioner Selig could hide from that. His blue ribbon commission has spent over 4 years trying to make a decision on the move of the A’s to San José, four years and no decision(World War II lasted around six years).

–But most important a win tonight for Bob Melvin’s A’s is a huge step in returning the prestige the luster back,of this franchise, after the last few years of the “party”across the bay at a truly beautiful stadium.

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One of these teams will win the 2013 World Series, in alphabetical order: Athletics, Cardinals, Dodgers, Red Sox and Tigers,  that’s it – it will be reduced tonight by one more team leaving and going home. They are all traditional franchises that have been operating in one same town for over a century, except the Athletics and Dodgers)

A’s, Tigers down to the wire in Oakland

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By George Devine, Sr.

The A’s and Tigers have both undertaken the return trip to Oakland for the final and decisive game of the ALDS, after the series was tied by Detroit’s 8-6 win over the Athletics at Comerica Field on Tuesday. The fifth game will begin at 5:07 p.m. PDT, simultaneous with an event at neighboring Oracle Arena and a few hours before a BART strike deadline, as rush-hour traffic clogs the Nimitz Freeway alongside the venue. In other words, for A’s personnel and fans, it will be home, sweet home, and that may be just what Oakland needs to win.

Due to Thursday night’s concert at Oracle Arena, A’s fans who purchased tickets to Game 5 of the American League Division Series at O.co Coliseum are strongly encouraged to arrive early or take public transportation to the ballpark.
All lots are expected to fill very early as various parking spaces will be reserved for the concert at Oracle Arena. Parking will be $25 for cars until lots are full or 6 p.m., space permitting, when it will change to the concert price of $35. Direct parking will be in effect to maximize the use of available parking spaces.

Parking will open Thursday at noon. Stadium gates will be open at 3 p.m.

1989 World Series Most Valuable Player Dave Stewart will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Thursday before the deciding game. Stewart was 21-9 with a 3.32 ERA in 36 starts with the A’s during their championship season in 1989 and was named an AL All-Star. It was the third of four consecutive seasons in which he won 20 games or more. He was 2-0 with a shutout and 1.69 ERA in two starts against the Giants in the 1989 World Series. In his career, Stewart was 168-129 with a 3.95 ERA in 16 Major League seasons with the Dodgers, Rangers, Phillies, A’s and Blue Jays. A native of Oakland, Calif., he finished in the top five in the AL Cy Young voting four times (1987-90), led the league in complete games and innings pitched twice (1988, 1990) and wins once (1987).

But the larger question is: who will be the starting pitchers for the Tigers and Athletics? In the visitors’ case, the decision was made early on: Justin Verlander, who pitched seven scoreless innings in Game 2, and won last year’s Game 5. His being chosen seemed a foregone conclusion once fellow starter Max Scherzer appeared in relief for two innings, earning the win in Tuesday’s Game 4. For the Athletics, two choices were considered: Bartolo Colon and Sonny Gray, until it was announced late Wednesday that Gray would be the starter.

Gray, who has come upon the Tigers as an unknown quantity, posted a 5-3 record and 2.67 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) during the regular season, pitched eight shutout innings in Game 2 last Saturday. He received a no-decision in Oakland’s 1-0 win over the Tigers, striking out nine batters, walking two and allowing only four hits.
The 24-year-old Nashville, Tenn. native was selected by the Athletics in the first round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University.

Tigers Rally to even Series

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by Jerry Feitelberg


  • Division Series – Oakland Athletics v Detroit Tigers – Game Four

    October 08, 2013


  • Division Series – Oakland Athletics v Detroit Tigers – Game Four

    October 08, 2013

    Tigers Rally to Even Series

    The A’s missed a golden opportunity to advance to the American League Championship Series

    as the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the A’s 8-6 and even the Series at 2 games apiece. The

    deciding game of the best of five series will be played Thursday night in Oakland.

    The A’s led at one point 3-0 but the Tigers rallied to tie it 3 in the bottom of the fifth.

    The A’s took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh but the bullpen imploded and the

    Tigers went ahead 5-4 in the seventh and added three more in the eighth. The A’s

    rallied for two in the ninth but fell short. Dan Straily started for the A’s and

    he was opposed by Detroit’s Doug Fister. Straily pitched no hit ball for four innings but

    the Tigers got to him in the fifth. Fister went six innings and was relieved by Tigers’ ace, Max Scherzer.

    The A’s got the scoring going in the first inning. Coco Crisp blasted a triple to start the game. Crisp scored on a Jed Lowrie single. Jed Lowrie hit a two run homer in the top of the fifth to put the A’s

    ahead 3-0. Looked like Lowrie was going to be the star of the game. However, The Tigers rallied to put

    three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Straily gave up singles to Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez.

    Jhonny Peralta then put a Dan Straily fastball over the left field wall to tie the game at 3.

    The A’s came back and scored a run in the seventh. Steven Vogt singled and advanced to second on a ground out. Coco singled to drive in Vogt and the A’s had a short-lived 4-3 lead. A’s Manager, Bob Melvin, went to his bullpen and brought in Sean Doolittle to pitch. He Tigers scored two runs to put them ahead 5-4 at the end of seven. Melvin had Ryan Cook pitch the eighth but the Tigers got to him and scored three more times and the increased their lead to 8-4. The A’s didn’t give up as they scored two in the top of the ninth but it wasn’t enough and they wound up on the short end of the score 8-6.

    Notes- The A’s had a chance to get back into the game in the top of the eighth. The A’s loaded the bases with no out. Scherzer struck out Josh Reddick for out number one. He got Steven Vogt to strike out for out number two. Melvin sent Alberto Callaspo in to pinch hit but Callaspo lined out to center field to end the threat.

    Since 1990, the ‘s are 1-11 in potential clinch games. The game will be played at 6pm PDT at the Coliseum. If the Red Sox eliminate Tampa Bay, the game time will be moved to 5pm PDT.

    The Tigers will send Justin Verlander to pitch and he will be opposed by the A’s Bartolo Colon.

    Verlander pitched extremely well last Saturday night allowing no runs in seven innings of work.

    Colon gave up three runs in the first inning in Game One.