Athletics Head To Kansas City To Take On The Royals
By Kevin Mendez
The Athletics are currently 2-1 after the first three games of their current road trip. The A’s lost their first game against the Chicago White Sox, won the second game, and then let the third game get away as they lost that one as well. The last game against the White Sox gave the A’s their 6th loss in the month of August, which gives them one more loss than they had in the entire month of July. With a 5-6 record in August, the Athletics will try and find their winning ways again in Kansas City where they will end their road trip.
The Athletics will look to Jarrod Parker to set the tone for the 3-game series against the Royals. Parker, who had his last start in Chicago skipped despite family and friends coming to see him pitch, will pitch the first game of the series against the Royals instead. It is fair to say that skipping Parker’s last start was probably a good idea. In his past three starts he has not been himself. Jarrod Parker has accumulated an 0-2 record with a 6.62 ERA in his last three starts. If they A’s are going to stay relevant in their push for a playoff spot (which I think they will) they will need Parker to get back to giving the A’s quality starts. Jarrod Parker has a 7-6 record with a 3.55 ERA so far this year.
Opposing Jarrod Parker on the mound will be Kansas City Royals’ right-hander Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie got off to a shaky start with his new ball club after being traded over from Colorado in a deal that sent Jonathan Sanchez to the Rockies. His first three starts were not very productive as he recieved a loss in each game and found himself giving up 5 earned runs in his first start, 6 earned runs in his second start, and 3 earned runs in his third start. In Jeremy Guthrie’s case rather than 3’s a charm it was 4’s a charm. In his last start—which was his fourth—he found his rhythm as he shutout the Chicago White Sox over eight solid innings. Jeremy Guthrie will come to the hill with 1-3 record and a 5.18 ERA since being traded to the Royals.
Although the Kansas City Royals (49-65) have the worst record in the American League they are currently tied for the 4th best record in the A.L. during the month of August (7-5). They are also filled with a lot of young talented players who are trying to prove themselves and sometimes it is the teams that have nothing to lose that are the hardest to beat. But the Oakland Athletics, who are also filled with a lot of young talented players, will try and better their own record at the priceless cost of worsening the Royals record.
DownSide: The A’s record is below .500 in August and Jarrod Parker has not been pitching well as of late. With that being said look for Parker and the Athletics to turn it around against the Royals.
UpSide: The Athletics will be facing the Royals who have the worst record in the AmericanLeague and are facing Jeremy Guthrie in the first game who has only one win in four chances since joing the Royals. Also, the next two pitchers the Athletics will face both have a record below .500 and an ERA above 5.
Probable Starters
Game 2: August 15th, 5:10 PM
Brandon McCarthy (6-3, 2.68 ERA) vs Will Smith (3-4, 5.48 ERA)
Game 3: August 16th, 5:10 PM
Dan Straily (0-0, 5.06 ERA) vs Luke Hochevar (7-10, 5.32 ERA)