Well the Indians beat the Athletics - who somehow managed 4 runs on only 3 hits but saw their Ace, Barry Zito, give up 6 runs to a hot team that usually has trouble with lefties.
So this race for the West is dimming in the Wild Card's rearview mirror, giving each of our games more of an all or nothing feel.
There are positives if you look - Garret is swinging better, Cabrera's defense saves a run a game, Kotchman is beginning to shine, Kennedy may be out of his slump for good.
One very bright spot is Chone Figgins, who, as chompo pointed out, is our MVP. It would have been interesting to see him replace Eckstein straight up - their numbers are quite similar:
Eck: .288, 7 HR, 164 hits, 23 doubles
Fig: .287, 8 HR, 165 hits, 24 doubles
Figgins has 50 stolen bases (Eckstein = 10) and 97 runs scored with this anemic offense, while the Pooh-Holes have only placed David on the plate 78 times.
So all of the Stoneman critiques are comparing position to position, whereas there was an obvious replacement to Eckstein offensively, even though it was not the player who replaced him defensively.
Who knows where Figgy's glove would be with a year to develop it at one position - Imagine every game with Chone at SS, growing great through consistency instead of putting out fires in Stoneman's improvisational masterpiece.
So we are where we are and there are a lot of teams who wish they were where we were - and the A's fans are frustrated as hell being behind our underachieving maestros, but we are in this thing, nonetheless, and it is time for some Home Cooking...
Go Angels!