>>I think that the A's were just being gentlemen. They wanted to give the Tigers a win before spanking them and sending them home.<<

I dunno. You really need to win the opener in your own house and set a pace. You can't let the wildcard come in and walk on your best pitcher and drive him out before 4 innings are over. Now Oakland absolutely MUST WIN TONIGHT!! If they lose, the series is over for all intents and purposes. Detroit will take it home and they ain't goin back to ol' Oakland. Oakland will be goin back to ol' Oakland.

The Tigers only had to take one in Oakland and now they can take two and they have Verlander on the mound and, if he has his stuff, Oakland is going to have a very difficult time of it. In fact, Oakland's rotation looks a bit sparse to me.

I don't like Sean Casey being out but I still think the Tigers will win handily without him if Verlander is locating. Overall, I would have to give the advantage to the Tigers. Then again, everyone gave the advantage to the Yanks. Then again, it was the Tigers who beat them.