Monday: Angels 5 – 2 Athletics
Tuesday: Angels 5 – 3 Athletics

Oh God. When will it end? If the last series against the Mariners was a real shot to the heart, this one put the A’s season into the emergency ward and onto life support. It wasn’t so much as the losing that was the problem here, but more the weary predictability of it. In the first game, Brett Anderson hadn’t fully recovered from his blister, but was sent out to pitch anyway, and he gave up five runs in his 4.2 innings of work. In the second, Dallas Braden pitched superbly, but was undone by a series of lucky infield hits and fielding errors. Why wasn’t Jack Hannahan at third, you’ve got to ask?

But even this wasn’t the worst of it. The team at the moment seems lifeless, as if they just don’t believe they’re going to win; their heads seem to drop as soon as they go down, and they keep committing mental errors. You have to wonder how long Bob Geren is going to last, given that coming into the season, there was a real feeling that Oakland would be competitive in the AL West. Jason Giambi and Matt Holliday just aren’t functioning in the heart of the order, and you have to ask yourself why. It’s especially frustrating to see Giambi look so out of sorts; part of the appeal of bringing him back this year was that he’d provide some leadership and energy to the clubhouse. This seems to be almost entirely absent.

Anyways.

The Good

Um, Matt Holliday hit a two run home run in the bottom of the ninth in the second game… maybe he’ll go on a tear, now? Or maybe that straw just slipped through my grasp.

The Bad

Jason Giambi had one hit in six at bats. Sigh.

The Ugly

Do I have enough room here?  When I started down this route, I was concerned that there were two negative categories, and there might not be enough to write about. I’d like to have to change that, obviously, but at the moment, it’s not so much of a problem.

Travis Buck is scratching around like he’s barely played before, which in turn means he doesn’t get enough consecutive at bats to build a rhythm, Bobby Crosby occasionally looks good at third, but then will do something so incredibly bad you wonder why he’s even playing the game.

Worst of all, perhaps, is that the lineup couldn’t get to Angels’ starter Shane Loux, who hasn’t won a start for THREE YEARS. And they let him get through seven innings of work, only scoring once.  I mean, he’s not Tim Lincecum, is he? Is it too much to ask?

Moving on, then. Dana Eveland has been sent down, so there’s a chance to see rule five signing Ben Copeland. On the other hand, it does mean that Dan Giese will make a spot start against the Rangers tonight. Texas is in town for another two game series, which the A’s really, really need to win. Surely?