April 04, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin (64) pitches the ball against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The green and gold are making its one and only trip to Boston to take on the Sox. Boston has been doing very well this season as they find themselves in first place in the always competitive AL East.

In game one of the series, the A’s will send A.J. Griffin to hill hoping he can get the team its first win since Wednesday. Griffin has been a workhorse this season, pitching a team leading 20 innings in his first three starts of the season. He is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and  13 strikeouts.

On the mound for the Boston Red Sox will be the lefty, Felix Doubront. He is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 13 strikeouts. Doubront has only pitched five innings in each of his two starts and has given up a whopping 13 hits.

Considering the pitching match-ups in game one of the series, it should be a perfect time for the A’s to get a win and get back on track. Griffin has been very consistent this season and the A’s need to put pressure on Doubront early. If the Athletics can get into the Red Sox bullpen early, it would not only mean the A’s offense is doing well, but it would also help them out for the rest of the series.

DownSide: The A’s pitching staff has given up 17 runs over the passed three games.

UpSide: A.J. Griffin has pitched tremendously this season and he is the perfect guy to have on the mound for game one of the three-game series.

FanSide: Lets go Oakland!

Probable Starters

Tuesday, April 23, 3:35 PM PDT

Bartolo Colon (2-0, 3.32 ERA) vs. Alfredo Aceves (1-0, 6.28 ERA)

Wednesday, April 24, 1:05 PM PDT

Brett Anderson (1-3, 5.95) vs. Jon Lester (3-0, 1.73 ERA)

Jonny Gomes joined the walk off party the hard way in 2012. (Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

A.J. Griffin worked through 3 innings today, and allowed a single run on another home run in consecutive days from third baseman Nolan Arenado.  Griffin allowed 3 hits in total, walked none, and struck out 1.  Pat Neshek, Pedro Figueroa, and Hideki Okajima each pitched scoreless innings in relief of Griffin as they battle for positions in the A’s bullpen.  Justin Thomas allowed a run in his 2 innings of work on 3 hits.  Bruce Billings worked a scoreless ninth to seal the victory.  A’s pitchers did not issue a single walk today, a far cry from the Rockies staff.

Scott Sizemore and Grant Green each notched two hits a piece in today’s 12 hit attack.  Adam Rosales, Chris Young (RBI single), David Freitas (Solo HR), Michael Choice, Hiroyuki Nakajima, Michael Taylor, Eric Sogard, and Addison Russell each had a hit today.  The bulk of the offensive output today of course was handed to the A’s by the wild Rockies pitching staff, led by Tyler Chatwood and Jorge De La Rosa.

Dan Straily will take the mound tomorrow afternoon as the A’s meet their AL West rival Los Angeles Angels and the extremely annoying Jason Vargas back at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.  The Angels should look much more like the ones we’ll see during the regular season compared to the Triple A squad they brought out before.

Bob Melvin showing off for us during the game later that evening. (Ed Szczepanski-US PRESSWIRE)

Our scheduled guests were Manager Bob Melvin, Director of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi, and A’s starters A.J. Griffin and Brett Anderson, but it was an unexpected guest that provided the highlight of the afternoon.  As we were awaiting the arrival of Bob Melvin, who was a little late because he was in pre-series meetings as batting practice was going on, we sat in a small press room with a little stage set up that looked just like what we see on the postgame shows on CSN California.  Whether or not this was the same room they use or a smaller version to accomodate our little contingent is not known.  Either way, it was pretty cool.

We were given 10 minute sessions with all of our guests, and little time was wasted in firing questions Melvin’s way, which he seemed to appreciate.  He was asked first about the struggles of Jemile Weeks in 2012, he said after the intial success he had in 2011 he was having trouble repeating it. “ You try a little bit too hard some times as opposed to trying a little easier and letting your ability take over,” Melvin added.  He seemed encouraged though by his play in Sacramento.

Melvin was asked about team chemistry, and whether he has to approach managing a young team differently than a veteran team.  He said he couldn’t pinpoint a time when the team chemisrty gelled like it has, but the various platoons and the fact that this team can hit has put the team on the right path.  Regarding managing a young team, “With younger players you try to be consistent and giving them good feedback. Because you know one thing about being a younger player coming to the big league level that you always have to get over is that “awe factor” and “do I belong here in the big leagues?”  It’s apparent consistency is very important in all aspects of managing to Melvin.

After we concluded our session with Melvin the plan was for us to make our way down to the field to observe Melvin’s session with the local beat writers in the dugout.  But not long after they got started we were greeted by someone else on the field.  Having just concluded an interview with Collin Cowgill, Ray Fosse approached us and asked us who we were.  We all quickly forgot about the media and Bob Melvin and turned our attention to Ray as he began to hold court in front of the dugout.  We talked about everything from the Bernie phenomenon and Terry Kiser’s visit, to Ray’s time with the A’s in the 1970′s, and the 2012 A’s themselves.

We were also given the unique opportunity to hold and even wear his 1973 World Series ring (his ring size is much bigger than mine).  Ray seemed oddly comfortable passing his ring around, probably because he knew if anyone tried to take it they wouldn’t make it far.

Ray seemed very high on this edition of the A’s, and Bob Melvin as well, proclaiming him to be the best skipper the A’s have had since Tony La Russa.  He referenced Collin Cowgill whom he had just finished interviewing,  ”I just interviewed him and he knows him from being with the Diamondbacks and he said “I’d run through that wall for that man.”  I think that says it all.

We were summoned back into the press room to talk with Farhan Zaidi.  Immediately (and not surprisingly) Grant Green was mentioned.  Zaidi praised his reduction of his strikeouts, his versatility, and his immediate future with the team.  ” He’s the guy that can go to camp with us next year and have the chance to make the team so right now I couldn’t tell you what position he is going to play or how he fits in, but the fact that he’s moved around this year has really given us a lot of options, which is always a good thing.”  So perhaps in 2013 we may finally #FreeGrantGreen.

The one question I was able to get in was regarding whether or not any innings limits were under consideration for Jarrod Parker like we saw with Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals since Parker is also coming off Tommy John surgery.  Zaidi stated that all players are looked at on a case by case basis and what works for the Nationals and Strasburg is different from what works for the Athletics and Parker.

Pitchers Brett Anderson and A.J. Griffin came in for the last session of the day.  Obviously this took place before the oblique injury sidelined Anderson for the remainder of the regular season, so bear that in mind.  The impact Bob Melvin has had on their paths to (in Griffin’s case), and back to (for Anderson) the Major Leagues.  Griffin praised Melvin’s “calming presence” in the clubhouse, and Anderson reiterated Griffin’s sentiment and emphasized his confidence and “straight forward” demeanor.

Brett Anderson was asked if there was anything he discovered during his rehab that may have caused his injury in the first place.  Anderson said, “Maybe not throw too many breaking balls early. But mechanically and things like that it’s pretty much the same.”  A.J. Griffin was asked about his confidence on the mound at such an early stage of his career. “I always just try and be positive and no matter what the outcome of the game is. Lately it’s been much easier to be positive than having to be negative. I try and go out there and take one pitch at a time and execute the pitch and have conviction in it and just, once it leaves my hand there’s not much I can do about it.”  Aside from his last two outings, it has been working for Griffin, he has a bright future indeed.

It was a truly amazing experience to be able to do this, and I am greatful as can be that I was able to do it.  Thank you to Adam Loberstein for hosting the event and making this all possible, hopefully we can do it again in 2013.