Hey A’s fans! You may have noticed in the past few weeks that TicketStumbler.Com had teamed up with Athleticshomeplate.com to put some free A’s tickets in your hands. I wanted to let you know exactly what TicketStumbler.Com does and hopefully you can check out their great service for all your ticket needs.

TicketStumbler is a secondary ticket market search engine and comparison website. They search thousands of ticket listings from hundreds of brokers and ticket exchanges across the internet and present the information in an easy to view and use format. TicketStumbler allows simple ticket comparison, enabling you to find the best seats at the best prices.

Do your self a favor, and head on over to TicketStumbler and check it out for yourself!

Another nail-biter led to an A’s win as the insurance run in the sixth proved to be the difference. The A’s beat the Dodgers in the second game of the three-game series 5-4.

Rookie pitcher Trevor Cahill was doing his job until the Oakland defense began to meltdown with costly errors leading to two runs. Cahill (4-5) allowed two runs (zero earned) on four hits in 51/3 innings. He struck out three and walked four.

The offense was led by home runs by Jack Cust and least likely Rajai Davis. Davis’ home run was a solo shot to left and Jack Cust, a two-run shot to left center. The A’s had a 4-0 lead until the fifth, sixth and seventh inning led to four runs for the Dodgers. If not for the insurance run in the sixth this game might have ended up as a defensive loss.

Orlando Cabrera continues to pile up the errors making him the worst defensive shortstop in the Big’s. He sure hasn’t materialized. Bobby Crosby is beginning to look better and better to me.

The game ended with Andrew Bailey shutting the door for his sixth save.

Now to the free tickets…

The game is for july first, versus the Detroit Tigers, four tickets and here’s what we want to see from you A’s fans.

The commenter who brings the most traffic via message boards, blogs, face book, my space whatever will win the tickets. Make sure that anyone who comments on Athleticshomeplate.com references you by name so we can keep a count, and that’s it good luck and go A’s!

The contest ends on June 25th!

The Oakland Athletics have traded centerfielder Mark Kotsay to the Atlanta Braves for Joey Devine and minor league pitcher Jamie Richmond.  I like the fact that the A’s are getting Devine who could become a stud setup man for Huston Street, but I don’t like the fact they are paying a lot of Kotsay’s contract for 2008.

I would have really liked this deal if the A’s weren’t paying so much of Kotsay’s contract for next year.  But I figure they made the trade to get something out of Kotsay before he left after next year via free agency.   So you give up something now, and get something now rather then nothing after next year.

What do the other A’s fans think out there?  Good trade or bad trade?

Athletics Blog

A’s fans, we would like to welcome to you a new Oakland Athletics Blog!  Athleticshomeplate will be blogging about your favorite team the Oakland A’s!  We hope to have a new article up on the site each and every day during the season as the A’s battle it out in the West Division of the American League.

The Athletics are making a few moves this off season as they have traded Dan Haren to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Joe Blanton is also on the trading block.  I wish management would keep around some of these pitchers and build the team around them but it doesn’t look like that is happening.

What do you think?  Do you agree with the Haren trade, and possibly seeing Blanton being moved before spring training?  I sure don’t, but please leave us a comment and let us know what your opinions are on these moves and the 2008 season.