Lucky break? Detroit to hold back Rogers until game 3

Via Yahoo! Sports:

Rogers has dominated in Oakland -- both for and against the Athletics. He is 25-4 in his career in Oakland and 23-1 in 41 starts at the Coliseum since 1995, including two wins this season.

Rogers leads active pitchers with 21 victories against the A's, the team he pitched for from 1998-99.

"We considered that very strongly, but at the same time we felt like the effort against the Yankees was such a draining effort that we decided to give him the time," Leyland said Monday on the eve of the ALCS opener. "That's why the decision was made. And at the same time, if by chance the series would go seven games, he would be able to pitch Game 3 and then Game 7 in Oakland. That's why we did it."

Some may call me paranoid, but I have watched Rogers pitch in Oakland for quite a few years now and trust me, he just dominates. I appreciate some of the newer players in Oakland expressing their confidence in playing against Rogers in Oakland, but it sure hasn't mattered when we had fresh faces in the past, for the most part Kenny just does what he does in Oakland.

Time will tell, but this could be the lucky break the A's need as they start out the gate. If they can take advantage of the fact that they don't have to face Rogers until game 3 and win these first two then I believe they will have a very good chance to win at least 2 more before it comes to a deciding game 7 in Oakland vs. Mr. Rogers. If the A's take 4 from Detroit before reaching Rogers the second time around, this could end up being a decision that haunts the Tigers.

Meanwhile I have been having a hard time finding any "experts" who have picked the A's to win the ALCS. Once again the A's are underdogs as the mass media continues to underestimate them, which is fine by me. And if they win the ALCS I can guarantee that once again almost no one will pick them to win the World Series. So c'mon guys, prove these losers wrong and shove their worthless predictions where the sun don't shine - take it all the way!!