We’re about an hour from first pitch here at Angel Stadium. There’s always a good atmosphere for baseball here, and maybe the best press box from which to cover a game. It’s open-air, right above the first deck. Can’t beat it …

–Coco Crisp may be on the disabled list, but he’s still in pretty good spirits. He walked by me in the clubhouse and sprayed me with some of his Zegna cologne. Either he’s a very generous fellow, or there was an odor I wasn’t aware of. I choose to believe the former …

–Not a whole lot of pregame A’s news to report. Michael Wuertz threw 20 pitches from the mound and everything went well, according to manager Bob Geren. Wuertz (shoulder tendinitis) has said he’s shooting for the middle of the next homestand to return from the DL.

Here’s your lineups for the opener of this three-game series …

A’s:
Davis CF
Barton 1B
Sweeney RF
Kouzmanoff 3B
Suzuki C
Chavez DH
Ellis 2B
Buck LF
Pennington SS

Gonzalez LHP

Angels:
Izturis SS
Abreu RF
Hunter CF
Matsui DH
Morales 1B
Rivera LF
Kendrick 2B
Wood 3B
Mathis C

Palmer RHP