John Shea at the Coliseum for the opener of a series that could last 20 hours . . .

While Dallas Braden awaits an examination with Dr. Lewis Yocum in Southern California tomorrow morning, Tyson Ross is preparing for his first start of the season (Friday) and David Purcey is making himself ready as a new A’s reliever.

Ross has had three scoreless relief outings after a solid spring training (1-0, 0.59 ERA in five outings), and he seems more comfortable than a year ago, when he was 1-4 with a 5.49 ERA in 26 apperances, including two starts.

“Last year, I kind of learned I could pitch here at this level as far as what I needed to do and can’t do out there,” Ross said. “Toward the end of the year, I looked back at my experiences and learned a lot watching the playoff games and things like that and watching how pitchers attack hitters. I need to put all that into practice.”

What playoff games?

“I’m a local guy, so I saw most of those Giants games and watching the playoffs in general,” said Ross, also mentioning Roy Halladay by name. “It’s the best baseball played all year.”

In other news, Michael Wuertz will pitch more than an inning for Triple-A Sacramento tomorrow. He said he’s ready to join the A’s now, by the way.

Manager Bob Geren said it’s not a concern with another lefty (Purcey) in the bullpen (five relievers now) becuause one is the closer (Brian Fuentes), another is the long man (Bobby Cramer) and others have succeeded against both lefties and righties.

Curt Young is in the house as Boston’s pitching coach. He left the A’s last winter without a job, then took the Red Sox’s offer.

“It was just time for a change,” Young said. “I was just looking to make a move, and it wasn’t really that I wanted to leave. I enjoyed every moment of it. I enjoyed the city, the players, the front office, the coaches. Just a chance to move on.”

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