Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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July 4

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shin-Soo Choo, one of the few not to blame for the mess in which the Indians find themselves, brought a little something extra to the batter's box tonight. Choo went 4-for-5 with two homers and a career-high seven RBI as the Tribe overwhelmed the Athletics, 15-3, in a clash of the non-titans at Progressive Field. The Indians had not scored 15-plus since defeating the Yankees, 22-4, in the Bronx on April 18. Another last-place club proved to be what the Indians needed to pump oxygen into the lungs. The Tribe (32-49) resides in the A.L. Central basement. Oakland (33-44) occupies the cellar in the West. The home team had its moments, but the visitors did a much better job of showing what is ..."

A's Elbow woes prevalent this season

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July 3

San Francisco Chronicle

"Oakland's injuries come, wave after wave, in increasingly distinct groupings. One year, there were a lot of back problems and various broken bones. One year, it seemed to be hips. Oblique strains were ubiquitous for a time. This year, it's elbows. The team's projected No. 1 starter, Justin Duchscherer, had arthroscopic elbow surgery in March. Closer Joey Devine had elbow-ligament-replacement surgery in April. In May, reliever Dan Giese went on the disabled list with an elbow problem, and he, too, needed Tommy John surgery. This week, promising left-hander Josh Outman's season was ended by the same procedure. Pitching prospect Michael Ynoa was shelved last month with a sore elbow, though ..."

A's sign three Venezuelan prospects

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July 2

MLB.com

"The A's were active on the first day of Major League Baseball's international signing period. The club announced Thursday that it has agreed to terms with three 16-year-old prospects from Venezuela: shortstop Wilfredo Jesus Solano, third baseman Wilman Jose "Junior" Martinez and outfielder Alfredo Alejandro Sosa. A Caracas native, Solano is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound switch-hitter. Assistant general manager David Forst called Solano one of the highest-profile prospects the A's pursued and said the team had been targeting him since March. "He's almost as advanced as they come for a 16-year-old at this stage," Forst said. "We really liked his bat from both sides. He'll develop power down the ..."

Verlander, Tigersseries finale

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July 2

Detroit Free Press

"Justin Verlander struck out six Wednesday, raising his league-best total to 130 for the season. But strikeouts weren't the last word. Verlander fanned Jack Cust in the second. Next time up, Cust erased the Tigers' one-run lead with a two-run, opposite-field homer to left. The Tigers right-hander struck out Jason Giambi the first two times he faced him -- swinging on a 96 m.p.h. fastball, then looking at a curve. But the third time up, Giambi pulled a two-run homer to right. Verlander said both homers came on good, down-and-away pitches. "I'm disappointed in the results, but when I look myself in the mirror, I can't say I'm too disappointed in the pitches I made," Verlander said after this ..."

A's hit on all cylinders

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July 2

Contra Costa Times

"With trade winds beginning to circulate across the major league baseball landscape, July may end with an A's team that looks much different from the one that took the Oakland Coliseum field Wednesday. But for one day at the beginning of the month, the A's looked a lot like the team that management and fans were hoping would show up in April. Orlando Cabrera, Matt Holliday, Jack Cust and Jason Giambi were all factors in a 5-1 victory that allowed the A's to take two of three in their series against the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. "This was the epitome of an all-around effort," said Dallas Braden, who picked up the win by giving up just five hits over seven innings to ..."

Braden's record doesn't reflect his prowess

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July 2

San Francisco Chronicle

"Dallas Braden hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his past seven starts, but Wednesday was just his second victory in that stretch because of minimal run support. With a little more backing, Braden might get more notice as a potential All-Star candidate, but his 6-7 record will make it tough. "When you take what he's done, he's very deserving," manager Bob Geren said, mentioning closer Andrew Bailey, catcher Kurt Suzuki and outfielder Matt Holliday as other possibilities depending on what spot needs filling. Braden allowed five hits, a walk and one run Wednesday and he came out after throwing 92 pitches over seven innings. He said that was the right call, especially with a ..."

Giambi, Cust bust out

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July 2

San Francisco Chronicle

"Two of Oakland's slumpingest players drove balls out of the Coliseum on Wednesday, and they did it against one of the league's top pitchers. Jason Giambi, who entered the day with a league-low .197 average, whacked his 407th career homer, tying him with Hall of Famer Duke Snider on the all-time list. And Jack Cust, pushed down in the order because of a recent slump, also hit a two-run homer off Justin Verlander in Oakland's 5-1 victory over Detroit. Though the A's have lost six of their past eight and 14 of 21, they still took the series from the AL Central-leading Tigers. Giambi had struck out in his first two at-bats Wednesday against Verlander, and his third time up, with no outs, he ..."

Cust, Giambi lead A's past Tigers

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July 2

Detroit Free Press

"Jason Giambi and Jack Cust know that if they both start hitting more consistently, it could do a lot for Oakland's chances heading into the second half. Giambi and Cust broke out of funks with two-run homers, Dallas Braden ended a four-start winless stretch and the Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 on Wednesday. "Hopefully we'll start to get hot," Giambi said. "Hopefully it's coming around. I've been kind of waiting." So have the A's faithful, accustomed to Giambi's powerful stroke during his first stint with the franchise from 1995-01. He won the AL MVP in 2000 with a career-best 43 home runs, then left for the New York Yankees after the '01 season. Giambi's drive in the sixth off ..."

Outman officially done for the year

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July 1

MLB.com

"As expected, the news that came out of Birmingham, Ala., on Tuesday wasn't good for the A's. Rookie left-hander Josh Outman went in for left elbow surgery with noted specialist James Andrews, and the result was the dreaded ligament-replacement procedure, also known as Tommy John surgery. Outman, 24, is officially done for the year, and history suggests he could miss the 2010 season as well. The recovery time for pitchers after such a surgery is typically no less than 12 months, with 18 months on the high side. Andrews also removed a bone spur from what A's manager Bob Geren, working without notes before the second game of a three-game series against the Tigers at Oakland-Alameda County ..."

Buck returns, but not to the lineup

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July 1

San Francisco Chronicle

"Travis Buck was batting .350 with Triple-A Sacramento, but his hot bat wasn't enough to crack Oakland's lineup. He was on the bench to start Tuesday's game against the Tigers because Nomar Garciaparra was healthy enough to be the designated hitter. That meant that Jack Cust was back in right field, despite his recent slump and despite the fact that Buck is the better defensive player. Manager Bob Geren said that Buck would have been in the lineup had Garciaparra not been available, and Geren also mentioned that he'd asked Cust if he needed a day off and Cust didn't believe so. Geren plans to use Buck in right today. "It all comes down to it's not my call," Buck said. "Of course, I want to ..."

Tigers top Gio Gonzalez, A's

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July 1

San Francisco Chronicle

"Gio Gonzalez has an unexpected chance to win a spot in Oakland's rotation with Josh Outman out for at least a year after Tommy John surgery. Gonzalez has yet to firmly seize the spot, after putting up two so-so starts in a row. On Tuesday night at the Coliseum, Gonzalez had allowed two runs only two batters into the game, on Placido Polanco's home run, and Detroit beat Oakland 5-3. Gonzalez did show greater composure, which is what the A's want to see. After the homer, he settled down, allowing only one more run in his five innings, and he was much more effective in limiting damage than in past outings, twice stranding runners at third with inning-ending strikeouts. He kept a level head ..."

Cust frustrated with struggles

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July 1

Contra Costa Times

"Jack Cust is enduring tough times at the plate right now, as his spot in the batting order would suggest. Cust, who leads the A's with 13 homers, was dropped to the No. 8 spot Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers. He entered the night batting .172 (26-for-151) over his past 40 games. More recently, he was in a 3-for-22 funk with 13 strikeouts, dropping his average to a season-low .222. "It's been frustrating for me because I've been in some RBI situations and haven't come through," he said before the game. "I can handle making outs, but when there's runners out there, I've put a little extra pressure on myself. It comes down to seeing the ball." Cust's strikeouts have been down by the ..."

D-Train derailed but still battling to make it back

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July 1

Contra Costa Times

columnist Monte Poole

"BASEBALL WAS concerned about steroids, concerned about losing America's youth, concerned about perceptions that it was indifferent to issues of diversity in a country growing more diverse by the minute. To all these toxins floating about the game in the spring of 2005, Dontrelle Willis was the antidote. Four years later, he's trying to cure himself. The two-time All-Star, a product of Encinal High in Alameda, surely wanted to be in Oakland this week with his Detroit Tigers teammates. Instead, for the second time this season, he is on the disabled list. The Tigers say Willis is battling an anxiety disorder. Willis says he needs to make the right adjustments with his idiosyncratic and ..."

Gonzalez shows progress, but A's fall short

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July 1

Contra Costa Times

"Gio Gonzalez's outing Tuesday wasn't particularly special in and of itself. But if the A's wind up giving the left-hander an extended look in their starting rotation, his progress will be measured in incremental steps. From that standpoint, Gonzalez showed improvement in a 5-3 defeat to the Detroit Tigers in front of 12,126 fans at the Oakland Coliseum. The loss completed a 13-15 June for the A's, marking the first time since 1993 they've posted a losing record in each of the season's first three months. Gonzalez (0-2) left after five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. But he limited the damage after spotting Detroit a 2-0 lead before he even recorded an out. "I can look at the ..."

Porcello will be OK, Ordonez maybe not

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July 1

Detroit News

"With his second consecutive victory, Armando Galarraga nudged his 10-start drought farther into the past on Tuesday night. The Tigers still thirst for comfortable leads, however. Galarraga gave up one run on two hits (and six walks) in 661/37 innings of the Tigers' 5-3 victory over the Oakland A's. He's now 5-7 after going winless during a slump that lasted nearly two months. But once again, the game wasn't a showcase for the kind of offense the Tigers will need in the days ahead. As late as the seventh when Joel Zumaya retired Matt Holliday on a fly ball to right with two runners on and the Tigers ahead by three - after Holliday had fouled off four consecutive triple-digit fastballs ..."

Early fall for Porcello at Bay

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June 30

Detroit Free Press

"Rick Porcello did fine two weeks ago in the overwhelming heat of St. Louis. He did decently in the warm weather at home last week against the Cubs. On Monday night, involved with an opponent and a climate that couldn't be classified in any way as hot, he really cooled off. The game-time temperature was 63 degrees. As a breeze floated into the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Porcello faced the A's, who'd lost five straight while struggling for runs. Porcello had his worst start in two months. After blanking Oakland for three innings, he gave up five runs over the fourth and fifth, which he exited with one out. He took the 7-1 loss. "I wasn't throwing my off-speed pitches in the later ..."

Outman's season ends under the knife

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June 30

Contra Costa Times

"Josh Outman's promising rookie season has come to a premature close. The A's left-hander will undergo "Tommy John" surgery on his left elbow today that likely will sideline him at least until the second half of next season. The A's announced that Dr. James Andrews will perform surgery on Outman in Birmingham, Ala., though a team release didn't specify exactly what the procedure would be. A source confirmed it would be the procedure in which the ulnar collateral ligament is reconstructed. The operation typically sidelines pitchers for at least a calendar year. "He had a great season for us," A's manager Bob Geren said before Monday's 7-1 victory over Detroit. "He's a fine young pitcher." ..."

A shake-up in A's order leads to rare easy win

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June 30

Contra Costa Times

"The A's are in experimental mode with their offense right now. Their batting order had an outside-the-box look to it Monday night, and they tried being a little more aggressive on the base paths. Whatever the spark was behind a 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers, the A's would like to repeat it. The win snapped a five-game losing streak and gave a sparse Oakland Coliseum crowd of 10,563 plenty to cheer about. Mark Ellis hit a two-run homer and Ryan Sweeney added a solo shot to highlight the offensive backing for Brett Anderson (4-7), who won for the first time in four starts. The A's had combined for 25 hits over the previous two games, but getting runs across the plate with any ..."

Turnabout is fair play

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June 30

San Francisco Chronicle

"Apparently, the Tigers and A's swapped identities Monday night, in a baseball version of "The Parent Trap." Mostly awful the past few weeks, the Oakland lineup turned it on against one of the American League's top teams and against a starter who had mystified them last month. The A's 7-1 victory over Detroit also ended a season-high-tying five-game losing streak. The AL Central-leading Tigers, meanwhile, were held mostly quiet by well-rested Brett Anderson, and they made an error that led to a run. "It's just good to get a win," said Oakland center fielder Ryan Sweeney, who hit one of the team's two home runs. "We hadn't won in a while, and they had a good pitcher on the mound." Rookie ..."

Giambi blames legs for batting struggles

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June 30

San Francisco Chronicle

"The A's waited until relatively late in the day to do it, but before Monday's game, they called up outfielder Travis Buck and sent out third baseman Jack Hannahan. Buck, who was 21-for-60 (.350) with Triple-A Sacramento, caught a 5:30 p.m. flight from Las Vegas and arrived at the Coliseum at 8, too late to be in the lineup. He's likely to be in right field tonight. Manager Bob Geren said that the decision was made in the early afternoon because Adam Kennedy has moved from second to third with Mark Ellis' return from the 60-day disabled list, and Bobby Crosby can back up at third and at first base. The A's now have more leeway to use Jack Cust as a designated hitter when Jason Giambi is ..."

Porcello hit hard vs. A's

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June 30

Detroit Free Press

"Ryan Sweeney had three hits, including a home run, and two RBIs as the Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers, 7-1, tonight in Oakland, Calif. There was no scoring until the bottom of the fourth when, after Matt Holliday singled and Jason Giambi walked, Kurt Suzuki doubled down the leftfield line to score Holliday with one out. Sweeney then legged-out an infield single to score Giambi. In the fifth inning, Rick Porcello (8-5) gave up a lead off single to Landon Powell and a two-run homer to Mark Ellis. That was followed by singled by Adam Kennedy and Orlando Cabrera, moving Kennedy to third. Holliday then grounded into a fielder's choice at second base, scoring Kennedy. That was the end of ..."

Can Reds be bold?

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June 29

Cincinnati Enquirer

columnist Paul Daugherty

"The Reds chances of trading for Matt Holliday are slim and none, and slim just left for the church festival. That's assuming Cincinnati would be interested in paying the price for the big-hitting outfielder (dubious) and that the New York Mets would not be. That's borderline insanity. Holliday would cost the Reds precious prospects and some $7 million in salary for the rest of the year. The chances of him remaining a Red next year wouldn't be good. There aren't a lot of reasons even to contemplate it. Except this one: It's a bold move. Without boldness, the Reds will never catch the Cubs, Cards and Brewers. Maybe it's not realistic for the Reds to consider Holliday. It's not Holliday, per ..."

Climbing Rockies proves tough summer sport for A's

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June 29

Contra Costa Times

"The Detroit Tigers may be leading the American League Central, but the A's will welcome them with open arms tonight for the start of a three-game series. Anything to leave National League competition in the rear-view mirror. The Colorado Rockies completed a three-game sweep of the A's with a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Interleague play traditionally has treated the A's well, but they wobbled to a 5-13 record against the NL this season. They've lost five straight and find themselves a season-high 12 games under .500 at 31-43. "You had (Colorado) playing so well coming in here and us playing bad," A's infielder Adam Kennedy said. "That's what happened out there - we ..."

Barton sent to Triple-A

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June 29

Contra Costa Times

"The A's optioned first baseman Daric Barton to Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday to make room for Mark Ellis on the 25-man roster. But a more significant development accompanied that move, as left-hander Josh Outman was transferred from the 15-day to 60-day disabled list to clear a spot for Ellis on the 40-man roster. That assures Outman won't return to the mound until late August at the earliest, and the A's wouldn't have made the move if they didn't think Outman's elbow injury is potentially very serious. They should have a clearer read after Outman's appointment with orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Alabama this morning. "It just shows we have some concern," A's general manager Billy Beane ..."

ROCKIES 3, A'S 1

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June 29

San Francisco Chronicle

"Oakland's miserable 2009 crawled along Sunday, with the offense barely registering, as usual, and still more bad injury news on the horizon. The Rockies scored twice in the second against Vin Mazzaro, virtually assuring victory given the zombie state of the A's lineup, and Colorado ticked off a 3-1 win and left town with a three-game sweep, the Rockies' first ever against Oakland. The A's five-game losing streak matches their season high, and they are 12 games below .500, a new low for them this season. "We're swinging it pretty well, the ball's just not dropping," Mazzaro said after Oakland out-hit Colorado 11-9 at the Coliseum. "We've just got to go out and keep hacking." Mazzaro and ..."

Cook's gem gives Rockies sweep of A's

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June 29

Denver Post

"If anyone still wonders how much Aaron Cook means to the Rockies, consider what Troy Tulowitzki said after Cook smothered the A's on Sunday afternoon at the Coliseum. "When 'Cookie' is on the mound, it's pretty close to 100 percent that he is going to have a quality start and give us a chance to win the game," Tulowitzki said. On a steaming hot day in the East Bay, when most Rockies hitters took a cold shower, Cook was, as manager Jim Tracy put it, "fantastic." Cook pitched eight-plus innings, scattering nine hits and allowing one run as the Rockies beat the A's 3-1, polishing off a three-game sweep. The redheaded right-hander is 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA over his last five starts. He's 8-3 this ..."

Rockies' Street puts out A's late fireworks

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June 28

Contra Costa Times

"The A's furious comeback late in Saturday night's game is the kind of gutsy effort that manager Bob Geren typically raves about in his postgame comments. But Geren cut to the heart of the matter and saw the bottom line in an 11-9 loss to the Colorado Rockies, in which the A's trailed by nine only to make the visitors sweat things out in the ninth inning. "I thought the way we came back at the end showed heart," Geren said. "But we gave up four homers. You're down 11-2, and it's tough to come back from that kind of deficit." Most of the 18,624 fans had left by the time the A's scored four in the ninth, shrinking an 11-5 deficit and having forced the Rockies to summon closer Huston Street. ..."

A's loss to Rockies is a real throwaway

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June 28

Contra Costa Times

"The stage was set for Matt Holliday as he stepped into the batter's box with runners on the corners and the A's down by three runs with two outs in the eighth inning. But he walked on four pitches, loading the bases. Then it was left to Jason Giambi, who worked the count full before taking ball four. Up came Kurt Suzuki, who had hit a solo home run one inning earlier. But, Suzuki helped typify his team's offensive frustrations Friday with an inning-ending pop out behind first base, and the A's went on to lose 4-2 to the Colorado Rockies at the Coliseum. Former Athletic Huston Street, who was greeted by a mixture of cheers and boos, worked a perfect ninth inning for his 17th save as the ..."

Scoring 7 runs late no good if down 9

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June 28

San Francisco Chronicle

"When Trevor Cahill got his first two outs via fly balls, it introduced an ominous cloud for A's fans over an otherwise flawlessly clear and pleasantly warm Saturday evening at the Coliseum. The 21-year-old starter is at his best when his sinker is darting downward and inducing groundballs - not when it's hovering up in the strike zone and begging to be swatted into the air. The Colorado hitters quickly grasped that fact, hammering four homers in as many innings and handing the A's an 11-9 loss in front of 18,624 fans - many of whom were long gone by the time Oakland frantically tried to rally from a nine-run deficit. After falling behind 11-2 in the sixth inning, the A's showed some life ..."

Some pressure on Ellis

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June 28

San Francisco Chronicle

"Forget his .162 batting average during 10 rehab starts in the minors, the A's think they're going to get a spark when Mark Ellis returns from the disabled list today. Ellis represents a defensive upgrade over just about anyone at second base, which should help a team that has committed the fourth-most errors in the American League. The question is whether Ellis can provide life to an offense that is batting .209 over the last 18 games. "Defensively, he's got to be the best second baseman in the history of baseball who doesn't have a Gold Glove in his living room," manager Bob Geren said. "Offensively, it will be great to add a bat to spark us, but he's been away from major-league pitching ..."

Street stops scary rally by A's

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June 28

Denver Post

"Call this ugly game the one that almost got away. After cruising to an 11-2 lead through six innings Saturday night, the Rockies watched their seldom-used relievers - namely Alan Embree and Juan Rincon - collapse. It wasn't until closer Huston Street came on to quash the Oakland Athletics' rally that the Rockies breathed a gigantic sigh and exited with a strange 11-9 victory. Street notched his 18th save in 19 tries. That Street would even have to throw a pitch seemed an absurd notion two-thirds of the way through the game. For the balance of the evening, the Rockies were in control. They got a splendid performance from mercurial starter Jorge De La Rosa and were fueled by an offense that"

Hawpe, De La Rosa pace Rockies win

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June 28

Denver Post

"Call this ugly game the one that almost got away. After cruising to an 11-2 lead through six innings Saturday night, the Rockies watched their seldom-used relievers - namely Alan Embree and Juan Rincon - collapse. It wasn't until closer Huston Street came on the squash the Oakland A's rally that Rockies breathed a gigantic sigh and exited with a strange 11-9 victory. Street notched his 18th save in 19 tries. That Street would even have to throw a pitch seemed an absurd notion two-thirds of the way through the game. For the balance of the evening, the Rockies were in total control. They got a splendid a splendid performance from mercurial starter Jorge De La Rosa, and were fueled by an ..."

The bumbling, stumbling A's

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June 27

San Francisco Chronicle

"Oakland is becoming so adept at losing that the team now has some recurring ways to do it, and Friday night's game at the Coliseum featured several. First off, Dallas Braden was on the mound, so automatically the team did not score while he was still around. Then the defense was shoddy, a nice night of relief work went for naught, and a late rally came up short in a 4-2 loss to the Rockies. "Offensively and defensively, we didn't get it done," A's manager Bob Geren said. "It's just an overall need to score more runs to get this game to go in our favor." Colorado's victory was its first at Oakland since June 14, 1997 and Rockies starter Jason Hammel threw a career-high 71/3 innings and ..."

Gonzalez happy with trade to Rockies

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June 27

San Francisco Chronicle

"Carlos Gonzalez had to stop himself during a pregame interview. He said he was hoping to spend his career with the Rockies, then laughed and said, "I was going to say 'A's.' It's understandable that the outfielder is getting confused. Colorado is his third organization in three years. Oakland got him from Arizona in the Dan Haren deal then sent him to the Rockies in the Matt Holliday trade. "Hopefully, I'll stay here a little longer than one year," Gonzalez said. Like former A's closer Huston Street, Gonzalez is not at all unhappy with the move. "The guys always expect to win," he said. "I'm not saying Oakland was playing to lose, but it feels a little nicer here. There's a lot more ..."

Rockies' Street seals the deal against A's

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June 27

Denver Post

"While the eyes of Rockies Nation were looking to see what Matt Holliday looked like in A's green and gold, Jason Hammel stole the show. Hammel pitched a career-high 7 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on four hits Friday night as the Rockies hung on to beat Oakland 4-2. Closer Huston Street played a co-starring role. Pitching against his former team for the first time, Street heard a smattering of boos from the sparse crowd but set down the A's in order in the ninth for his 17th save in 18 opportunities. The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum has traditionally been a graveyard for the Rockies. They hadn't won there since June 14, 1997, and entered Friday's game 1-7 all-time in Oakland. But ..."

Coliseum holds fond memories for Tulowitzki

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June 27

Denver Post

"Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum is no longer a beautiful baseball park. It hasn't been since Raiders owner Al Davis installed a 10,000-seat upper deck beyond left and center field in 1996. But despite the looming presence of "Mount Davis," the park remains home for Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Memories came flooding back Friday afternoon as he walked the infield before the Rockies-A's game. "My dad and I used to come here countless times to watch the A's," said Tulowitzki, who grew up in nearby Sunnyvale. "We would usually sit in the bleachers, but they don't have them anymore." Tulowitzki used to come to camps and play in high school all-star games on the field. He was a 6-year-old ..."

Online balloting to decide '09 All-Stars

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June 26

MLB.com

"We, the people, are deciding who goes to the 80th All-Star Game July 14 in St. Louis.We are ready for the mad rush.We are entering that Validation Key over and over, submitting our 25 allotted votes in the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com.We punched those Walt Disney Pictures G-Force All-Star Game paper ballots and left those little chads all over ballparks, and now those last paper ballots are being collected tonight at Pittsburgh and Houston as it goes online-only for the homestretch.We know it's the final week to decide starters. Our deadline as empowered fans is 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, and we know that only because we have been staring at this javascript voting app ..."

Mother's Day bats now up for auction

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June 26

MLB.com

"It has been a big first half of baseball for current American League All-Star first baseman vote front-runner Mark Teixeira, and that included that memorable Mother's Day game back in his hometown of Baltimore, where he crushed a two-run homer for the Yankees.He was swinging a pink bat."It's obviously huge -- I think that's the first home run I've hit with a pink bat, so I'm going to go bring that to Mom right now," Teixeira said on May 9, referring to Margy, a breast cancer survivor who had been diagnosed when he was a freshman at Baltimore's St. Joseph's High School. "As soon as I hit it, I thought about it. It's pretty special to me."Margy may have gotten that pink bat, but another one ..."

A's Gonzalez shows he's still green

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June 26

Contra Costa Times

"The flashes were there from Gio Gonzalez. The sneaky fastball and bending curveball got the best of several Giants hitters early on Wednesday night. But the A's young left-hander is still a work in progress on a major league mound, as the A's 6-3 loss pointed out to a sellout crowd of 35,067 at Oakland Coliseum. Gonzalez, promoted from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday as scheduled starter Josh Outman went on the 15-day disabled list, lasted just 3?2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs (four earned). "I feel like I have more in the tank than what I've shown right now," Gonzalez said. "Tough breaks for me, tough breaks for (the team). I'm just trying to go out and do the best I can." ..."

A's report

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June 26

Contra Costa Times

"On deck: vs. Colorado PITCHING MATCHUPS TODAY: Rockies' Jason Hammel (4-3, 4.41 ERA) vs. A's Dallas Braden (5-6, 3.26); 7:05 p.m. TV: CSNCA. Radio: 860-AM, 1640-AM SATURDAY: Jorge De La Rosa (3-7, 5.85) vs. Trevor Cahill (5-5, 3.68); 6:05 p.m. TV: CSNCA. Radio: 860-AM, 1640-AM SUNDAY: Aaron Cook (7-3, 4.00) vs. Vin Mazzaro (2-2, 2.56); 1:05 p.m. TV: CSNCA. Radio: 860-AM, 1190-AM A's update Rookie left-hander Brett Anderson was scheduled to start tonight, but his turn is being pushed back to Monday because of inflammation in his left biceps. He said after his last start that his biceps flared up during a recent bullpen session. That's one reason he was pulled after 68 pitches Saturday ..."

Holliday still lookin' to get groove back with new team, the A's

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June 26

Contra Costa Times

"The bar is set high for A's left fielder Matt Holliday, a product of his own expectations as well as those of others. As the A's begin a three-game series tonight against the Colorado Rockies, Holliday's former team, Holliday is still trying to find his comfort zone in the middle of Oakland's lineup. "It's not (on par with) what I expect, but I'm not worried about the past," Holliday, a three-time All-Star, said of his offensive season thus far. "I'm focused on today and the rest of the season. "... I'm hitting the ball hard. If you feel like you have a good swing but bad results, that's part of the game." Acquired from Colorado in November for pitchers Huston Street and Greg Smith and ..."

A's beat: Trade works out for Street, Rockies

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June 26

San Francisco Chronicle

"Huston Street will be in town with Colorado this weekend, and he's saved 16 of 17 games after having lost the A's closer job last year. "I think this is what I knew I was capable of doing," he said by phone Wednesday. "I take responsibility for what happened last year a little bit, but I definitely feel like I could have been given some chances at the end of the season. When I got traded, it was a good opportunity for me, and it worked out. And I'm excited to see the guys over there; I had a lot of fun playing with them." Outfielder Matt Holliday will face his former team for the first time during the regular season, but the A's played Colorado during the spring, lessening the impact for ..."

10 most likely to be traded - Infielders

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June 25

NBC Sports

"Mark DeRosa (Indians) - With Grady Sizemore back, the Indians aren't likely to sell just yet. Still, at least as big of a problem as being 10 games behind is that they have four teams ahead of them in the AL Central. DeRosa has been talked about as trade bait for close to two months now, and the Indians have soured on him as a third baseman after originally acquiring him to play the position. Given that he's on pace for about 30 homers and 110 RBI, it shouldn't be a problem getting more for him in trade than they would by letting him walk for draft picks at season's end. Garrett Atkins (Rockies) - It certainly doesn't bode well for Atkins' future in Colorado that he's been given a total of ..."

Giants finish off A's

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June 25

Contra Costa Times

"Nate Schierholtz is doing his best to make the Giants rethink their outfield platoon plan. With Randy Winn on the bench because of his struggles against left-handed pitchers, Schierholtz made a rare start against a lefty on Wednesday night and responded with two more hits, including a two-run home run, in the Giants' 6-3 victory over the A's. Randy Johnson did his part after working out of a potentially disastrous first-inning jam, allowing one run in seven solid innings to earn career victory No. 302. It was a big night for the Giants' East Bay products. Schierholtz, who grew up in Danville, gave Livermore product Johnson (7-5) a huge lift by blasting a two-run homer in the second inning, ..."

"Moneyball" wasn't meant for big screen

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June 24

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Gwen Knapp

"I never saw "Moneyball" making a decent movie. Neither, apparently, did the book's author, Michael Lewis, who told MSNBC this month: "I didn't understand why they bought it for a movie in the first place." The story ultimately is about statistical analysis, and on film, that might fly as a documentary. As a Brad Pitt vehicle with Steven Soderbergh directing, it was destined to be shut down. That's exactly what happened late last week, when Sony reportedly decided that the final script had serious flaws. In fact, the fate of the movie might have been more dramatic than any material "Moneyball" could have provided. What would have constituted the big moments in the film? Billy Beane in a ..."

A's squander plenty of chances

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June 24

San Francisco Chronicle

"On a night the A's honored their 1989 team, the one that beat San Francisco to win the World Series, the present-day Giants went out and squashed the A's hopes time and again at the Coliseum. The A's stranded men at third in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings in a 4-1 loss to the Giants, who claimed the season series even before tonight's finale. They've beaten Oakland four out of five times this year, and Tim Lincecum has thrown two complete games. Among today's A's, Jason Giambi has the closest ties to the great teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Giambi first came up with Oakland in 1995 and played with some members of the '89 team, including Rickey Henderson and Giambi's good ..."

Gio Gonzalez to start for injured rookie Outman

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June 24

San Francisco Chronicle

"When Edgar Gonzalez entered Tuesday night's game in relief, that signaled that left-hander Gio Gonzalez will be tonight's pitcher when the A's take on the Giants in the series finale, and manager Bob Geren confirmed it after the game. Josh Outman is unable to go because of an elbow injury, and he probably will be placed on the disabled list today. His contrast MRI was delayed by a power outage in Pleasanton, so the rookie left-hander won't get that test performed until today. Outman has what he has described as a mild flexor-extensor strain. Outman said the standard MRI he received Monday didn't provide a clear picture of what's going on with his elbow, but he said his arm is feeling ..."

Lincecum's 12-K effort steamrolls Oakland

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June 24

San Francisco Chronicle

"Maybe those 1989 A's would have been beatable if Tim Lincecum were a Giant that year. Then again, he was just 5. Now that he's 25, he can't lose to the A's. He's 3-0 in four starts against the Giants' Bay Area foes, including Tuesday night's 4-1 complete-game victory at the Coliseum. It's not as noteworthy among Giants fans as Lincecum's 3-0 record against the dreaded Dodgers, but it's not bad for second best. The reigning Cy Young Award winner entered his 108-pitch, 12-strikeout gem having blanked the A's for 16 straight innings, and he ran the streak to 17 before Jason Giambi homered in the second inning. It was the only run Lincecum surrendered in his fourth career complete game, and ..."

BAY BRIDGE SERIES

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June 24

San Francisco Chronicle

"An A's functionary tried to gather the members of the 1989 world championship team to their designated tables for the designated media availability at the designated time, and Dave Henderson laughed him into submission. "Hey man, we're '89," the center fielder laughed. "We don't go by rules." And so it was again Tuesday. A happy but too hastily assembled and almost chaotic reunion with less than a third of the A's from that team available for their moment in the setting sun, and Billy Beane, a 79-at-bat member of that team, in the park but not part of the ceremony. Indeed, they couldn't even agree on whether Jose Canseco, cleanup hitter and professional pariah, should have attended. "Why ..."

Giants' Lincecum is the complete package in win over A's

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June 24

Contra Costa Times

"What if the 1989 Giants had Tim Lincecum to run out against Dave Stewart? "It would have been really interesting, and I'll leave it at that," said Carney Lansford, the Giants hitting coach and '89 A's third baseman. "I wouldn't bet against either one of them." For the tail end of this decade, at least, the smart money's on Lincecum. He tossed his second seven-hit complete game against the A's this season, and the Giants won 4-1 Tuesday night to clinch their first Bay Bridge season series since 2001. On a night the A's honored Stewart and their 1989 World Series champions, Lincecum (7-2) hardly broke a sweat in the first four innings but made his best pitches in traffic, inducing ..."

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