Athletics News

Beane looking to go young in offseason
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November 19
MLB.com
 
"The 15-day window in which teams hold exclusive negotiating rights with their own free agents closes at 9 p.m. PT on Thursday, at which point the A's will be free to start their holiday shopping. But based on general manager Billy Beane's comments on Tuesday after a press conference honoring Andrew Bailey for being named the American League Rookie of the Year, fans ought not to expect Oakland to whip out its proverbial wallet any time soon. Yes, Beane is interested in bringing back a couple of his own free agents -- right-hander Justin Duchscherer and infielder Adam Kennedy. Both figure to get plenty of interest on the open market, though, and Beane suggested that he's content to let the ..."
A's unlikely to swim in free agent pool
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November 18
MLB.com
 
"In his most definitive comments to date about his offseason plans, A's GM Billy Beane on Tuesday -- two days before the free-agency frenzy kicks off in earnest -- suggested that whatever money is available to upgrade the team's talent might stay in the coffers unless it's used to pay the salaries of young players brought in via trade. Beane, now more than ever, is committed to going young. If he doesn't think a current need -- third base, first base, shortstop and left field are unsettled -- can be filled by a prospect from within the organization, he'll be looking for swap partners. Ideally, top prospects such as third baseman Brett Wallace and first baseman/outfielder Chris Carter will ..."
A's hope to find an Andrew Bailey on offense
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November 18
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist John Shea
"What the A's need is a hitting version of Andrew Bailey, someone to come from virtually nowhere and do for Oakland's lineup what Bailey did for the bullpen. It would be a long shot, but so was Bailey, who won the American League Rookie of the Year Award one year after losing his job in the Double-A Midland rotation. Bailey helped solidify the bullpen as an All-Star closer, and now the offense needs its own boost after ranking last in the league in home runs, total bases and slugging percentage. "We want long-term answers, guys similar to Andrew who'll be here for a number of years," general manager Billy Beane said after Tuesday's news conference at the Coliseum to acknowledge Bailey's ..."
Young players top Beane's wish list
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November 18
Contra Costa Times
 
"A's general manager Billy Beane reiterated Tuesday that the A's are targeting for acquisition young players who could fit into the team's long-range plans. And he gave his strongest confirmation yet that any additions this winter are likely to come through trades rather than free agency. Though Beane says re-signing third baseman Adam Kennedy, 33, is "still an option for us," he implied the A's are looking to go younger there. It's also evident the A's aren't ready to anoint prospect Brett Wallace the starter at third - not yet anyway. "It's a position that other than Brett, we don't really have a long-term answer," Beane said. "Our first goal this winter, at the positions we need to fill, ..."
Oakland A's hope Andrew Bailey just the first sign of youth-driven success
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November 18
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Gary Peterson
"If you're going to tout yourself as an organization committed to player development, it helps when you can trot out a fully developed player. So it was that the A's flew Andrew Bailey in from the East Coast for a 6,000-mile-round-trip media hit and run, then filed the expenses under Money Well Spent. Bailey, you may remember from about 36 hours ago, was voted the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year. That developed enough for you? "We've always been proud of our player development history here," general manager Billy Beane said. "Really, if you look at when the club has been good, this has been a precursor to many of those good years. This is the fourth (Rookie of the Year) we've had ..."
A's reliever Bailey wins rookie of the year
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November 17
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"A's closer Andrew Bailey was driving back from his morning workout Monday, chatting with one of his agents on the phone, when a call came in on the other line, a blocked number. Bailey picked up, thinking it was his mother, Lori, calling from her workplace. Instead, it was Jack O'Connell of the Baseball Writers' Association of America telling Bailey he'd been named the American League Rookie of the Year. "At first I thought it was a crank call," Bailey said. "I thought, 'Which one of my friends is playing a practical joke on me?' " No joke: Bailey's 26 saves and 1.84 ERA were enough to make him the third Oakland player to earn rookie honors in the past six years, joining closer Huston ..."
Oakland Athletics' Andrew Bailey is voted American League Rookie of the Year
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November 17
Contra Costa Times
 
"A's closer Andrew Bailey's storybook 2009 season ended in fitting fashion Monday, when he was voted the American League's Rookie of the Year. The award caps an improbable ride for Bailey, a roster long shot in spring training who wound up making the All-Star team and setting an Oakland rookie record with 26 saves. Many considered Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus the favorite for the award. Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello also had strong credentials. Both played instrumental roles on teams that challenged for the postseason, unlike the last-place A's. But Bailey received 13 of 28 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America. His 88 points easily ..."
A's Bailey, of Paul VI, named rookie of year
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November 17
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Andrew Bailey of the Oakland A's, a relative unknown at the beginning of the season, capped a whirlwind year yesterday by being named the American League's rookie of the year.The pitcher, a 2002 graduate of Paul VI High School in Camden County, received 13 of 28 first-place votes for 88 points in the balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus was second with 65 points.For someone not expected to make the team coming out of spring training, Bailey, 25, had quite a year.He started in long relief, eventually won the closer's role, and was named to the league's all-star team."I didn't think I was going to win this," Bailey said yesterday by ..."
A's Bailey wins American League Rookie of Year honors
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November 16
Contra Costa Times
 
"A's closer Andrew Bailey was voted American League Rookie of the Year, the seventh Oakland player to receive the honor. Bailey was one of the front runners for the award, voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America. But he figured to get heavy competition from Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus. Bailey earned 13 of 28 first-place votes for a total of 88 points. Andrus finished second with 65 points and Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello was third with 64. Bailey, a right-hander, was considered a long shot to even make the A's roster during spring training after spending the 2008 season in Double-A ball. But he broke camp with the team, eventually took over the ..."
Heyward-Bey true to form with dropped pass
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November 16
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Raiders rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey fell to the ground, facemask down, 9 yards from the end zone with 30 seconds on the game clock. Consider that his secondof the loss-ensuring play. With game-winning momentum at his back, Heyward-Bey turned sharp on a comeback route, leaped for the pass and - clang - let it bounce down off his chest, up off his knee and out off his hand for a Chiefs interception. Drive over, hope dashed, game lost, 16-10 to the Chiefs. If there was any consoling Heyward-Bey, it had to be immediately after the game. The NFL's fastest rookie got out of the locker room before reporters were allowed in there, leaving teammates to feel his pain. "I just told him to keep his ..."
Oakland A's plan: Build off second half of 2009 season
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November 16
Contra Costa Times
 
"The A's created some waves last winter by trading for Matt Holliday and signing free agent Jason Giambi. It remains to be seen how active they'll be this offseason. But general manager Billy Beane reiterated his team's agenda this week while he was in Chicago attending the GM meetings. "Our priority is to maintain and continue to get as many young players as we can and expand on what we did in the second half of the season into the offseason," Beane said. "All the decisions we make this offseason will be based on that." That leaves veteran third baseman Adam Kennedy's status uncertain. Kennedy is one of four A's who have filed for free agency, along with infielders Bobby Crosby and Nomar ..."
Bailey honored by Philly sportswriters
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November 15
MLB.com
 
"A's rookie closer Andrew Bailey has been selected as the winner of the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association's Native Son Award. Bailey, who went 6-3 with a 1.84 ERA and 26 saves in 68 games with Oakland and was named to the American League All-Star team, is a native of Haddon Heights, N.J. He will be honored at a banquet on Feb. 1. Past winners of the award, which originated in 1991, include big leaguers Mike Piazza, Jamie Moyer and Bobby Higginson, football stars Eddie George, Rich Gannon and Troy Vincent, and professional basketball players Cuttino Mobley and Dawn Staley."
A's Bailey hopes to pull ROY upset
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November 15
MLB.com
 
"Andrew Bailey's rise from Minor League obscurity to Major League limelight is a story that won't soon be forgotten. It'll turn historic if Bailey upsets Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus when the American League Rookie of the Year Award is handed out Monday at 11 a.m. PT. But even if the announcement plays out as expected -- Andrus is the clear favorite -- it will do nothing to diminish Bailey's fairy-tale of a season. Strikingly similar to that of fellow A's reliever Brad Ziegler, who took the baseball world by storm in 2008, Bailey's rags-to-riches story was among the feel-good highlights of 2009 -- and not just for A's fans. So compelling was Bailey's ascent -- from struggling Double-A ..."
Oakland hurler Bailey gets Native Son sports award
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November 15
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Oakland Athletics rookie closer Andrew Bailey, a graduate of Paul VI High in Haddonfield who became one of the American League's top relievers this season, has been named the winner of the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association's Native Son Award. Bailey, 25, who earned a spot on the American League all-star team and is a strong rookie-of-the-year candidate, will be among the honorees at the 106th annual banquet at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Cherry Hill on Feb. 1. The award originated in 1991, and some of the past winners include Mike Piazza, Eddie George, Jamie Moyer, Troy Vincent, Rich Gannon, Irving Fryar,Carli Lloyd, Deron Cherry, Dawn Staley, Bobby Higginson and Cuttino Mobley. "It's a ..."
Base question: Who's on 3rd?
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November 11
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Billy Beane of the A's spent the general managers' meetings in Chicago this week combing for third-base possibilities because the team does not have an automatic option there next season. Infielder Adam Kennedy might not return, though he is interested in doing so; six-time Gold Glove winner Eric Chavez is trying to come back from his second back surgery; and top prospect Brett Wallace is likely to need more seasoning. It's also unclear if third will be his position in the majors. So while Oakland is looking in general terms for good young players on the left side of the infield and at the corner outfield spots, the emphasis is third. "Certainly it is," Beane said, "with Adam being a free ..."
Could Oakland A's go after Chone Figgins or Vladimir Guerrero?
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November 8
Contra Costa Times
 
"Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero, a pair of free agents from the Los Angeles Angels, could be offseason targets of the Oakland A's. At least that's part of the speculation of Jon Heyman of the MLB Network. Where would Figgins fit in with the A's? Would adding the injury-prone Guerrero be just another in a line of the A's failed signings of declining All-Stars?"
Kennedy says he's interested in rejoining A's
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October 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Adam Kennedy was one of the final additions to the A's in 2009, but he might be one of the first to join the roster this offseason. The veteran second baseman, who spent most of the year at third for Oakland after coming from Tampa Bay in a minor-league deal in May, would like to return, and his agent, Paul Cohen, told The Chronicle that talks have been "very positive." Players may file for free agency one day after the World Series ends, but if Kennedy does so, that won't indicate a shift in thinking about Oakland. A's assistant general manager David Forst said the team expects that Kennedy will file for free agency, and, he said, "The ball is in their court. We let them know we're ..."
For all of their efforts, Raiders not tackling
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October 29
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The good news for the Raiders is there's a simple solution to their perpetually sinking run defense: Tackle the guy. The bad news is if the Raiders have yet to master the most Pop Warner League of functions, umm, wow. "We have to do a better job of tackling," Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour said Wednesday. "I think that's the main issue." Let's get this straight: The Raiders gave up 316 rushing yards to the Jets on Sunday simply because they could not tackle? "It is such a basic thing, and obviously we need to do a better job," Seymour said. "Guys were in the right gaps, but we didn't tackle well." That might be the most troubling component of the Raiders' slide to No. 30 in NFL ..."
Raiders know one (win) is the loneliest number
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October 20
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Don't get Raiders coach Tom Cable wrong: He thoroughly enjoyed Sunday's 13-9 upset of the Eagles at the Coliseum. It's simply that the Raiders have won one game in a row before. The trick now is to turn this into a win streak and not merely a tripped-over acorn. "The most important thing for me is for us to do it again," Cable said Monday. "That's really all I care about. Do it again. You have to put them together. You have to have consistency." Cable said one win makes players feel good and two straight breeds confidence. Only a third win in a row makes them believe, and the Raiders haven't done that since 2002. In other words, beat the visiting Jets on Sunday, or the Eagles victory is ..."
Pitching project down, lineup revamp up next
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October 17
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"If the A's were conducting a clinical trial or product testing, this past season might be considered Phase 1: Pitching. Next year, then, would be Phase 2: Position Players. That means more growing pains as Oakland adds players such as first baseman/outfielder Chris Carter, third baseman Brett Wallace, second baseman Adrian Cardenas and perhaps first baseman/outfielder Sean Doolittle and catcher Josh Donaldson at some point. "We have a long way to go, " A's general manager Billy Beane said Monday of the rebuilding efforts. "It's going to take some time and some commitment. I don't know in our marketplace if there's any way to speed up that process. There's no magic potion to turn a ..."
Giants, A's remember day that shook baseball
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October 17
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist John Shea
"Twenty years ago today, at 5:04 p.m., a half-hour before World Series Game 3 at Candlestick Park, Al Michaels told a national TV audience, "I think we're having an earth..." The Giants and A's were rendered irrelevant after the Loma Prieta quake shook the region. Amid death and destruction, the Series was pushed back 10 days. While the Giants resumed working out at the 'Stick, A's manager Tony La Russa took his team to Phoenix for two days to maintain a higher level of focus. The A's completed a four-game sweep with just two starting pitchers, Dave Stewart and Mike Moore, and an imposing offense that outscored the Giants 32-14, matching the most one-sided World Series in history. The A's ..."
Mrs. Lurie shows her grace and class
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October 14
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The ground had stopped shaking, but I hadn't. The 7.1 earthquake that put Game 3 of the 1989 World Series on hold rattled me like few things ever have. What I didn't know scared me. Was this the main event, or a foreshock? Was it a small quake centered nearby, or a catastrophic event centered miles away? Were the rumors true? Had cars really been pitched from the Bay Bridge into the water? Had the scoreboard at the Oakland Coliseum really crashed to the ground? I did know one thing — there would be no baseball. Candlestick Park was without power. And it was getting dark. Still, there was a job to do. I made my way to the locker rooms to interview A's and Giants players. Then it was time to ..."
Writing by the headlights of a parked car
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October 14
San Jose Mercury News
 
"n the aftermath of the earthquake before Game 3 of the Bay Bridge World Series, everyone pretty much banded together to lend assistance. That included members of the fourth estate. After gathering as much information as I could — Were rumors true that the Coliseum scoreboard had collapsed? — I needed place to write. I finally settled on a piece of pavement in front of the players' parking lot at Candlestick Park. The San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman, then covering the Giants for the Oakland Tribune and until this day a good friend, turned on the headlights of his Honda Accord so I could see. Henry was writing in front seat of his car, Tribune columnist Dave Newhouse was writing ..."
Candlestick Park was the real Series champ
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October 14
San Jose Mercury News
 columnist Mark Purdy
"The crowd cheered and applauded a natural disaster. That's what so many people forget. I was in the upper deck at Candlestick Park, where they put the overflow media. I knew exactly what was happening. I looked up to my left at the enclosed 49ers press box and noticed the windows wobbling and bending and shivering. I thought, "Man, if those things pop out, we're in real trouble." Just then, the shaking stopped. And the cheering started. Lusty roars. Loud. The vibe was: "Hey, it's a Bay Area series and this is cool!" But then reports reached the ballpark about the bridge and the fire. The scoreboard flickered out. Power was gone. Things grew quiet. I hiked down to the field and interviewed ..."
Who will start at running back?
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October 8
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Raiders coach Tom Cable won't name a starting running back. He'd just the same use the labels 1A and 1B. It might not matter if it's Justin Fargas or Michael Bush who replaces injured starter Darren McFadden when the Raiders visit the New York Giants on Sunday. If the depleted offensive line doesn't block better, there aren't many running backs on earth who will get far beyond the line of scrimmage. "It seems like they're challenging us to throw the ball a little bit," Fargas said. "Sometimes you say, 'Hey, you know what? We're gonna stick to what we do and we can run it anyway.' But it's tough. "If you're not at your very best, it's gonna be hard." It's been hard for the Raiders' rushing ..."
Another slog ahead: Hitting rebuild next
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October 7
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"If the A's were conducting a clinical trial or product testing, this past season might be considered Phase 1: Pitching. Next year, then, would be Phase 2: Position Players. That means more growing pains as Oakland adds players such as first baseman/outfielder Chris Carter, third baseman Brett Wallace, second baseman Adrian Cardenas and perhaps first baseman/outfielder Sean Doolittle and catcher Josh Donaldson at some point. "We have a long way to go," A's general manager Billy Beane said Monday of the rebuilding efforts. "It's going to take some time and some commitment. I don't know in our marketplace if there's any way to speed up that process. There's no magic potion to turn a ..."
McDonald relishes touchdown
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October 5
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"For the amount of time he's on the field as a non-starter, Ray McDonald might be the 49ers' most productive player. The third-year defensive end is listed as the backup to starter Justin Smith but he's a big part of the defensive-line rotation. On Sunday, McDonald scored the first touchdown of his career when he scooped up a fumble and chugged 11 yards into the end zone with 14 minutes left in the game for San Francisco's final score of the day. Quarterback Kyle Boller was credited with the fumble when he attempted to hand off to wide receiver Danny Amendola on an end around. Amendola was bobbling the ball when he was smacked by outside linebacker Manny Lawson. McDonald, trailing the play, ..."
A's close out season with their seventh consecutive loss
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October 5
Contra Costa Times
 
"The A's hobbled to the 2009 finish line Sunday, suffering their seventh consecutive loss in a 5-3 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels. Despite an encouraging September in which the A's went 17-10, the A's finished the season on a season-high losing streak to finish the campaign 75-87. It's the seventh time in their Oakland history they've finished last in the American League West, but first time since 1998. Oakland manager Bob Geren decided to use a bullpen-by-committee approach, starting reliever Brad Kilby and following him with six others. Andrew Bailey finished off his AL Rookie of the Year with a 1-2-3 ninth and one strikeout. The A's took a 2-0 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly form ..."
Mortensen arrested on suspicion of DUI
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October 5
Contra Costa Times
 
"A's right-hander Clayton Mortensen was arrested Saturday night on suspicion of drunk driving, the team announced in a release circulated during Sunday's 5-3 season-closing defeat to the Los Angeles Angels. Mortensen, 24, was released Sunday morning from Santa Clara County Jail and made it to the Oakland Coliseum for pre-game drills. "The A's are aware of the situation and will have no comment until further details are available," the release said. Mortensen was obtained from St. Louis in the Matt Holliday trade along with third baseman Brett Wallace and outfielder Shane Peterson. He went 2-4 with a 7.81 ERA in six starts with the A's after the trade. The regret was obvious on Mortensen's ..."
A's pitcher Clayton Mortensen arrested on suspicion of drunk driving
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October 5
Contra Costa Times
 
"A's right-hander Clayton Mortensen was arrested Saturday night under the suspicion of drunk driving, the team announced in a release Sunday afternoon. Mortensen, 24, was released this morning from Santa Clara County Jail and was at the Oakland Coliseum in time for pre-game drills before the regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Angels."The A's are aware of the situation and will have no comment until further details are available," the release said."
Eveland faces uncertain future
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October 4
Contra Costa Times
 
"A's pitcher Dana Eveland had plenty working for him at this time last year. He finished the 2008 season second on the team in innings pitched and was one of the most experienced pitchers on a staff that was getting younger and younger. After wrapping up his 2009 campaign with a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum, Eveland's outlook is decidedly different from what it was one year ago. The left-hander compiled an 8-6 record in Triple-A Sacramento this season, finishing with a 4.94 ERA in 21 starts. After starting the season in Oakland, Eveland eventually became a casualty of the A's youth movement, unable to regain a consistent spot in the rotation after ..."
Crosby takes what may be his final bow
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October 4
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"In possibly his final game starting for the A's, Bobby Crosby was the only member of the lineup to hit the ball hard through the first seven innings Saturday at the Coliseum, and he scored Oakland's first run. He came up representing the tying run with two outs and one on in the ninth, but he grounded out to end the game, and the A's fell 4-2 to the Angels, their sixth loss in a row. "I felt great swinging the bat, and I hadn't been in there in a while," Crosby said. "I wish I could have done something my last at-bat, but I've had plenty of good memories here. "I don't know if I'm playing (today) so it's definitely possible this was my last game here. This is all I know, and I've always ..."
Scott Kazmir is sharp, Jason Bulger has a scare
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October 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"A shoulder injury to reliever Jason Bulger on the eve of the playoffs put a slight damper on a sharp outing by left-hander Scott Kazmir, who gave up three hits in five shutout innings in the Angels' 4-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday. Bulger, who is 6-1 with a 3.56 earned-run average in 64 games, gave up a walk, a run-scoring triple to Eric Patterson and struck out two batters in the eighth inning before signaling to the bench that he felt tightness in the front of his shoulder. He came out of the game. "They didn't want to risk injury; it's more precautionary," said Bulger, who sat out a week and a half in late August and early September because of tightness in the back of ..."
Losing A's hope Bailey's a winner
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October 3
Oakland Tribune
 
"As their season winds to a quiet close this weekend, the A's are stepping up the attack for their one chance at postseason glory - landing the American League Rookie of the Year Award for their 22-year-old bullpen wonder, Andrew Bailey. "I know he's up for Rookie of the Year, but he should be Rookie of the Year," said manager Bob Geren before the A's 5-2 loss Friday night to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. "He's been dominant. He's just better than everybody else." To try to drive home that point, the A's media relations department sent out a comparative statistical evaluation of AL rookie candidates Friday to everyone on their national e-mail list. They did so under the heading "The ..."
Gonzalez looks ahead to 2010 in 5-2 loss
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October 3
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"While Angels starter Jered Weaver used his final regular-season assignment as a tune-up for the playoffs, A's starter Gio Gonzalez used it as a final 2009 audition for the 2010 rotation. Weaver's next appearance figures to be Game 2 of the AL Division Series against the Red Sox. Gonzalez hopes his next outing will be as a member of next year's rotation. While manager Bob Geren said Gonzalez is "definitely in the mix," the lefty's performance in Friday's 5-2 loss showed he has advanced - but with more seasoning required. Gonzalez collected the most strikeouts (10) and fewest walks (0) in his 24 career starts. His development showed with his fastball command and a plunging curve that ..."
Jered Weaver sharp, Kevin Jepsen shaky in Angels victory
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October 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Jered Weaver's spark plugs, air filter and brake fluid look fine. The right-hander looked sharp in his final tuneup for the playoffs Friday night, throwing five shutout innings with five strikeouts and no walks in the Angels' 5-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics. But the check-engine light came on for setup man Kevin Jepsen, who suffered his second shaky outing in seven days, giving up singles to three of the four batters he faced and two runs in the ninth inning. "I feel like I'm out there trying to work on things instead of doing what I normally do, which is go after guys and let it all hang out," Jepsen said. "My velocity is fine, my slider is good, and I'm throwing strikes. I'm just ..."
Anderson done in by error
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October 2
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"In 2006, the A's used the Mariners as a springboard to the division title, taking 17 of 19 games between the teams. Since then, Seattle has turned the tables, going 37-20 against the A's, including taking eight of nine at Safeco Field this year. Adam Kennedy gave the Mariners a hand Thursday with an error that led to three unearned runs in the fifth inning of Seattle's 4-2 victory. Brett Anderson, the budding star among Oakland's rookie starters, finished up his season with an 11-11 mark, with his four-game winning streak coming to an end. Thursday's loss was no ordinary loss, however - he allowed only one earned run, on a homer by Adrian Beltre in the second, in five innings. "He's going ..."
Buck tries to cash in on shot
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October 1
Contra Costa Times
 
"A's right fielder Travis Buck picked a heck of a time to work his way back into the lineup. The A's had no answer for Seattle right-hander Brandon Morrow, a Santa Rosa native who allowed just one hit over eight innings as the Mariners blanked the A's 7-0 at Safeco Field on Wednesday night. Morrow, who starred at Cal after leaving Rancho Cotate High, allowed Rajai Davis' fourth-inning infield single, the A's only base runner through the first seven innings. Morrow also walked two in the eighth. Buck had one of those walks in an 0-for-2 night. He drew just his second start since being recalled Sept. 19 for his third stint with the A's. He started in place of regular right fielder Ryan ..."
Mariners throttle Cahill, A's
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September 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Oakland's hopes of a non-losing season and finishing higher than last place evaporated on the same night. The A's needed to win each of their final six games to remain at .500 for the season, and they had to sweep Seattle to have a shot at third place, but Trevor Cahill had his first real off night in seven weeks in Oakland's 6-4 loss to the Mariners and Cy Young Award candidate Felix Hernandez. Oakland will finish with its third losing season in a row. In his final appearance of the season, Cahill gave up eight hits and six runs in 42/3 innings, the first time the rookie right-hander had allowed more than three runs in a start since Aug. 6. He said he was struggling with his best pitch, ..."
Power outage has A's in dark
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September 30
Contra Costa Times
 
"The A's acquired Jason Giambi and Matt Holliday last winter hoping to boost their sagging power numbers from 2008. But instead of landing more knockout punches, the A's have found success jabbing opponents into submission. They entered Tuesday night's game, a 6-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field, ranked 27th out of 30 teams in home runs (134) but ranked fourth in stolen bases (130). They also were hitting .285 since the All-Star break and had scored the third-most runs in the major leagues over that span - with Holliday having been traded July 24 and Giambi released shortly after. It brings up the issue: Do the last-place A's continue building around their speed and baserunning ..."
Garciaparra: Season is a bust
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September 29
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Oakland's strong finish is not enough to satisfy Nomar Garciaparra. Only a playoff spot would make him happy, so the infielder really does not like finishing in last place. "This is how I evaluate this season: I'm disappointed, upset and embarrassed," he said. "I hope everyone feels that way. I've always believed one team has a great year, seven have decent years, and the rest have awful years. And to be out of it for the past two months is an embarrassment - you want to at least have a chance. We didn't do enough." Will the A's failures keep Garciaparra, 36, from wanting to play another season? He nearly retired after last season before flirting with the Phillies, then signing with ..."
A's core secure, but others are likely to move on
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September 29
Contra Costa Times
 
"The A's take comfort knowing that several of this season's core players are locked into the picture for next year as well. Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill lead a young starting rotation that's expected to improve with experience. Closer Andrew Bailey heads a strong group of relievers. Catcher Kurt Suzuki is developing into one of the American League's best at his position. But the front office has several tough roster calls to make this offseason. The following players could be waving goodbye to Oakland after the regular season concludes Sunday: 3B Adam Kennedy: A case could be made for Kennedy, 33, as the team's most valuable player, and he should attract interest as a free agent. He was ..."
A's receive props, but not a win
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September 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Before Sunday's finale at Angel Stadium, A's manager Bob Geren called starter Edgar Gonzalez the key. That turned out to be the case - Gonzalez wasn't at his best in the Angels' 7-4 victory, which eradicated the A's hopes of finishing above .500. Oakland could still finish even, but would have to win all six remaining games to do so. Oakland's victories in the first two games of the series and the team's overall impact on the division race in the past two weeks was duly noted in the Angels' clubhouse; the Angels realized after the A's took the first two that they'd better get down to business. "They're playing good baseball, man," Angels pitcher John Lackey said. "Sometimes a team with ..."
Bullpen gives A's lots of relief
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September 28
Contra Costa Times
 
"Much attention has been paid to the A's young starting pitchers, viewed as the backbone of the team for seasons to come. Oakland's relievers, by comparison, have gone about their work in anonymity. But the bullpen's performance has been the biggest bright spot of the A's season, and the unit should set up strong for 2010. The A's lost 7-4 to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, trimming the Angels' magic number for clinching the American League West to two. Yet the weekend series spotlighted how good the A's relief corps has been when pressed into heavy duty. Starter Dana Eveland lasted just 3 1/3 innings Saturday. But the bullpen held the Angels to two runs over the final 5 2/3 innings, ..."
A's comeback falls short against Angels this time
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September 28
Contra Costa Times
 
"After erasing a seven-run deficit to win Saturday, the A's showed signs of another comeback Sunday. But it fell short, and Oakland lost 7-4 to the Los Angeles Angels in the finale of a three-game series at Angel Stadium. The Angels trimmed their magic number for clinching the American League West to two. The A's still took two of three in Los Angeles and are 5-0-4 over their last nine series. That's their longest stretch without losing a series since July 27-Sept. 3, 2006."
It's one away for Angels now
Comment
September 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"It took nearly six months and 155 games to get here, but now the regular season comes down to one game for the Angels. No more complicated mathematical formulas, no more magic numbers, no more scoreboard watching. Win one more game against the Texas Rangers and they capture their fifth American League West title in six seasons. "The challenge is very clear," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "We need to win a game. That's it." It could happen tonight. But it really doesn't matter when the Angels do it, as long as they do it before the second-place Rangers leave town for the weekend. So even if they lose tonight, the Angels get to try again Tuesday. And Wednesday. And Thursday. But it does matter ..."
Another big rally leads A's
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September 27
Contra Costa Times
 
"Right now, Oakland's offense is clicking with Suzuki, who entered this season with all of 14 career homers, hitting cleanup. Suzuki hit a two-run homer and had four RBI as the A's erased an early seven-run deficit and then authored another comeback in claiming a wild 15-10 victory at Angel Stadium. The A's have won 16 of their past 20 games and lead the majors with a 17-7 record this month. They entered Saturday leading the majors in runs, doubles, extra-base hits and stolen bases in September. Jack Cust had a three-run homer and also drove in four runs. Daric Barton had a career-high four hits and two RBI. Mark Ellis added a three-run homer in the A's six-run eighth, when they turned a ..."
Pair of comebacks turn into A's 15-10 win
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September 27
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Going in, this one looked like a mismatch, with A's killer John Lackey pitching against Dana Eveland, who'd spent most of this year in the minors. Add to that the fact that Oakland's defense was spotty and the team fell behind by seven runs. "The odds weren't in our favor at that point," Oakland third baseman Adam Kennedy said. The A's offense apparently was not informed of that, twice coming from behind and coming away with a 15-10 victory over the division-leading Angels on Saturday. Oakland chipped back to cut the deficit to one after seven innings, then Kurt Suzuki tied the game in the eighth with a two-out single off Kevin Jepsen. Jack Cust added a go-ahead double and Daric Barton an ..."
Angels squander big lead, lose to Oakland, 15-10
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September 27
Los Angeles Times
 
"The rotation finally jells in late August, and the offense goes into a lengthy funk. The hitters break out Saturday night, reaching double figures in runs for only the second time this month, and the pitchers can't get anyone out. If the Angels don't get their act together soon, they will be surprise entrants in a race few thought they'd be running this week: one with the Texas Rangers for the American League West title. The Angels blew a seven-run, fourth-inning lead Saturday night to the Oakland Athletics, who scored 13 runs against starter John Lackey and four relievers from the fifth through eighth innings in a 15-10 victory in Angel Stadium. That gave the Angels their first four-game ..."