Category: Oakland Athletics

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Green-Harden battle could just be the beginning of a physical series; Cano says he didn’t know he was taking steroids; Does Gruden know what he’s doing?

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Photo credit: @clevezirm

On the Headlines Sports podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 Tony will be looking back a bit on that first game with the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors when the Rockets’ James Harden and the Warriors’ Draymond Green got into a scrap in the first few minutes.

#2 The Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Can came clean admitting he took a substance Furosemide, a diuretic he told reporters that he was given the substance by a doctor in the Dominican Republic, but didn’t realize it was a banned substance. Cano was suspended by MLB for 80 games and is one of the highest-paid players in the MLB.

#3 Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has been getting some criticism about the way he’s handled personnel so far. He’s let go of Michael Crabtree, punter Marquete King and now Kahlil Mack’s contract, whose contract is coming up could be leaving. The Raiders are looking for some cap room.

#4 In spite of the A’s having the usual arm problems their starters have been coming through with Sean Manaea helping Oakland get a one run 6-5 win and Tuesday night with pitcher Daniel Mengden improving his record to 3-4, going six innings, eight hits, two runs, and three strikeouts and two wins in the series against Boston.

#5 The Giants, after losing five straight all on the road, have now won three straight and are preparing for the Colorado Rockies starting on Thursday night. The Rockies, who are in second place in the NL West, will be a test for San Francisco at AT&T Park after success against a last-place Reds team.

Tony does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s got some success in Boston series; A’s Manaea and Mengden lead the way in pitching in Bean Town

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 The A’s have won two games in this series with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Sox have to be sick of the A’s about now after getting no hit when they were out in Oakland and then the A’s come in and take the first two games of the series.

#2 The A’s got some great pitching out of starter Sean Manaea on Monday night and then on Tuesday night from starter Daniel Mengden.

#3 The A’s open a four-game series in Toronto starting tonight at Roger’s Centre. The A’s will be going with Jake Sanchez (3-2), who’ll open the series tonight.

#4 In the Sox series, Mark Canha, who was playing center on Tuesday, chased down a foul ball near the side wall in foul territory and made the catch. A fan took a swipe at the ball and hit the brim of Canha’s hat. Canha said the fan should have been thrown out of the game, but wasn’t.

#5 A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty came back to play on Tuesday after taking a week off for bereavement following the death of his mother. Piscotty, with a heavy hat, hit a home run over that historical fence the Green Monster for his third home run of the year.

Jerry Feitelberg is a beat reporter for the Oakland A’s catch his exclusive coverage at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

A’s out-homer the Red Sox in an attempt to sweep, but drop series finale 6-4

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Photo credit: @RedSox

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s lost the finale of the three-game series to the Boston Red Sox 6-4 Wednesday night at Fenway Park. The A’s hit three home runs while Boston sent two into the stands. However, Boston’s two produced five runs while the A’s three were good for just four.

A’s pitcher Trevor Cahill, making his first start since coming off the 10-day DL, went five innings and allowed five hits and three runs. Cahill was charged with the loss and is now 1-2 for the season.

Red Sox ace Chris Sale also pitched five innings, and he allowed just two hits and two runs. Sale’s record improved to 4-1.

The Red Sox scored three times in the bottom of the first inning. Mookie Betts led off the inning with a single to left field. Betts advanced to second when Chad Pinder misplayed the ball. Betts went to third when Andrew Benintendi singled to right field. Boston’s designated hitter Hanley Ramirez grounded out, and Betts scored the first run of the game. The next hitter, J.D. Martinez blasted his 12th homer of the season 422 feet over the wall in centerfield. The Red Sox lead 3-0.

Sale did not allow a run in the first four innings of work. Sale, who is a strikeout pitcher, had a high pitch count as he started the fifth inning. He walked the leadoff hitter, Chad Pinder. A’s shortstop Marcus Semien homered into the Monster seats in left field to make it a one-run game 3-2.

A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in reliever Ryan Dull to start the sixth inning. Dull was greeted by a single off the bat of Hanley Ramirez. He walked J.D.Martinez to put men on at first and second with no out. Xander Bogaerts made Dull walk the plank as he blasted his fifth dinger of the year to put the Red Sox ahead 6-2.

The A’s Matt Joyce hit a solo homer off Heath Hembree in the seventh, and Matt Olson hit a high fly ball that barely cleared the top of the wall in left field for his sixth of the year in the top of the ninth off Boston’s closer Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel recovered to close out the game for Boston. The Red Sox win 6-4.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the A’s drop to 21-22. If the A’s were in the AL Central, they would be in a dogfight for first place with the Cleveland Indians. However, the A’s are in the AL Central and are in fourth place, looking up at the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, and Seattle Mariners.

The A’s won the series two games to one and won the season’s series from Boston four games to two. The Red Sox were very happy to say goodbye to the A’s as they had their hands full with them this season.

The A’s are on their way to Toronto to start a four-game series with the Blue Jays beginning Thursday evening. Andrew Triggs (3-1, ERA 5.31) will go for Oakland. Triggs was pounded for six runs and six hits and did not make it out of the fifth inning last Saturday against the Yankees.

The Blue Jays will send Aaron Sanchez to the hill and Sanchez is 2-3 with an ERA of 4.08. Sanchez has been inconsistent and the A’s hope that Sanchez will not be able to shut down their offense.

Up Next: Game time will be at 4 pm PST.

A’s are back to .500 after 5-3 win over Red Sox

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Boston Red Sox must be asking themselves this question: “Who are these guys?” Well, these guys are the Oakland A’s and by defeating Boston 5-3 Tuesday night, they have won four of the five games played between these two teams so far this season.

A’s Daniel Mengden won his first game ever against Boston, and Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez absorbed his first loss.

The A’s scored two in the first and one in the second to take an early 3-0 lead. In the first inning, Marcus Semien and Chad Pinder singled to start the game. Rodriguez retired the next two hitters but could not get past A’s third baseman Matt Chapman. Chapman drove in Semien and Pinder with a double to deep right center field. In the second inning, right fielder Stephen Piscotty–in his first game since coming off the bereavement list–homered to left. The A’s lead 3-0 after two innings of play.

The Red Sox picked up a run in the bottom of the fourth. The run was unearned as Matt Chapman made a fielding error that allowed J.D.Martinez to get to second. Xander Bogaerts singled to send Martinez to third. Bogaerts was retired at second when Moreland reached on a fielder’s choice. Martinez scored on the play. In the bottom of the fifth, Andrew Benintendi hot a solo home run to make it a 3-2 game.

The A’s added two insurance runs in the top of the eighth. Khris Davis and Matt Chapman singled to start the rally. With two out, Mark Canha doubled to drive in Davis and Chapman to ice the win for Oakland.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the A’s evened their season record at 21-21 and are 3-2 on the road trip so far. The Red Sox dropped to 28-14.

Daniel Mengden went six innings and allowed eight hits and two runs, one of which was unearned. Mengden earned his third win of the campaign.

Lou Trivino pitched the seventh and eighth and held the Red Sox off the board. Blake Treinen picked up his eighth save, even though he gave up a run.

The A’s announced that Trevor Cahill will start the final game of the three-game series on Wednesday. To make room for Cahill, the A’s sent Kendall Graveman back to Triple-A Nashville.

Like I’ve mentioned earlier, Stephen Piscotty returned to action after being on the bereavement list due to the death of his mother.

Cahill will pitch for Oakland, and he will be opposed by Boston’s ace, Chris Sale.

Up Next: Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday at 4:00 pm PST.

Sean Manaea hurls the A’s to a 6-5 win over the Red Sox

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s Sean Manaea continued his mastery over the Boston Red Sox as he beat them for the second time this season. Manaea didn’t pitch a no-hitter, but he pitched well enough to earn his fifth win against four losses. Manaea bested Boston’s Rick Porcello, who suffered his first loss of the year. The A’s hitters came through with three solo home runs and catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s double with two outs in the fourth drove in two big runs.

Oakland put a run on the board in the top of the third. With one out, Matt Joyce hit fourth big fly of the campaign off Porcello to give the A’s an early 1-0 lead. The Red Sox tallied twice in their half of the third. With two out, Mookie Betts singled. Betts stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Andrew Benintendi reached on a throwing error by Matt Chapman that allowed Betts to score and Benintendi was able to go to second when the ball got by Matt Olson. Hanley Ramirez’s singled to drive in Benintendi with Boston’s second run. The Red Sox lead 2-1.

The A’s regained the lead in the fourth. With one out, the Matts, Olson, and Chapman, singled. Lucroy followed with a double to drive them in, and Lucroy scored on Dustin Fowler’s first career triple. Oakland has a 4-2 lead after four.

The Red Sox crept closer in the bottom of the fifth. Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon singled, and Betts doubled to put men on at second and third with no out. Benintendi flew out, but Leon could not tag and score. Ramirez hit into a fielder’s choice that drove in Leon. Betts was thrown out a third and Manaea retired J.D.Martinez for the third out.

Matt Olson homered to right-center-field to make it a 5-3 game in the top of the sixth. The Red Sox got the run back in the seventh when Rafael Devers led off the inning with his seventh. In the eighth, Khris Davis homered for Oakland, and J.D.Martinez blasted his 11th to make it a 6-5. The A’s closer Blake Treinen earned his seventh save as he was able to get the final three outs of the game.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, The A’s improve to 20-21 and Boston drops to 28-13 and are now in second place in the AL East just a half game behind the idle New York Yankees. The A’s are now 2-2 on the 10-game road trip and have beaten Boston three out of four.

Sean Manaea went six-plus innings and allowed eight hits, four runs, one of which was unearned, four strikeouts, one walk, and one home run, and improved to 5-4.

Yusmeiro Petit pitched two innings and Treinen pitched one. Rick Porcello took the loss and is now 5-1. Porcello went six innings and allowed nine hits, and five runs, and two homers.

Trevor Cahill, who has been on the 10-day DL, is eligible to return to action on Wednesday. Outfielder Stephen Piscotty, who lost his mother to ALS last week, is expected to return from bereavement leave Tuesday night.

Up Next: Daniel Mengden (2-4, 4.06 ERA) will pitch for Oakland Tuesday. Mengden is 0-1 with an ERA of 8.00 in two career starts against Boston. He will be opposed by lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 4.58 ERA). Game time will be at 4:10 pm PT.

Yankees take series over A’s with 6-2 victory

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK – After a two-hour, 45-minute rain delay at Yankee Stadium, the Oakland Athletics on Sunday afternoon let the New York Yankees to take an early lead, rallied too late and lost the game 6-2, as well as the series.

A’s starting pitcher Brett Anderson, who allowed four runs in five innings, admitted that the rain delay threw him off.

“You come to the field knowing what time the game is supposed to start, then it’s a hurry-up-and-wait scenario,” Anderson said.

The Yankees got off to a good start. Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge scored when Giancarlo Stanton hit a ground ball to center fielder Dustin Fowler, and Didi Gregorius advanced to second base. Gregorius scored when Aaron Hicks singled on a ground ball to Fowler, putting the Yankees up 3-0 over the A’s.

In the fifth inning, Jed Lowrie singled on a sharp line drive to right fielder Judge and Jonathan Lucroy scored the first run for the A’s. But at the bottom of the fifth, Stanton hit a home run to put the Yankees up 4-1.

“Struggled some in the first, looked like he got it under control the next couple innings, but we needed five out of him today, we had bullpen issues,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Anderson. “I think sometimes it takes a starter time to settle in, and they had him on the run right away with guys on base.”

Anderson was relieved by veteran Santiago Casilla, who pitched two innings and allowed Judge to score in the seventh inning.

Melvin said Casilla’s contribution was “huge for us.”

“The guy’s out there throwing 40-some pitches, helped save the bullpen, wanted no part of coming out of that game, competing real hard. It’s good for our younger guys to see, too, in a game that you’re behind like that,” Melvin said. “There are small victories in certain games even when you lose and that was big for us.”

In the eighth inning, with Wilmer Font pitching, Judge singled on a sharp ground ball to right fielder Mark Canha and Miguel Andujar scored, bringing the Yankees up 6-1.

Canha in the ninth inning hit a homer on a fly ball to center field to cut the Yankees lead to 6-2, but the A’s did not manage to get more runs.

With Sunday’s loss, the A’s for the first time since April 20 fell two games under .500 (19-21). The A’s are 8-12 on the road this season.

The A’s continue their 10-game road trip in Boston to play a three-game series against the Red Sox. First pitch on Monday is at 4:10 p.m. PST.

Yankees need 11 innings on Saturday in the Bronx to beat the A’s 7-6

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
NYY Neil Walker
Neil Walker gets the treatment after hitting the game-winning hit Photo: @Yankees

by Charlie O. Mallonee

It took four hours and 15 minutes, 11-innings, 13 pitchers, 34 baserunners, 17 hits, four home runs and one controversial video replay to bring game two of the three-game series between the Athletics and Yankees to a conclusion on Saturday afternoon.

In the bottom of the 11th inning with two out and runners at first and second, the Yankees Neil Walker stepped into the batter’s box to face A’s relief pitcher Chris Hatcher who entered the game in the 10th inning. Walker hit the first pitch to him from Hatcher into center field. Gary Sanchez took off from second base at the crack of the bat and never had any goal in mind but to score the winning run. Mark Canha’s throw was off-line and Sanchez scored the run for a 7-6 New York walk-off win.

Walker is now 9-for-25 (.360) including nine walks in his last nine games after hitting just .163 in his first 21-games of the season.

Oakland thought the game might be over in nine innings

NYY TAG
Was he safe or was he out? Photo: Yankees Facebook

In the top of the ninth inning, the Yankees brought in the fire-balling Aroldis Chapman to shut down the A’s. It became apparent immediately that Chapman did not have his usual unhittable, strikeout “stuff” on Saturday. After loading the bases on three consecutive walks, Chapman was able to strikeout Mark Canha.

Jonathan Lucroy was inserted as a pinch-hitter for catcher Bruce Maxwell. Lucroy was 1-for-9 versus Chapman with the one hit being a home run. Lucroy hit the first pitch from Chapman into shallow left field. As Brett Gardner caught the ball, the Athletics Matt Olson tagged at third and headed for home. Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez moved about three-feet up the baseline, caught an on-target throw from Gardner and made a sweeping tag at Olson who was sliding toward home plate. Home plate umpire James Hoye called Olson safe without hesitation. The Yankees immediately challenged the call on the field.

The replays made available to television made it look like Sanchez did indeed make the tag except for one crucial angle where it looks like the catcher misses the tag. The replay center overturned the call on the field. It became an inning-ending double play.

Personal opinion inserted here: I hate replay in all sports. You have professional officials on the field to calls. Let them do their jobs. Yes, they will make some mistakes. over the course of a 162-game season, all of the mistakes will balance themselves out. Review your history if doubt my opinion.

Oakland Postgame Notes

NYY Khris HR
Khris Davis celebrates after hitting HR No. 11 Photo: @Athletics
  • This was the A’s first extra-inning loss of the season. They were 3-0 in extra-inning games until Saturday.
  • Starting pitcher Andrew Triggs did not record a decision. He worked 4.1-innings allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits. He struck out six Yanks and walked four. Triggs real undoing was allowing three home runs.
  • Reliever Chris Hatcher (3-1) took the loss on Saturday. He pitched 1.2-innings giving up one run off two hits.
  • The A’s other five relievers – Coulombe, Dull, Casilla, Petit and Treinen pitched 4.2-innings of shutout baseball.
  • Khris Davis hit another home run on Saturday – number 11 of the season. This one came in the fourth inning with two runners on base and gave the A’s a 3-2 lead.
  • Mark Canha went 2-for-5 with two RBI in the game. He is batting .400 (6-for-15) with nine RBI and three walks with runners in scoring position.
  • The A’s are now 19-20 for the year.

Yankees Postgame Notes

  • This was the Yankees fourth “walk-off” win of the season and ended a two-game losing streak.
  • The win ended a five-game losing streak to the Athletics.
  • New York starter RHP Domingo Germain took a no-decision whiled working 5.0-innings and allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits (one HR). He walked three and struck out one.
  • Yankees reliever A.J. Cole (3-1) picked up the victory. Cole struggled with the first two hitters he faced but then settled down to keep his team in the game.
  • Three big home runs helped the Bombers on Saturday: Aaron Judge hit a two-run shot, his 11th of the year. Gary Sanchez (10) and Aaron Hicks (3) went long back-to-back in the second inning.
  • Didi Gregorius ended a 30 at-bat hitless streak when he hit a single off Triggs in the fifth inning.

Up next

The Athletics and Yankees will wrap up this three-game series on Sunday in the Bronx with a 10:05 AM PDT first-pitch. Oakland will send LHP Brett Anderson (0-1,8.68) to the mound to face the Yankees RHP Luis Severino (5-1,2.21).

 

A’s Swing Away on Former Teammate Gray, Beat Yankees 10-5

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Matthew Harrington

In a night of reunions in the Big Apple, a quartet of Green and Gold homers proved the difference-maker in a 10-5 A’s win over the red-hot New York Yankees. Kendall Graveman returned to the A’s major league rotation after a demotion to Triple-A in late April, firing six innings while coughing up one earned run. Meanwhile, former A’s ace Sonny Gray made his first appearance against the A’s since being traded July 31st of last season for a trio prospects. Gray (2-3, 6.39 ERA) got tagged with the loss after giving up five runs over five innings while Graveman(1-5, 7.60) picked up his first win since September 22nd of last season.

Khris Davis tagged Gray for a solo shot, his 10th long ball of the season in the top of the second and Matt Chapman launched a two-run shot just two batters later for a 3-0 Oakland lead. Jed Lowrie singled in a run off Gray in the top of the third.

Graveman struggled mightily to open the season in his first six starts but looked more locked in Friday until he gave up a solo homerun to top Yankees prospect Gleyber Torres in the bottom of the third inning for a 4-1 A’s lead. Shortstop Marcus Semien added to the lead with a fielder’s choice RBI in the top of the fifth, which wound up being a pivotal run.

An inning later, Semien would open the inning by booting a ball to Miguel Andujar. Graveman rallied back, striking out Austin Romine and inducing a groundout from Torres that moved Andujar to second. Graveman then issued a free pass to Brett Gardner. Aaron Judge lifted the first pitch he saw from Graveman to right field for his 10th homer, cutting the A’s Edge to 5-4.

Jed Lowrie hit the A’s third homer of the game  off reliever David Hale, putting Oakland up 6-4. Ryan Dull entered the game in the seventh for the Yankees, giving up back-to-back singles to Andujar and Romine before Torres moved both runners over on a sacrifice bunt. Dull got the hook for Lou Trivino who issued four straight balls to Gardner to load the bases. He’d issue a full-count walk to plate a run, but got Didi Gregorious to fly out too shallow to score Romine from third and finished off the inning with an infield fly from the dangerous Giancarlo Stanton.

Matt Joyce took Hale deep for the final A’s homer in the top of the eighth inning for his third jack of the season. Oakland added three runs in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded double by Semien off David Robertson. Blake Treinen worked around a one-out Gardner single, getting Judge to bounce into a double play to end the game for his sixth save of the year.

Saturday’s game in the Bronx will feature Andrew Triggs scaring off against the Yankees Domingo German. Triggs is coming off his best performance of the year, pitching seven innings against the Baltimore Orioles May 6th, giving up just the one run on a Pedro Alvarez dinger in a 2-1 A’s win. German, likewise is coming off a breakthrough performance after punching out nine Indians in a 7-4 Yankees win.

A’s enter the lion’s den starting Friday for three games at Yankee Stadium

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photo by nydailynews.com: Former Oakland A’s pitcher Sonny Gray will face his old teammates during the three game series between the A’s and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium starting Friday night

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s begin a 10-game road stand against the top three teams in the AL East. They meet the New York Yankees starting Friday night at Yankee Stadium. The A’s will be facing the hottest team in baseball at the moment. The Yankees have won 17 of the last 18 games and have moved into first place in the AL East. The Yankees On their last road trip, the Yankees swept all four games against the Houston Astros in Houston. The Astros are a very good, young team as well as defending World Championships and they were trampled by New York. The Astros, after two games with Arizona, came to Oakland and swept the A’s.

The A’s have record of 18-19 and are in fourth place in the AL West. The A’s have not announced who will start Friday night. A’s starter Trevor Cahill was placed on the 10-day DL with tightness in his arm. The A’s may recall Kendall Graveman or Chris Bassitt from Nashville to make a start. Andrew Triggs will pitch on Saturday, and Brett Anderson goes for Oakland on Sunday. Triggs has pitched reasonably well but has not faced a fearsome a lineup like the Yankees. Lefty Brett Anderson throws on Sunday, and the hopes are that he will have a better outing. The Astros blasted him in the game on Monday night that they won 16-2.

The Yankees pitching stacks up this way. Former A’s starter, Sonny Gray pitches Friday night. Gray is 2-2 and his an ERA of 6.00. Gray would like nothing better than to beat his old teammates. Rookie Domingo German (0-1, 2.21) goes on Saturday, and Luis Severino, who is rapidly becoming the ace of the Yankee staff, throws on Sunday. Severino is 5-1 with an ERA of 2.21.

The Yankees are living up to the nickname of being the Bronx Bombers. They have players up and down the lineup that can knock the ball out of the park. The A’s pitchers will have to deal with Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton. Didi Gregorius, Gary Sanchez, Neil Walker, Miguel Andujar, and Gleyber Torres. These guys are almost an entire All-Star team. If these guys continue to terrorize opponents’ pitching, A’s manager Bob Melvin butter have some Tylenol ready for his headache.

Even if the A’s can find a way to get the offense going and send the starters to the showers, the Yankee bullpen is loaded. Featured relievers are Chad Green, Chasen Shreve, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman, the closer.

The A’s took two out of three from Boston when they were the hottest team in baseball. It can be done. Hopefully, they will find a way to upset the Yankees’ apple cart.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: After getting swept by Astros, A’s go into lion’s den at Yankee Stadium Friday night

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Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 The Oakland A’s got swept by the Houston Astros in Oakland Wednesday afternoon in a 4-1 loss to Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole.

#2 The Astros in their own right got some hitting production with runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

#3 The Astros got hitting production from Jose Altuve’ three hits and a run scored and the Astros catcher Max Stassi had two hits and a run scored.

#4 Cole had a quality start with six innings, four hits, one earned run and nine strikeouts.

#5 For the A’s, it’s onto New York for three games coming off this sweep. The A’s would like to get something going.

Jerry Feitelberg does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com