It is halfway through May and the Oakland A's are only four games out of first place in the AL West with a 19-17 record. They trail the Texas Rangers who are proving to be one of the best teams in baseball.The team that many believed would challenge the Rangers for the division sits in last place and are the A's current opponents. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are having a rough season and have a 15-21 record entering the second game of the series against the A's. The A's can help to keep themselves close to the Rangers as well ...
For the Oakland Raiders to win in 2012, they will need key stars (see: McFadden, Darren) to stay healthy and be productive. However, in a season that is being used as a prologue to the changes expected under new owner Mark Davis and general manager Reggie McKenzie, rookies will have to have some impact to blunt offseason losses.Here are five rookies that make a surprise impact for the Oakland Raiders in 2012.Begin Slideshow
Based on the results, Tyson Ross should only pitch against the Los Angeles Angels.Ross was sharp, throwing six shutout innings. Ross threw 94 pitches in six innings, with 60 for strikes. That is a marked improvement in control from his struggles of just a few starts ago. He allowed five hits and just a single walk while striking out two.And Josh Reddick's solo home run in the top of the first inning was all the A's would have needed to win this 5-0 affair. Grant Balfour, Jordan Norberto and Ryan Cook combined for three shutout innings as the ...
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The one major advantage the Oakland Raiders have in the AFC West is a 100 percent healthy Darren McFadden.He's easily the best running back in the division and one of the better ball-carriers in the NFL. That said, McFadden has yet to play a full season, but played in just seven games a year ago.Still, he's Oakland's best shot to at least contend for the division title because the rest of the game plan can be built around him.Begin Slideshow
Injuries resulted in the demise of the 2011 Oakland Raiders' season, one of the more interesting seasons in years.Multiple key players missed large chunks of time and while injuries are part of the game, it's certainly easier to go without a star player for a week or two than for a month or two.A return to health is vitally important for the team's prospects of a successful season and the Raiders hope these key players can return to health and give the team a huge boost in 2012.Begin Slideshow
If you are going to lose, you might as well lose to the best in the business, and the best would be Justin Verlander.He was as advertised, holding the A's to a single run on just two hits. He also recorded one walk with eight strikeouts in seven dominant innings, as the Tigers won 3-1.A's starter Jarrod Parker was not sharp, as he allowed six hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. However, he left with the score tied at one with two outs in the sixth, when Grant Balfour walked in the go-ahead and, ultimately, game-winning run.Miguel Cabrera ...
Note to the Reader: If you have not already done so, be sure to read "Lineup the Oakland Athletics Should Use When Manny Ramirez Arrives: Revised." It serves as a precursor to this column.Now that the A's are 18-16 and currently beating the incredibly talented Detroit Tigers 2-1 in a four-game series, it is safe to say that the beginning of the season has been quite the pleasant surprise.One of the pleasant surprises on this team has been the outfield. Josh Reddick has been phenomenal thus far, Yoenis Cespedes has shown flashes of potential for the future in center field, and ...
About three weeks ago, I started a series of columns that will discuss what I think the Oakland Athletics' lineup should look like when Manny Ramirez makes his debut with the A's. More change occurred in those last three weeks than I expected.Josh Reddick proved that he can continue to hit as hot as he is at the moment, and has therefore asserted himself as a 100 percent mainstay in the lineup. He's one of those guys that gets fewer off-days than most of his teammates because he's needed more than the rest of them on a day-to-day basis.Also, Jemile ...
When Reggie McKenzie took over as general manager and Dennis Allen was named head coach, their appointments were seen as the dawning of a new and different era for the Oakland Raiders.The initial moves from this new regime have certainly indicated a fresh approach to team-building from a franchise often criticized for living in the past. In both free agency and the draft, the pair have opted for low-key, solid additions and stayed away from controversial signings offering the allure of star power.The Raiders have made a good start to shedding their maverick image and seem intent on constructing a ...