Manny Ramirez is struggling in Triple-A Sacramento for the Oakland Athletics, and although general manager Billy Beane is not ready to release him yet, the possibility definitely exists.Ramirez is coming off a 50-game suspension for using a banned substance and hoped to make it back to the bigs this season in Oakland.Instead, he's done nothing but perform well below expectations.Through 11 games, Ramirez is hitting just .243 with no extra-base hits, four RBI and 10 strikeouts. It's safe to say that the A's expected at least a little more from the 40-year-old slugger.Throw in the fact that he hasn't even ...
Is there such a thing as a winner or loser in non-contact practices? The short answer: Yes and no. It depends on the position.NFL receivers and defensive backs don't wear much padding in regular season games, and there are rules against contact past five yards. The only thing absent might be press coverage, but nearly all of the other traits coaches are looking for in receivers and defensive backs can be measured in organized team activities (OTAs).On the other hand, defensive and offensive lineman can't hit each other. How are these guys supposed to look good in OTAs? It's nearly ...
This time a month ago it was expected that Manny Ramirez would be manning the middle of the A's lineup. Well it's been over a week since Manny was eligible for reinstatement and the aging slugger still finds himself in Triple-A Sacramento, playing against teams like the Tacoma Rainiers. This is due in part to two factors that have held him out of recent contests, the first of which is his play. His current .243 average in Sacramento isn't convincing anyone that he's ready for the big leagues. The other issue holding him out of the lineup is tightness in ...
Scoring runs early, the A's gave ace Brandon McCarthy a cushion. As it turned out, he would not need much of it.Going seven strong innings, McCarthy won his fifth game of the year as the A's impressively won the matinee finale of this four-game series 7-1 over first-place Texas. McCarthy only allowed a single run on three hits while striking out five as he lowered his ERA to 2.79 on the year.The offense was sparked by Coco Crisp, who homered in the third inning to make it 2-0. After the Rangers cut the lead to 2-1 on an Adrian Beltre ...
After a roller coaster 2011 campaign that saw the Oakland Raiders one win away from their first playoff berth in a decade, the upcoming season will be a challenge for the Silver and Black to return to the glory days the late Al Davis once reveled in.The Raiders have been a team with a culture unlike any other.From their dedicated and colorful fan base, to their undisciplined style of play and Davis' famous slogans like "Commitment to Excellence" and "Just win Baby," the Raiders are one of the most recognizable franchises in the world.The 2011 season featured first-year head coach ...
The Oakland Athletics made some pretty interesting choices during the 2012 MLB draft. Whether it was their choosing of high school players in the first and compensation rounds or their selection of pitcher, the state of Green Collar baseball seems to be heading in the right direction—at least, we hope.Here is a look at the seven Oakland A's prospects we can be excited for.Begin Slideshow
For the Oakland Raiders to win and make the playoffs in 2012, their offensive efficiency in the red zone needs to improve.Last season, the Raiders ranked ninth in the league in total offense averaging 375.5 yards a game—among the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys for comparison. This means that the Raiders are doing a fine job of gaining yards and moving the ball down the field.Conversely, when it comes to offensive points per game, the Raiders rank 16th in the league with 22.4 a game. This ranks in the neighborhood of the Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears, ...
For one start, Bartolo Colon flashed back to the way he began the season for the A's. Spotting his fastball beautifully all game, Colon used a key double play to settle in and three eight shutout innings as the A's took the third game of this four-game series 2-0 over Texas. Brian Fuentes pitched a clean ninth inning for his fifth save of the season.The offense was provided by Yoenis Cespedes, who went 3-3 with a single, a double, and a triple. The single made the game 2-0 and proved to be more than enough for Colon, who won his ...
Not every positional unit has to be an "A" group to win games or even a Super Bowl. No further evidence is needed than the 2011 season. The New York Giants won the Super Bowl with an average running game and secondary and the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers won a lot of games with poor defenses.Grading the strength of every positional unit headed into training camp is like the report card they send after the first month of school; it's only based on participation and the final grade is based on the test.The first report card is ...
The Oakland A's seem to annually ship away some of their best talent.The finger could be pointed at many different people in the organization (or maybe just Billy Beane, because he starts and signs off on every trade?) including ownership.The A's have sell-offs like the NFL and NBA hold their drafts—on time, and usually in mid-summer or late December.Here's five reasons why they should hold on to their top talent this year.Begin Slideshow