Oakland Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy suffered a scary injury when a line drive hit him in the head, but his recovery has gone remarkably well. The 29-year-old was struck on the side of the head after the Los Angeles Angels Erick Aybar hit a line drive directly at him in a game on Sept. 5. The injury was described as a brain contusion and required surgery. While the days following the incident brought significantly more concern over McCarthy’s life than his prospects of playing again this season, the pitcher may be able to aid the A’s in the playoffs, as ...
It's official. The best story in the Major Leagues in 2012 has a happy regular season ending. The A's, in a game very much symbolic of their entire year, shook off a slow start to blister the Texas Rangers 12-5, completing a remarkable comeback to win the AL West title in front of a joyous Oakland Coliseum crowd.You know, it still really doesn't seem that long ago that the 2002 A's (aka Team Moneyball) rode an amazing, historic hot streak to win the division and enter the playoffs in much the same fashion. For all of the stars that team ...
It took 162 games, but we finally have the AL West champion. With a 12-5 win, the Oakland Athletics completed their epic late-season comeback with, well, an appropriate epic comeback. After the A's struck first, thanks to a Brandon Moss double in the bottom half of the opening inning, the Rangers charged back with a five-run third that chased starter A.J. Griffin from the game.Griffin, in his first major-league stint, had been nearly unhittable this season, but finally succumbed to the pressure of this play-in for the play-in game. No worries, though, because it was the American League Ryan Dempster on the opposing mound.Texas ...
The Oakland Raiders have had trouble getting Darren McFadden going, and it now has fans looking for a scapegoat. The most common target has been offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and his zone-blocking scheme. While scheme is certainly a factor, it’s the execution of that scheme by the offensive lineman that has been the real issue. Knapp has used fewer zone runs over the last two weeks, and outside of one long run, McFadden’s production hasn't really improved. It’s becoming harder and harder to blame the scheme and Knapp for McFadden’s struggles. Given that McFadden has proven over the last two years ...
If the Oakland Athletics obtain a postseason berth as the Wild Card, Jarrod Parker should be the guy to pitch in a one-game playoff. He's the clear best option. If the A's stick to the order, it's Dan Straily. However, the season ends Wednesday Oct. 3 with the elimination game scheduled for Friday Oct. 5. The extra day off allows Oakland an opportunity to use Tommy Milone or Parker in the do-or-die situation as well. Let's look at everyone else though, to clarify why it should be Parker. Travis Blackley There is a multitude of reasons Blackley should not ...
At one point this season, the Oakland A's found themselves sitting 13-games back of the Texas Rangers in the American League West standings. No Longer.After game No. 161 last night, the A's now find themselves at 93-68, tied with the Rangers for first place in the AL West, having already secured at least a Wild Card berth into the playoffs. No one in the A's clubhouse is settling for the Wild Card at this point though—and why should they?The A's have been the hottest team in baseball since June 2, going 71-47 since ...
In Major League Baseball’s first season with a designed one-game playoff, the excitement that this decision was designed to create has not disappointed. Entering the final game of the 2012 regular season, just a single game separates the Yankees, Rangers, Orioles and Athletics in a season where seeding is the difference between earning a one-game bye or playing an extra playoff game. In one day, the Oakland Athletics could theoretically go from sixth place in the American League and playing on the road in a single-elimination series, to second place; avoiding the bye and sending Texas to the Wild Card ...
With their dramatic, 5-4, win over the Texas Rangers on Monday night, the Oakland A’s clinched a spot in the 2012 postseason. But now, after back-to-back wins, the two teams are tied atop the American League West with a 93-68 overall record. So, while both teams’ playoff tickets have already been punched, the A’s enter the final regular-season game with a chance to win the West and avoid the dreaded wild-card play-in game. Over the course of the season, the team’s success has been a product of a consistent and inspired state of play. While players such as Miguel Cabrera ...
Last night, O.co Coliseum was rocking. And no, it wasn’t for the Raiders.Because of their improbable, amazing second-half run, the Athletics had finally earned the fan support they strived for. It seemed inevitable that the A’s were going to miss the playoffs, especially after entering the All-Star break with a 43-43 record.Oh, and September wasn’t going to be very kind to the A’s, either.However, the A’s dominated in July and August, excelling in close games. They didn’t limp through September, when everyone thought they would crumble. The Rangers, Angels, Orioles, Tigers and Yankees were among the teams who faced the ...
The Kansas City Chiefs need to find Matt Cassel's replacement in the 2013 NFL draft or this team is going to be stuck in neutral for the foreseeable future. There's a good reason quarterbacks are often taken at the top of the first round, even if they aren't the best player available (Ryan Tannehill in 2012, Christian Ponder and Jake Locker in 2011, etc.). NFL teams can't win games without a legitimate franchise quarterback, and Cassel doesn't cut the mustard. He's not the only starting quarterback in need of being replaced, either. These teams all need to find upgrades for their current ...