Twins skipper Paul Molitor revealed to reporters today that the team’s top starter, Ervin Santana, is “a bit” behind schedule (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger). Santana has been limited to throwing soft baseballs into a screen, and a return in May now looks considerably likelier than a return in late April. Santana underwent surgery to repair an injury to the middle finger on his right hand back in February. When he’s ultimately ready to return, he’ll join a new-look rotation that includes newcomers Lance Lynn and Opening Day starter Jake Odorizzi, as well as returning righties Jose Berrios and Kyle Gibson.
Here’s more from the American League:
- Meanwhile, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn provided the media with a positive update on the rehab progress of left-hander Carlos Rodon (Twitter link from Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times). Rodon, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder back in September, has begun throwing sliders in his bullpen sessions, which are up to 30 to 35 pitches each, per Hahn. A return in late May isn’t out of the question, which would give the Pale Hose a rotation boost a bit sooner than they previously expected.
- The Athletics optioned top prospect Dustin Fowler to Triple-A Nashville to begin the season, leaving Boog Powell to open the season as Oakland’s center fielder. A’s GM David Forst spoke highly of both outfielders in an email to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, noting that Fowler “worked incredibly hard to rehab his knee injury and amazingly put himself in a position to help us as soon as he’s needed.” Forst added that he expects Fowler to contribute at the big league level sooner rather than later. Manager Bob Melvin, Slusser notes, voiced a preference to bring Fowler to the Majors when he’s ready to stay rather than risking the possibility of rushing him and needing to send him back down. Fowler already has 95 days of MLB service time after spending the second half of last season on the DL, so the decision to option him isn’t tied to a desire to delay his free agency or any other such service manipulation.
- In their latest ballpark-related initiative, the Athletics have announced (Twitter link) that they wish to obtain the O.Co Coliseum and its surrounding property in exchange for taking over $135MM in debt relating to the site. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Matier & Ross dove into the interesting bid, which represents the latest new plot twist in a long-running drama. Generally, while the A’s are not committed to the site, the club is also concerned that alternative bidders might acquire it with other intentions — perhaps leaving the organization with only one site option (Howard Terminal) for a long-sought new park. In a follow-up tweet, the Chronicle duo reported that the team and municipality have agreed upon “exclusive talks over ballpark development,” potentially involving either of the two remaining site options, though just what that entails is not immediately clear.
The A’s need to work out this new stadium business ASAP…
They’re gonna look good in Vegas with the Raiders.
That would actually make a ton of sense but I bet the Oakland faithful wouldn’t appreciate that.
wait until the Vegas tax payers get the bill for the raiders. Each one will end up paying about a $1000 more in taxes.
But the Oakland faithful can still see a better team 20 miles down the road. Plus, with the A’s in Vegas that would give them something affordable to do off strip, and with 81 games a year they could package hotel rooms with game tickets. I would root for the Las Vegas athletics. A’s long as the are in the bay area they will always be second fiddle.
I thought the raiders deal was for a hotel tax not a local tax? Wouldn’t that be paid by out of towners?
Have you ever been to Vegas in July? 112 degrees isn’t exactly the best weather to play anything in.
See ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS STADIUM
YOu beat me to it. It’s almost like domes and retractable roofs don’t exist lol
Think you need to check your facts on the Raiders deal. If not Vegas then San Antonio…
Last time I was there people mostly stayed inside,except the ones who were at the pools. They would obviously build a state of the art Dome.
It wasn’t that long ago that the A’s outdrew the Giants. It wasn’t until SF got a new stadium and Barroids was on the team that the tide changed. A’s build a new stadium and put out winning team and they will draw just fine.
Someone should call an architect and bring your idea to fruition. That way MrCurveball can watch a baseball game in a comfy AC indoor facility
They just need to move the team already. Whether it’s Vegas, San Antonio, Montreal, etc… The A’s could build a new stadium and I think it would have the same results as the stadium in Miami. Fan base has moved on, its time for the team to do the same.
Montreal na,been there tried that. Las Vegas and nowhere else.
Montreal would be a good Baseball town. Their Expos were taken away from them wrongfully.
They were losing money hand over foot,had some the worst attendance in the league,and had a crap stadium. So how was it wrongfully taken…
They had terrible ownership in Montreal and consistently put out a bad product.
Bad ownership, bad management, yes, the Expos had that… but anyone trying to tell you that the fan interest wasn’t a huge factor in the life cycle of the Expos was probably in middle school in 2004
A’s to Sacramento. #20 market in US. Plenty of good sites available near downtown.
I love that…A’s to Sac. I always hear, “well Sacramento has the rivercats MiLB. “ I think a MLB team would have priority if they wanted to move. There’s also a lot of A’s fans in Sac due the rivercats being an A’s affiliate for years prior to jumping ship and going with the bandwagon SF.
Powell scores the winning run on opening day so that decision already paid off.
I wonder if anybody puts their glasses on and says to him, “Hey, you’re Boog Powell!”
“Fowler already has 95 days of MLB service time after spending the second half of last season on the DL, so the decision to option him isn’t tied to a desire to delay his free agency or any other such service manipulation.”
How can you say that. He does not get credit for 1 yr of service time unless he acquires another 120 days of service time. Keeping him down on the farm for more than 95 days will get them an additional year.
That means he probably stays down until after the ASB.
Very happy to hear Fowler is doing well after his knee injury. Very talented player that just had bad luck.
Coming off of a real rough injury it might not be the worst thing to keep him in AAA and see how he is. I don’t think they’ll keep him down 3 months if he’s healthy and ready. It really has more to do with Powell and if he struggles. If Powell is playing well then yeah I can see it but if Powell is struggling I think you’ll see Fowler soon.
The White Sox placing Carlos Rodon on the 10-day disabled list rather than the 60-day DL just ahead of opening day was the first indicator that their southpaw starter was progressing ahead of schedule. Opting for the 60-day DL would have also temporarily freed up a spot on their 40-man roster which they chose to do with the DFA and subsequent outright of RHP Jose Ruiz instead. The White Sox reserve list currently stands at 39.
I’ve been an A’s fan all my life, their current site and the surrounding area is such a dump, I can’t see what building a shiny new stadium on the site would accomplish?
Cheap. They can get it cheap. They start buying up the surrounding area and redevelop. That’s how gentrification works.
The A’s just need to move back to Kansas City! We were robbed of that history. Send the Royals to Montreal!
Don’t you think maybe Philly can say the same thing since the A’s started out there before they moved to KC and then Oakland?