--DH Frank Thomas agreed to terms with the A's. After being let go by Toronto on Sunday, he will receive the prorated major league minimum from the A's, $336,721. Manager Bob Geren said Thomas will be the team's everyday DH and that Mike Sweeney will get some starts at first base. Thomas was in the lineup Thursday against Minnesota.
--OF Travis Buck was placed on the disabled list with shin splints. The condition had caused him to miss the previous four games and the team decided that rest is the best course of action. Buck, who had struggled to get going this year, probably will go on a rehab assignment when he is pain free. --3B Eric Chavez was moved onto the 60-day disabled list in order to clear room for DH Frank Thomas on the 40-man roster. Chavez, who is recovering from back surgery, is not expected back before the end of May at the earliest. He has not yet resumed baseball activity.
--OF Rajai Davis made his A's debut after being claimed on waivers one day earlier. Davis started in center and had three hits for his new team, along with making a terrific catch late in the game. Davis was acquired in part as insurance if Travis Buck was placed on the disabled list. Buck went on the DL on Thursday.
--OF/DH Jack Cust could wind up in a platoon with right-handed-hitting OF Emil Brown now that Frank Thomas has joined the club. Cust was not in the lineup Thursday, and Brown has been very productive for the A's. Brown is leading the team in RBIs.
BY THE NUMBERS: 22 -- The number of years since the A's last made errors in 12 consecutive games, as they did the past two weeks, making 15 errors overall in that span. Saturday's was particularly painful: First baseman Daric Barton dropped a foul pop and Miguel Olivo homered two pitches later.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "You're not going to get a hit every time, but the one thing you can do is have a real good at-bat. It's just about having a good approach. You can get away with not having a good at-bat every time in Double-A or Triple-A, but not against an average big-league pitcher. You have to have a plan every time." -- A's second baseman Mark Ellis on the recent offensive lull as a product of the young team's relative inexperience.
