--C Kurt Suzuki is close friends with former Cal-State Fullerton catcher Jon Wilhite, who is listed in critical but stable condition after a car accident that killed Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart on Thursday. Suzuki also knew Adenhart from the Olympic qualifying team." I was just talking about Nick the other day, about how he's young but he's going to be one of the best because of his attitude and his talent," Suzuki told the San Francisco Chronicle. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the families of everyone involved. Everyone in that car was young, in their 20s, and for life to be taken away that fast, it's really tragic."
--LHP Dana Eveland told reporters after his first start of the season that he thought his velocity might be a little down from where it usually is. Eveland allowed eight hits and three runs in six innings at Anaheim on Wednesday. He walked two and struck out four, and all three runs scored against him came in the fourth. --UT Bobby Crosby made his first career appearance in the outfield on Wednesday night after having shagged balls in the outfield just once, before Wednesday's game for about 10 minutes. Crosby, the A's everyday shortstop when healthy the past five years, didn't have a ball hit to him in right field in his one inning of action there. It was his first appearance anywhere other than shortstop in a major league game.
--RH Justin Duchscherer needed only a minor cleanup of his sore right elbow in an arthroscopic procedure on March 31. Duchscherer could return to the A's by early to mid-May, though the team has not indicated if he will be pointed toward a spot in the rotation or in the bullpen. Duchscherer has been an All-Star in both roles, so it might depend on the team's greater need at the time.
BY THE NUMBERS: 63 -- Major league starts made by Oakland's entire rotation entering the 2009 season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I like their makeup and how they handle themselves. So far so good, as long as they go out and throw strikes. We've already told them the pressure should all be on us, the offense. We're going to be able to put runs on the board." -- Jason Giambi on the A's young rotation in the San Francisco Chronicle.
