--RHP Joey Devine (elbow strain) threw 30 pitches off the mound and he said that while he still feels some tightness in the area, it has improved since last week. Devine said he will throw a bullpen session Thursday, and he is scheduled for a simulated inning Sunday before heading on a rehab assignment if all goes well.

--DH Frank Thomas will visit Dr. Richard Ferkel on Tuesday, and Thomas said he hopes that he will be cleared to be able to do some light hitting. Thomas' right quadriceps had a 30 percent tear, he said, but it has been healing well and he still hopes to be back after the All-Star break or by the end of July at the latest.

--DH/1B Mike Sweeney, who had arthroscopic surgery on both knees on June 11, said he expects to resume baseball activity in about a week with an eye toward returning by the end of July. Sweeney will continue to rehab in Southern California this week and then join the A's in Oakland next week to do his workouts and physical therapy with the team.

BY THE NUMBERS: .000 -- A's pinch hitters were hitless over their past 20 at-bats, and 3 for their past 34 (.088) through June 29. Oakland's last pinch hit came on May 10, by Mike Sweeney at Texas, and the last extra-base hit by an A's pinch hitter was a double by Bobby Kielty on Sept. 22, 2006.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I wish I could get the DeLorean from 'Back to the Future,' and go back and throw a different pitch." -- RHP Justin Duchscherer, on the 2-1 fastball that Ray Durham stroked for a double in the Giants' 1-0 win on June 28, the only hard hit ball of the day for San Francisco.