--DH Frank Thomas took part in a simulated game, hitting against reliever Keith Foulke. Thomas is expected to be activated for Friday's game at Boston; the A's cleared two roster spots before leaving on the trip after Wednesday's game. Thomas has been out for two months with a severe quadriceps strain.
--RHP Keith Foulke threw a simulated game, but the team has not announced whether he will head on a rehab assignment or when. Foulke has missed nearly a month with inflammation in his right shoulder. With Brad Ziegler's emergence, Foulke's role might be reduced. --1B Wes Bankston was optioned to Class AAA Sacramento after Wednesday's game. The rookie was 2-for-25 (.080) with 11 strikeouts in eight games during his second stint with the A's. He hit .294 with a home run and three RBIs in nine starts during his first stint.
--OF/2B Eric Patterson was optioned to Class AAA Sacramento after Wednesday's game. Patterson, acquired in the Rich Harden deal with the Cubs earlier in the month, played left, led off and went 0-for-10 with five strikeouts. Patterson also hit .237 in 13 games with the Cubs this year.
--RHP Brad Ziegler extended his major league record for scoreless innings to start a career to 30 innings by pitching three more scoreless innings against Kansas City. The previous record was 25, set by George McQuillan of the Phillies in 1907. Ziegler now owns the second-longest scoreless streak by an Oakland reliever, trailing only Paul Lindblad (32 1/3 innings, 1975).
BY THE NUMBERS: .221 -- Oakland's batting average over an 11-game stretch starting the weekend before the All-Star break, and the team dropped nine of those games to fall into third place in the AL West.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The way my shoulder has been, I don't really see it getting better. At best, it's going to be maintained. The rest of this year and the beginning of next year will tell the story for the rest of my career." -- A's third baseman Eric Chavez on the prognosis for his sore right shoulder, which has kept him on the DL since early July. He had surgery on shoulder in September.
