Oakland's biggest question mark coming into the season was the young rotation, but the A's rookie pitchers weren't the problem as the team dropped four of its first six games. Instead, it was the beefed up offense, which was stranding runners at a high clip -- 59 in the first six games, the most in the majors. Oakland's cleanup hitters -- usually Matt Holliday -- spent the first week batting .200, and the No. 5 hitters batted .167.
PLAYER NEWS: --3B Eric Chavez was off on Monday because of neck and shoulder stiffness he incurred while diving back to first base on Friday night. Chavez sat out Saturday but played on Sunday and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. The current problem is believed to be akin to muscle spasms and not related to the two surgeries Chavez had had on his right shoulder.
--UTL Bobby Crosby made his first career appearance at second base on Monday night as Mark Ellis got a scheduled night off. Crosby, formerly Oakland's starting shortstop, has now played right field, second base and third base this season. Crosby also played first base for the first time in a regular-season game, moving to that position in the ninth inning on Monday night.
--2B Mark Ellis, who had season-ending shoulder surgery last September, got a scheduled night off, but manager Bob Geren said Ellis will play on Tuesday and Wednesday. Ellis has had no setbacks while coming back from his surgery, unlike 3B Eric Chavez, who had to take more than a week off during the spring because of pain in his surgically repaired shoulder. Bobby Crosby, the A's former shortstop, made his first appearance at second in a regular-season game on Monday.
--INF Nomar Garciaparra homered in the fifth inning in his first-ever appearance against the team he starred for for nearly a decade, the Red Sox. It was Garciaparra's first home run with Oakland, and it came in the ballpark, the Oakland Coliseum, where Garciaparra had recorded his first big-league hit, on Aug. 31, 1996, and his first big-league homer, the next day off Oakland's John Wasdin.
MEDICAL WATCH:
3b Eric Chavez (neck, shoulder stiffness) did not play April 11 or 13 and is day-to-day.
RHP Justin Duchscherer (arthroscopic elbow surgery in March 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. There is a chance that when he is able to throw off the mound, he will be moved into the bullpen to try to safeguard his health. He is expected to return in early May.
RHP Joey Devine (sore right elbow) went on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to March 31. He was examined by Dr. James Andrews on April 8, but the team was still waiting for a diagnosis.
OF Ben Copeland (sprained left shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. Copeland is a Rule 5 draftee from the Giants.
ROTATION:
LHP Dallas Braden
RHP Trevor Cahill
LHP Dana Eveland
LHP Brett Anderson
LHP Josh Outman
BULLPEN:
RHP Brad Ziegler (closer)
RHP Russ Springer
RHP Santiago Casilla
RHP Michael Wuertz
LHP Jerry Blevins
RHP Sean Gallagher
RHP Andrew Bailey
CATCHERS:
Kurt Suzuki
Landon Powell
INFIELDERS:
1B Jason Giambi
2B Mark Ellis
SS Orlando Cabrera
3B Eric Chavez
INF Nomar Garciaparra
INF Bobby Crosby
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Matt Holliday
CF Ryan Sweeney
RF Travis Buck
DH Jack Cust
OF Rajai Davis
