Elephant Rumblings: A’s return from 1-9 road trip

MLB news roundup

Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!

There was plenty of A’s baseball to be had over the weekend, but if you watched every moment you must be masochistic. The A’s got swept yet again, this time by the Royals in Kansas City. The Royals scored in the first inning of all three games, leaving the A’s offense with a daily uphill struggle of which they could not avail themselves.

The A’s beat the Mariners in the second game of their just-concluded road trip, sparing them from a complete ten game sweep through three series. Now on an eight-game skid, the team is faring so poorly that turning our attention back to the franchise’s relocation drama is almost a welcome distraction.

Nico spoke with Chris Daly of Schools Over Stadiums, who explained why he still holds out hope that the group’s efforts could prevail despite a recent court ruling that will keep a referendum on public funding of the A’s planned ballpark in Vegas off the ballot this year. It’s a fantastic in-depth piece that might leave you with a glimmer of hope that John Fisher’s nefarious plot might just fall apart—though the A’s will already be out of Oakland even if the stadium on The Strip falls through in years ahead.

Mason Miller has been turning heads throughout the baseball world for all of about six weeks now, and X is already full of chatter about potential trades. John Shea at the San Francisco Chronicle explored how what would generally be such an absurdly premature notion has become common fodder for wild speculation, and why trading Miller now would make about as much sense as the A’s moving to Vegas. Too-Shea!

The A’s are off today, beginning a home stand against the Rockies tomorrow. Let’s see if they can’t give us something to cheer about this week. Hope yours is superb, AN.

A’s Coverage:

• Schools Over Stadiums Explains The “Method To the Madness”
• A’s lose 8th straight, fall to Royals in series finale
• A’s trading Mason Miller? The thought is so ridiculous, and typical ($)
• A’s Sign Robert Dugger To Minors Contract
• A’s Miguel Andujar Nearing Return
• How A’s pitcher Sears used pandemic to further his MLB career
• Tigers Claim Easton Lucas, Designate Ty Adcock

MLB News & Interest:

• ‘This is who he is’: Giants’ Matt Chapman breaks out for 7 hits in 2 days ($)
• Mets Offered Pete Alonso Seven-Year, $158MM Extension Last Summer
• Zack Greinke Working Out, Unsure About Continuing Playing Career
• Alex Cobb Halts Throwing Program Due To Shoulder Discomfort
• Rays Acquire Richard Lovelady From Cubs
• Shota Imanaga’s dazzling, historic start changes the perception of this Cubs season ($)
• Astros Notes: Abreu, McCormick, Urquidy
• Guardians Notes: Kwan, DeLauter, Williams
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Roster Moves.

A Butler blast.

Denzel doing it too.

Bolte has the longball covered in HIgh-A.

Ballers opener watch party tomorrow.