Elephant Rumblings: A’s target Wieters re-signs with Cardinals

Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images A’s Coverage: Bauman: Oakland Coliseum naming rights deal rescinded amid conflict-of-interest scandal... ($) Kleinschmidt: Boston’s JD Martinez understands why Mike Fiers spoke up about Astros... Kelly: Kyler Murray still ‘would love’ to play baseball... Best of AN: Nico: Analysis Moves From Parody To Parity...MLB News: Heyman: Catcher Matt Wieters re-ups with Cardinals for one year, $2M... Flanagan: Royals, LF Alex Gordan nearing one-year...

Analysis Moves From Parody To Parity

“Let’s make it a habit!” | Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Parody is a week of articles and comments around garbage cans, buzzers, lids and wires, fakes nieces and something called a “burner account” on what I understand is known as a “Twitter”. Where there’s smoke, apparently there’s Fiers and Jessica Mendoza is not pleased. Well enough of that for now.

Parity. It’s what the American League lacked in 2019 as the halves and have nots left a ginormous...

Mike Fiers is far from perfect, but he should be appreciated for exposing baseball's cheating scandal

Fiers made a difficult but necessary decision to speak against his former teammates and help restore some integrity to the sport

Elephant Rumblings: Beltrán officially out as Mets manager

Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images A’s Coverage: Carig: Brodie Van Wagenen’s comments show that baseball needs more people like Mike Fiers... ($$$) Johnson: Jessica Mendoza blames A’s Mike Fiers for making Astros scandal public... Coffey: A’s 2020 roster projection - The band is mostly staying together... ($$$) Rosenbaum: Here are the Top 10 catching prospects for 2020... MLB News: DiComo: Beltrán, Mets mutually part ways... Wittenmyer: Will Venable, Buck Showalter among...

Mendoza: Fiers should have informed MLB first

ESPN analyst Jessica Mendoza credited pitcher Mike Fiers for coming forward with his allegation that the Astros had been using a camera to steal signs, but said she "disagreed with the manner in which that was done."

Jessica Mendoza tries to clarify criticism of Mike Fiers for whistleblowing

Jessica Mendoza shared an opinion on the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal that many felt was biased considering the role she has with the New York Mets. After hearing the backlash, the ESPN analyst tried to clarify her stance. Mendoza appeared on ESPN’s "Golic and Wingo" Thursday morning, and she said she finds it “hard to swallow” that former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers spoke to The Athletic about what was going on in Houston. That led to people ridiculing Mendoza for shaming...

Jessica Mendoza, Mets adviser, calls out sign-stealing whistleblower Mike Fiers

Mendoza, who also works as an ESPN analyst, said Fiers' decision was 'hard to swallow'

Jessica Mendoza has curious, confusing take on Mike Fiers and the Astros' sign-stealing

Mendoza, current ESPN analyst and Mets special adviser, offered some unfiltered comments on Mike Fiers and the Astros.

Elephant Rumblings: Mets undecided on future of manager Beltrán

A’s Coverage: Lockard: A look at how elite catching prospects like Joey Bart and Sean Murphy have turned out over the past decade... ($$$) Mayo: Here are MLB’s Top 10 LHP prospects for 2020... Official: Spring Training first workouts, game times... Kleinschmidt: MLB win totals - A’s projected to win 89.5 games in 2020 by sports book... Best of AN: Nico: As(terisk)tros Are Proof That “Winning” Is An Oft Misunderstood Concept...MLB News: DiComo: Mets yet to address Beltrán’s...

As(terisk)tros Are Proof That “Winning” Is An Oft Misunderstood Concept

I don’t know if I should, but I still like you. | Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

There is some rejoicing, and much consternation, over the penalties levied on the Houston Astros in the wake of revelations that they did not come by the 2017 World Series title honestly.

General Manager Jeff Luhnow and Manager A.J. Hinch went, overnight, from esteemed leaders to answers to trivia questions for years to come. (“I’m sorry, ‘Who is Buck Showalter?’ is not correct. Perhaps you were...

Elephant Rumblings: Cora, Red Sox part ways amid sign stealing scandal

A’s Coverage: Official: Grady Fuson, Bob Melvin honored by Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation...MLB News: Browne: Red Sox part ways with manager Alex Cora... Park: 3B Josh Donaldson, Twins agree to four-year, $92M deal... Passan: Nolan Arenado talks between Rockies and Cardinals “haven’t gone anywhere”... Zolecki: Phillies claim former A’s OF Nick Martini off waivers; DFA Odubel Herrera... Cahill: Former A’s righty Tim Hudson Joins Auburn Coaching Staff... Bollinger: Angels...

MLB great Tim Hudson named pitching coach at Auburn

The Auburn Tigers baseball program have added one heck of a figure to lead their pitching staff. The program announced on Tuesday that it has hired four-time All-Star Tim Hudson to its staff as the pitching coach. Hudson’s wife, Kim, made the announcement that her husband was returning to the college he pitched for before the Oakland Athletics made him a sixth-round pick back in 1997. Hudson, 44, pitched 17 seasons in the bigs with the A’s, Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants. He...

Elephant Rumblings: MLB drops hammer on Astros for illegal sign stealing

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images A’s Coverage: Shea: How Astros’ sign-stealing penalties will affect A’s... ($) Gallegos: Oakland acquires Kemp in swap with Cubs... Slusser: A’s acquire Tony Kemp from Cubs... ($) Lockard: With a rotation long on talent but also long on injury history, the A’s will be creative managing their innings in 2020... ($$$) Coffey: In Tony Kemp, the A’s get a second baseman and a left-handed bat, amidst a little controversy... ($$$) Best of...

A’s acquire Tony Kemp from Cubs

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The utilityman comes to Oakland in exchange for a minor league prospect.

The Oakland A’s made a trade on Monday, acquiring utilityman Tony Kemp from the Cubs, the team announced. In exchange, first base prospect Alfonso Rivas heads to Chicago. There was already an open spot on Oakland’s 40-man roster, so no corresponding move was needed for this new addition.

A’s fans should already be at least slightly familiar with Kemp, who spent most of his...

Elephant Rumblings: A’s remain interested in catcher Wieters

Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images A’s Coverage: Rosenthal: Veteran catcher Matt Wieters drawing interest from A’s, Cardinals... Schulman and Slusser: A’s avoid arbitration with all 7 candidates, with big raise for Marcus Semien... ($) Gallegos: MVP finalist Semien, A’s strike deal... Schulman: Ed Sprague Sr., an original Oakland Athletic, dies at 74... ($) Tefertiller: A’s View Vimael Machin As Rule 5 Prize... ($) Coffey: Five predictions for the A’s...

Cardinals, A's continue to be linked to free-agent catcher Matt Wieters

The Cardinals and Athletics were first linked to Matt Wieters during the Winter Meetings, and a month after those initial reports, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal tweets that St. Louis and Oakland continue to have interest in the veteran backstop.   Wieters served as the Cards’ backup catcher last season, hitting .214/.268/.435 with 11 home runs over 183 plate appearances and 67 games, perhaps more playing time than was expected given that workhorse Yadier Molina was limited to 113 games...

Blogfather Writes Headline, Article

Nick Allen is a slick fielder...and he fits under your Xmas tree! | Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

I mean that’s the only thing that is happening right now, so what else was the headline going to be? Oh, I guess yesterday some people who are under contract signed contracts, but you know...second base...bullpen. Do something anytime, guys...

I did learn a lot over this past holiday season, though:

- Sometimes it takes 8 tries to find a medication that works. Preparations A-G are...

Context for the 2020 arbitration class

The just-finished flurry of arbitration news settled a bunch of price points. Some are reasonably notable; many were already largely anticipated and accounted for. More than ever before, the deals were closely fought (is it me or did they used to settle at rounder numbers?) and closely held (heaven forbid anyone learns anything any second before absolutely necessary). But at the end of the day, quite a few hit the books. But what of the unfinished negotiations — those that did not come to...

A’s avoid arbitration with all remaining players

Grossman, Canha, and Pinder have all signed. | Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images All seven remaining arbitration-eligible players have agreed to terms. The Oakland A’s have agreed to terms with all of their remaining arbitration-eligible players, the team announced Friday. They had seven such players, and each of them avoided arbitration hearings by inking one-year contracts for the 2020 season. Here’s the full list of Friday’s new signings, with the salary numbers mostly courtesy of...

Athletics Avoid Arbitration With Marcus Semien, Liam Hendriks

The Athletics have avoided arbitration with a series of key players. Of particular note, shortstop Marcus Semien will earn $13MM in his final season of arbitration eligibility, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). Increasingly excellent reliever Liam Hendriks also gets a nice boost, checking in at $5.3MM, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Ditto outfielder Mark Canha, who’ll earn $4.8MM, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (via Twitter). Also securing...