Eric Chavez News

The Green, Gold and White Lotus Rebellion has begun! 2. Concede that third base is an organizational blind spot: In his prime, Eric Chavez slew right-handed pitchers for sport and was nigh-Brooksian with the glove.

The Oakland Athletics have signed free-agent third baseman Dallas McPherson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

The A's have signed free-agent third baseman Dallas McPherson to a Minor League agreement that includes an invitation to Spring Training.

The A's created some waves last winter by trading for Matt Holliday and signing free agent Jason Giambi.

Billy Beane of the A's spent the general managers' meetings in Chicago this week combing for third-base possibilities because the team does not have an automatic option there next season.

Evan Longoria became the Tampa Bay Rays' second consecutive corner infielder to win a Gold Glove when he was announced as the American League selection at third base on Tuesday.

Coming off two seasons in which their offense ranked near the bottom of the American League in virtually every significant category, the A's entered 2009 with high hopes and one of the best on-paper lineups in the league.

The A's came into the season with an untested but promising pitching staff and a new cast of hitters to bolster the lineup.

If the A's were conducting a clinical trial or product testing, this past season might be considered Phase 1: Pitching.

General manager Billy Beane offered a vote of confidence for manager Bob Geren on Monday, saying the skipper deserves credit for his creativity and patience with a beat-up roster.

Maybe it's not a West Coast thing after all. Maybe it's an Oakland thing. After the White Sox had lost 20 of 24 games to the A's on the West Coast, they figured maybe they could get something going back in the Midwest.

There is no news to speak of today as we get ready for Dana Eveland against Angels ace John Lackey.

The A's take comfort knowing that several of this season's core players are locked into the picture for next year as well.

The A's, who are closing fast, are all about youth now. No shock there. Virtually all of the team's veterans are in different uniforms, playing throughout the majors with different roles and different goals.

A's second baseman Mark Ellis began the season flanked by an accomplished group of infielders in Eric Chavez, Orlando Cabrera and Jason Giambi.

Brett Tomko is here - his arm is still in a sling, and he said that the nerve problem has been traced to his right biceps, where the nerve essentially was pulled.

After trading blowouts in the first two games of their four-game series, the Rangers and A's played an eventful back-and-forth affair on Wednesday, with Texas getting a big night from Hank Blalock on the way to a 9-8 victory.

The 2009 minor league season is over and congratulations are due to the Midland RockHounds, who won the Texas League crown by defeating the NW Arkansas Naturals 3 games to 1. The Sacramento River Cats were not so fortunate, getting swept by the Memphis Redbirds in 3 games.

The White Sox's offense did its best Tuesday night to come to the rescue of its once-invincible pitching staff.

The A's are rebuilding with youth, but every team needs at least a handful of veterans along for the ride.