The A's are in serious need of a new stadium. (Photo Credit: www.probaseballforsanjose.com)

Nearly three years after Bud Selig appointed a special committee to oversee all of Oakland’s stadium options, the A’s still remain in limbo. The A’s remain prisoners in the confining cavern that is O.co Coliseum, and MLB isn’t doing much to help free the A’s.

General manager Billy Beane and the rest of the A’s front office are being held as captives of this on-going stadium issue, and as a result, cannot layout any long-term plans. Not being able to plan accordingly could do some serious damage to the A’s. For a team that missed the playoffs for a fifth-consecutive season this year, the A’s would like to turn things around sooner rather than later.

It is quite sad that, as a major league team, the A’s play in one of the most outdated stadiums in baseball. Heck, the A’s minor league affiliates, like the Sacramento River Cats, play on better fields than the A’s. Owner Lew Wolff has repeatedly state before in the past that the team is likely, if granted permission, to move out of Oakland. (more…)

Could even Dr. House (if he existed) solve the problems that surround the A's? (Photo Credit: FOX)

After getting slammed, and I mean literally slammed, by the New York Yankees on Thursday in the Bronx, the Oakland Athletics fell to 59-71 on the season and are still searching for meaning in this mostly meaningless season. The Athletics took two out of three from the Yankees, but that finale was so embarrassing I find it hard to believe that this squad of A’s actually took two of three from the Bronx Bombers. Perhaps luck was on their side during the first two games, I don’t know.

The A’s this season have been a mystery, much like the ones featured on FOX’s drama House, except there is no Gregory House in the real world to solve the many problems that currently stand in front of the Oakland A’s organization.

Obviously the biggest mystery is the one regarding the future of the A’s stadium situation. The A’s currently reside in O.co Coliseum, which they share with the NFL’s Oakland Raiders. O.co Coliseum, formerly known as the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, is an outdated stadium unfit for any major league franchise. Hell, it’s probably unfit for any high school baseball team. (more…)

Blevins had some trouble this season in Oakland’s bullpen, posting a 4.40 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched. Opponents had been hitting a cool .260/.394/.480 against the lefty this season.

Outman, meanwhile, rejoins Oakland’s rotation after going 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA for them in 2009. He suffered an elbow injury in June of 2009, and underwent Tommy John surgery that same year.

He was part of Oakland’s fifth-starter race during spring training, but ultimately lost out to Brandon McCarthy. Oddly enough, however, Outman is expected to start in place of the injured McCarthy on Monday night against the Angels.

The A’s would like to see Outman carry some of the success he’s had in Triple-A over into the big leagues. In his last four starts for Triple-A Sacramento, Outman went 4-0 with a 2.35 ERA. The A’s rotation is, without question, the team’s biggest strength this season, but with Dallas Braden, Tyson Ross, and McCarthy all missing action, guys like Outman will have to step up and make the most out their opportunities.