Swingin' A's » MiLB

Is Jermaine Mitchell A Fit In Oakland?

Joseph Lopez — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:35:29 +0000

Heading into the 2012 season, the A’s will probably feature an entirely different outfield. Fans should embrace the fact that the A’s are poised to lose both Josh Willingham and Coco Crisp this winter, especially since the team already lost the other member of their 2011 starting outfield staff, David DeJesus.

DeJesus’s departure most likely means Oakland has no interest in retaining their free agents this winter and will probably look for in-house help next season. Players like Ryan Sweeney, Jai Miller, and Michael Taylor are all vying for playing time and with open spots in the outfield it’s expected that they’ll get a chance to play in 2012.

Aside from those three players, Oakland has another potential player to add to their outfield mix in 2012: Jermaine Mitchell. Mitchell, 27, was selected in the fifth-round of the 2006 June Amateur Draft by the A’s, and has quietly emerged as an outfield option for the power-hungry Athletics. (more…)

River Cats Playing In Luxury While A’s Suffer in O.co

Joseph Lopez — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 05:07:05 +0000

Where's Our Stadium, Lew? (Photo Credit: AP)

We all know that the Oakland Athletics play in one of dumpiest places in major league baseball, but did you know the team’s Triple-A affiliate plays in an oasis in Northern California?

Well, maybe not an oasis, but Raley Field is sure a heck of a lot better than Oakland’s O.co Coliseum. Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats, outshines O.co Coliseum in every facet of the game. From the atmosphere to the Food & Beverage, Raley Field is a much more respectable place to call “home.”

The A’s, meanwhile, can only watch as their Triple-A club basks in all the glory that is Raley Field. Mired in a tough stadium situation, one that has a stranglehold on their long-term planning, the A’s are forced to continue to play in the outdated Coliseum. (more…)

A’s Minor League Minute: Carter, Choice, Green & More!

Joseph Lopez — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:53:35 +0000

With Michael Taylor getting his call to the “show,” many A’s fans are growing anxious about some of the team’s other high-profile prospects. The A’s have a few more impact players waiting for their call to the big-leagues, including Chris Carter, Michael Choice, Grant Green, and a few others.

While some players are closer than others in receiving their ticket to the show, the following players mentioned throughout this post are figured to play some type of role with the A’s in the near future.

Chris Carter appeared in 10 games this season with Oakland, hitting just .133/.188/.133 in 30 at-bats. He walked a total of two times, but also struck out 14 times. He’s hit well in the minors this season, though. In 74 games with Triple-A Sacramento, Carter has hit .271/.366/.529 with 18 HR and 72 RBIs. He also appeared in six games this year with Single-A Stockton, and hit .333/.429/.708 with 3 HR and 7 RBIs. (more…)