Elephant Rumblings: World Series Champs reunite at Coliseum

MLB news roundup

Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!

The weekend started off promisingly enough. The A’s jumped ahead in the Twins series with a late comeback win on Friday and had scored five or more runs in three of their past four games. Having been swept through four games in Minneapolis last week, the A’s were well positioned to get revenge at the Coliseum.

Sadly, the bats went flat as the weekend got into full swing. The A’s had just four hits in Saturday’s 10-2 rout. It may have been just as well that they save their energy for Sunday, given the catastrophic eight-run outing of just 1⅓ innings that JP Sears had—his second rough go against the Twins in as many weeks.

The ‘74 champs were on hand Sunday to remember past glories and cheer the team to a series win. Attendance hit a season high.

As it happened, Pablo López with his 5.63 ERA utterly dominated the Athletics, pitching five perfect innings en route to finishing eight scoreless with 14 strikeouts. So much for putting on a show for the big crowd.

Of course, the unusually large crowd had come primarily to remember one of the finest moments in Oakland A’s history: winning the World Series a third consecutive time in 1974. Series MVP Rollie Fingers addressed the crowd, and he was accompanied by teammates Darold Knowles, Dave Hamilton, Ted Kubiak, Dick Green, Herb Washington, Billy North, Blue Moon Odom, Joe Rudi, Gene Tenace, and Bert Campaneris.

With legends like those on the field, it’s hard to imagine fans left disappointed on Sunday despite the offensive lull. And the game was mercifully brief at 131 minutes.

Have a stellar week, AN.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s dominated by Pablo Lopez in 3-0 loss
• A’s roster moves: JD Davis traded to Yanks, Jimenez to IL
• What We Have Learned In The Last 48-96 Hours
• A’s reunion of 1974 World Series champs bittersweet as team preps for move to Las Vegas ($)
• ‘Surreal’ becomes real for Alvarez after A’s callup
• Vinny Nittoli Elects Free Agency
• Final A’s Game in Oakland May Be Packed

MLB News & Interest:

• Why Willie Mays is MLB’s greatest player: The stats, the facts and the argument ($)
• Rangers Activate Max Scherzer
• Orelvis Martinez Receives 80-Game Suspension Following Positive PED Test
• Three Surgeries Later, Daulton Jefferies Indeed Appreciating Opportunity With Pirates
• Willie Mays’ childhood home in Alabama in poor repair, but could be restored ($)
• Yankees Place Giancarlo Stanton On 10-Day Injured List
• Mets Notes: Marte, Reid-Foley, Senga
• Cardinals Notes: Arenado, Siani, Contreras, Nootbaar
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Roster moves.

Clarke on a tear his past dozen games.

Send some of that O to Oakland!

Another tough outing for Boyle

Injury updates.