:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46304928/GettyImages-479311027.0.jpg)
MiLB.com has made available video of Jarrod Parker's final pitch of the night in the sixth inning for the Nashville Sounds where he fell to the ground a left the game injured. Let me warn you that the video is disturbing in the sense that Parker is obviously in extreme pain as he goes to the ground and rolls around, holding his pitching arm:
The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser's sources during Friday night's game suggest the Athletics are hopeful the injury is only a scar tissue tear similar to what Andrew Bailey experienced in spring training 2011. Bailey did not appear in a professional game for another two months after leaving a spring training appearance.
Another bad possibility aside from a recurrence of a UCL injury is some sort of arm fracture, Slusser writes in the Drumbeat blog this morning.
#11 can do this! Thanks for all the and support... I'll continue to need!
— Jarrod Parker (@JarrodBParker) May 9, 2015
Correction (May 23): A previous edition of this paragraph incorrectly attributed to Nashville Sounds radio play-by-play announcer Jeff Hem comments comparing Parker's injury to Dave Dravecky's injury in 1989. The sentence has been removed.
A.J. Griffin shut down with shoulder soreness
Beat writers also reported the news that starting pitcher A.J. Griffin's three-inning simulated game on Thursday was aborted when he experienced shoulder soreness. Slusser writes, "Griffin has returned to the Bay Area to see A's doctors."
Sean Doolittle on track for end of May return
In brighter news, closer Sean Doolittle successfully threw 15 pitches off the mound to Josh Phegley and Max Muncy on Friday. Doolittle's girlfriend, Eireann Dolan, was nervous:
@susanslusser i can't watch I'm too nervous
— Eireann Dolan (@EireannDolan) May 8, 2015
For everyone else, Slusser took video of a couple of Doolittle's pitches:
For everyone but @EireannDolan, some video of Sean Doolittle throwing a baseball in direction of hitters: http://t.co/rakyXE88xf #Athletics
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) May 8, 2015
The Bay Area News Group's John Hickey writes that Billy Beane believes Doolittle will be back back the end of the month. Doolittle himself has avoided any mention of a return date so that he does not try to rush himself.
Nate Freiman activated from disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Nashville
Saturday morning, the A's deemed Nate Freiman recovered from the lumbar muscle injury that kept him out of much of spring training, activated him from the disabled list, and optioned him to Triple-A Nashville, where he had already been playing for his rehabilitation assignment. The transactional consequence of the move is that the first baseman will no longer accrue major league service time that he had been earning while on the disabled list.
Chad Smith traded to Los Angeles Angels
The A's received cash considerations from the Los Angeles Angels for right-handed reliever Chad Smith. The transaction was completed before Friday night's games, and the Angels optioned Smith to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. Smith had been designated for assignment on Thursday to allow Fernando Rodriguez to be added to the 40-man roster.
A's sign Matt Carson
With the Triple-A club needing a more permanent option in the outfield given the ephemeral nature that is one Alex Hassan (designated for assignment to make room for Angel Castro's addition to the roster), the A's turned to former Oakland outfielder Matt Carson and signed the 33-year-old to a minor league deal. Carson appeared in 46 games for the A's between the 2009 and 2010 seasons, though his career fielding highlight in Oakland was this attempt to catch a Juan Rivera home run:
@susanslusser Took far too much effort, but I found the MLB video (http://t.co/9irEgu9tUG), and Vined it, of course: https://t.co/L8lzDvEzUX
— Ryan Thibs (@NotMrTibbs) May 8, 2015
Baseball!
