Elephant Rumblings: Rockhounds Snub, Bad 30-Homerun Hitters, Tigers’ Pitcher Update

Prospect Watch:

• A look back at this season’s three most exciting MiLB teams. The Rockhounds weren’t even deemed worthy of an honorable mention...

ICYMI:

• Cotton scratched with groin pull; A’s win anyway...
• Proposed stadium site a big hit with Oakland business leaders...
• Audubon decries A’s stadium as bad for the birds, fish...
• Forbes: If A’s return to contending, it will be because of Chapman, Olson...
• Matt Olson’s bat: So hot right now...
• Gossett aims to build on recent success...
• Whenever I see articles positing that a team is ready to give up on a player, my mind immediately wanders to possible A’s reclamation projects. Here’s one on Jose Bautista. And another on Brock Holt...
• Sam Miller: Welcome to the era of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad 30-home-run hitter...
• Another Dominican player dies in car crash...
• Alternative theories on the sinker’s decline...
• Vassar and beyond: Women and baseball in the 1800s...
• The playoff scenario MLB doesn’t want...
• Andy Green could be baseball’s next ‘it’ manager...
• Clayton Kershaw gives up first career grand slam...
• The Phillies will end 2017 without using a left-handed starting pitcher...

Today in Baseball History:

• 1939 - In his rookie season, Ted Williams hits a homerun off of Thornton Lee. 21 years later, Williams would homer off of Thornton’s son, Don Lee.
• 1972 - In a 15-inning contest with Chicago, the A’s set an extra-inning record by using 30 players, including six second basemen and 10 pinch-hitters. Together the two clubs use 51 players, another record. Oakland still loses, 8-7.

Best of Twitter:

• Welcome news updating last night’s terrifying moment...

• Impressive company...

• Why do baseball networks continue to display pitcher wins prominently again?

• This will likely be broken today...