Elephant Rumblings: Melvin Wants Puk On Roster From Day One, BART To Leave A’s High and Dry

A’s Coverage:

• BART tells A’s to forget about a new station at a waterfront ballpark...
• Back from Parkland vigil, Luzardo sets up fund...
• Kendall Graveman ready to lead A’s rotation...
• The temptation A’s will have to battle with this spring training...
• Phegley out to prove worth as healthy catcher...
• Oakland Athletics 2018 top-50 prospects: James Kaprielian, RHP...

MLB News:

• Chris Tillman agrees to 1-year contract with Orioles...
• Outfielder Chris Young, first baseman Chris Carter join Angels...
• Padres sign Eric Hosmer: What it means for Hosmer, Padres, Royals and Red Sox...
• Rays trade for C.J. Cron, designate All-Star Corey Dickerson for assignment...
• After trading Odorizzi, the Rays are planning to use a four-man rotation in 2018...

Baseball Interest Stories:

• MLB Prospect Surplus Values — 2018 Updated Edition...
• Evan Longoria ‘feels bad’ for Rays’ fan base...
• Ronald Acuna situation offers a way MLBPA can get back at owners over spending...
• The White Sox’ Rotation Could Be Anything...

Today in Baseball History:

• 1953 - Ted Williams safely crash-lands his damaged Panther jet after flying a combat mission in Korea. The plane was hit by enemy fire.
• 1977 - The Oakland A’s sell P Paul Lindblad to the Texas Rangers for $400,000, calling into question Bowie Kuhn’s policy on player sales. Kuhn had previously voided an Oakland sale of players (on June 18, 1976) as “not being in the best interest of baseball,” but had not specified the maximum amount allowable in a player sale.
• 1987 - After signing a contract as a free agent with the A’s less than a month ago, Vida Blue unexpectedly retires from baseball.

Best of Twitter:

• Hmm...

• A quick link to Luzardo’s fund...

• The Indians’ playoff hero is headed back to Cleveland...