Elephant Rumblings: A’s head to Japan; new MLB rules official

A’s Coverage:

• Slusser: Anime, ramen and old friends - A’s players look forward to Tokyo trip...
• Lockard: A’s minor-league notebook - A look at how prospects fared in Cactus League games, plus injury updates... ($)
• Callis: A’s farm still strong in OF despite loss of Murray...
• Callis: After adjustments, A’s Beck focused on power...
• Lukas: Cause for Celebration - A’s to Retain White Shoes... (h/t 4-6-3)

MLB News:

• Official: MLB, MLBPA Announce On-Field Agreement...
• Johns: Mariners slugger Kyle Seager likely out until June...
• McCosky: Tigers shut down righty Michael Fulmer...
• Morosi: Keuchel staying sharp, fielding offers in California...

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Corcoran: The 2019 Misery Index - Which MLB fanbase has it the worst? ($)
• Saxon: Baseball prefers managers to have MLB experience, but is that about to change? Judging by the NFL, it should... ($)
• Dierkes: Largest Contract In Franchise History For Each MLB Team...
• Petriello: How the 3-batter minimum will change baseball...

Today in Baseball History:

• 1977 - In a ten-player megatrade, the Pittsburgh Pirates send Tony Armas, Doug Bair, Dave Giusti, Rick Langford, Doc Medich, and Mitchell Page to the Oakland Athletics, in exchange for Phil Garner, Tommy Helms, and Chris Batton.
• 1978 - The Oakland Athletics trade star pitcher Vida Blue to the San Francisco Giants for seven players and nearly $400,000 in cash. In exchange for Blue, Oakland acquires catcher Gary Alexander, infielder Mario Guerrero, outfielder Gary Thomasson, and pitchers Dave Heaverlo, Phil Huffman, John Henry Johnson and Alan Wirth. Blue will win 18 games for the Giants this season.

Best of Twitter:

• The A’s have released a site plan for Howard Terminal, and I highly recommend taking a look (h/t kbtoyz)...

• Another intriguing A’s prospect to keep an eye on...

• Next stop: Japan!