Elephant Rumblings: A’s continue struggles in loss to Orioles

A’s Coverage:

• Slusser: A’s poor road trip continues in 12-4 loss at Baltimore...
• Gallegos: Takeaways - A’s tested by brutal stretch after Orioles loss makes it four in a row...
• McWilliams: The A’s need to take advantage of their head-to-head matchups with the Astros moving forward... ($)
• Seidel: A’s get big boost from order’s final third...
• Gallegos: J.B. Wendelken has morphed into A’s “fireman” now healthy from Tommy John...
• Slusser: A’s center fielder Ramón Laureano sits with minor thumb issue...
• Lockard: Giants and A’s minor-league notes - Joey Bart debuts in San Jose; Daulton Jefferies and Grant Holmes return... ($)

Best of AN:

• Raun-Linde: Game #14 - A’s Lose on Pitching, 4-12, Against O’s...
• Hall: J.B. Wendelken steps up amid tough series in Houston...
• grover: Oakland’s 2018/2019 International Expenditure...

MLB News:

• Passan: White House scuttles MLB’s Cuban agreement...
• Rosenthal: Would the Cubs think the unthinkable?; Kimbrel is a difference-maker; Yelich has lots to say; more notes... ($)
• King III: Luis Serverino headed for follow-up MRI...
• Keri: The 30 - In the second week of the season, it’s sunny in Philadelphia — but even sunnier in L.A... ($)

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Ghiroli: ‘It’s almost like a part of you dies’ - Retired players on hard choices and life after baseball... ($)
• Heneghan: A look at Michael Jordan’s MiLB career...
• Fink: J.D. Davis’ Changed Approach Could Turn Him Into a Big-Time Slugger...
• Thompson: Remembering Oracle Arena and the dreams it inspired for those growing up in Oakland... ($) (Not baseball, but definitely worth a read)

Today in Baseball History:

• 1974 - San Diego Padres owner Ray Kroc criticizes his club over the public address system during a game! “Ladies and gentlemen, I suffer with you,” Kroc says. “I’ve never seen such stupid baseball playing in my life.” The announcement occurs during San Diego’s 9 - 5 loss to the Houston Astros. Coincidentally, the San Diego Chicken team mascot makes its debut that day. Hearing of the incident, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn will make Kroc apologize to the fans.

Best of Twitter:

• Game recognize game...

• If I’m Chris Davis, I might consider this offer...

• The Phillies might be one of the most fun teams in baseball...