Elephant Rumblings: Las Vegas Aviators to face Sacramento River Cats in first round of PCL playoffs

A’s Coverage:

• Slusser: A’s Seth Brown, Sheldon Neuse thrive, thanks to minor-league coaches... ($)
• Ladson: Marcus Semien Q&A - A’s star talks offense, defense...
• Poindexter: A’s week in review - Sean Manaea returns, but the bullpen continues to be a concern... ($$$)
• Maldonado: Las Vegas Aviators head to playoffs, team officials say inaugural season surpassed all expectations...

Best of AN:

• Nico: How Best To Leverage This Bullpen In September...
• Moriarty: A’s Farm Report - Triple-A Update: Luzardo, Kaprielian, Playoffs & More...

MLB News:

• ESPN: Tigers minor leaguer Chace Numata dies after skateboarding accident...
• Davidi: Lefty Anthony Kay, acquired in Marcus Stroman deal, to be among Blue Jays’ September call-ups
• Foley: Yankees to activate slugger Edwin Encarnacion on Tuesday...
• Puma: Robinson Cano (hamstring) set to return to Mets on Tuesday...

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Lindbergh: The Knuckleball Isn’t Dead Yet...
• Baumann: How the Juiced Ball Sparked the Democratization of Dingers in MLB...
• Coffey: From a bookstore to the Bronx - Inside the moment Cory Gearrin became a Yankee... ($$$)
• Dodd: MLB Tiers - The Braves are on the move, the Nationals are lurking. Let the October positioning begin... ($$$)

Today in Baseball History:

• 1906 — Kid Elberfeld, the hot-headed Tabasco Kid, assaults umpire Silk O’Loughlin and is forcibly removed by police in the first game of a doubleheader, a 4 - 3 New York win over the Athletics. In the second game, New York baserunner Willie Keeler collides with SS Lave Cross trying to field a ground ball, and two runs score. O’Loughlin sees no interference, a call so hotly disputed by A’s captain Harry Davis that, after eight minutes of arguing, the umpire forfeits the game to New York. For New York, it is a major-league record 5th straight doubleheader sweep in consecutive days.
• 1932 — Against the Red Sox, Jimmie Foxx of the A’s poles his 50th and 51st home runs to become the third player to reach 50 in a season, joining Babe Ruth and Hack Wilson. Foxx’s 2nd homer, in the 9th, ties the game at 4 - 4, and Eric McNair follows with a game-winning home run.

Best of Twitter:

• Insane...

• Las Vegas is turning out to be a very supportive sports city...

• This seems to impact a potential MLB call-up...