Elephant Rumblings: Luzardo solid in first start, Jefferies has bicep strain

A’s Coverage:

• Borek: Luzardo peppers zone in sizzling spring debut
• Slusser: A’s minor-league starter Daulton Jefferies has biceps strain, awaits MRI ($)
• Byrne: MLBTR Poll: How Good Are The Athletics?
• Brazil: Why versatile Chad Pinder is most respected player in A’s clubhouse
• Johnson: Why A.J. Puk is ahead of Jesus Luzardo on Keith Law’s top prospects list
• Kaye: Five things from A’s HQ: A pitcher struggles, another shines and a third is hurt
• MiLB.com: Snappers announce 2020 coaching staff (A’s Single-A Affiliate)

Game Recaps:

• Baker-Gillman: Spring Game #4: Jefferies Exits Early With Injury
• Baker-Gillman: Spring Game #5: Luzardo Dazzles, Allen (Austin) Homers

MLB News:

• Anderson: Yankees’ Luis Severino needs Tommy John surgery, will miss entire 2020 season

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Edwards: Can Cleveland Afford Francisco Lindor?
• Blengino: MLB’s Best Cutters And Splitters Are Thrown By Homer Bailey, Anibal Sanchez And Walker Buehler
• Mullin: Phillie Phanatic creators issue statement blasting team’s ‘new’ mascot ($)

Today in Baseball History:

• 1887 - Grover Cleveland Alexander is born in Elba, Nebraska. Suffering from epilepsy, haunted by his experiences in combat during World War I, and shadowed by alcoholism, Alexander will still be able to win 373 games during a 20-year career, the third highest total in major league baseball history. He is the only pitcher in major league history to win the pitching Triple Crown (Wins, Strikeouts, ERA) three years in a row. Alexander will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1938.
• 2004 - With hundreds of on-lookers, including a man covered in ivy, singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game, the foul ball made famous by Steve Bartman in the 2003 National League Championship Series is blown up at Harry Caray’s restaurant in Chicago. The infamous ball’s demise is executed by Michael Lantieri, a Cubs die-hard fan and Oscar Award winner who has worked on similar special effects in the films Jurassic Park and Back to the Future.
• 2014 - It’s only the first day of Cactus League games, but A’s OF Josh Reddick is already in mid-season form. He twice robs the Giants’ Mike Morse of home runs with spectacular catches over the fence in right field at Scottsdale Stadium.

Best of Twitter:

Good lil’ video tribute...

Luzardo matches Puk’s first start highlight with one of his own...

The boys have his back...

These are all accurate...