A’s Coverage:
- Hickey: Athletics’ 2023 Stadium Opening Date Seems Increasingly in Jeopardy Thanks to COVID-19
- Hickey: Ex-A’s 3B Coach Williams Ready to Manage as Korean Baseball Gets Going Again
- Poole: Reggie Jackson claims A’s 1970s dynasty better than his Yankees teams
- Gallegos: Athletics’ Top 5 shortstops
Best of AN:
MLB News:
- Anderson: MLB discussing three-state plan with one hub in Texas as possible solution to start 2020 season
- Blum: MLB players say pay shouldn’t be cut if empty ballparks
- Rosenthal: Manfred will allow teams to furlough or reduce pay to some employees ($$$)
- Kurtz: KBO (Korea) will open season on May 5
- Soshnick: Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez Retain JPMorgan to Raise Money for Mets Bid
Baseball Interest Stories:
- Yoo: MLB veteran Dan Straily trying to lead by example in KBO, make late great grandfather proud
- Kelly: 7 stars who outperformed their MVP teammates
- Clair: 30 guys with epic facial hair, 1 from each club
- Quiz of the Day: Can you get a ‘perfect’ score?
Today in Baseball History:
- 1880 - George Wright turns down the Providence Grays’ final contract offer. Since the club has turned down an offer from the Worcester Ruby Legs, Providence will not allow any other club to negotiate with Wright. He will sit out the entire season (except for one game), becoming the first player victimized by the reserve system.
- 1957 - Don Hoak of the Cincinnati Redlegs unwittingly brings about a change in the baseball rules. Leading off second base, Hoak intentionally interferes with an apparent double play grounder. Hoak is called out, but the batter is safe. A new rule will result: if a runner willfully interferes with a batted ball that could result in a double play, both the runner and the batter will be called out.
- 1961 - The Minnesota Twins, formerly known as the Washington Senators, play their first home game in Minnesota at Metropolitan Stadium, losing to the expansion “new” Washington Senators, 5 - 3.
- 2002 - Rafael Furcal hits three triples to tie the modern major league record as the Atlanta Braves defeat the Florida Marlins, 4 - 2. The last player to accomplish the feat was Lance Johnson of the Chicago White Sox in 1995. The last time a Braves player hit three three-baggers in one contest was on June 13, 1956 when Danny O’Connell accomplished the feat.
- 2012 - Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox throws a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field, a 4 - 0 victory for the ChiSox.
- 2014 - Two days after being acquired in a trade from the Mets, 1B Ike Davis of the Pirates hits a grand slam off the Reds’ Mike Leake in the 4th. Davis had earlier hit a slam for New York on April 5th, making him the first player to hit one with two different teams in the month of April.
Best of Twitter:
Progress on MLB employee pay
Teams that have pledged to pay baseball-operations employees through at least May 31, per ESPN sources:
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 21, 2020
- White Sox
- Phillies
- Braves
- Reds
- Giants
- Rockies
- Blue Jays
- Twins
- Brewers
- D'backs
- Cardinals
- Marlins
- Cubs
- Royals
- Red Sox
- Astros
- Mariners
- Tigers
Slusser on the A’s absence from the list:
Emphasizing again: at this point. That doesn’t mean the A’s will not commit to paying their people through May at some point. This would be an ownership decision; even the front office is under contract and could be affected.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) April 20, 2020
Suit up!
Gotta keep the rookies lookin’ fresh. Marcus Semien took @Baby_Jesus9 shopping for a suit and to talk shop in @MLB’s newest original “Fitted”. Check out the full episode here ➡️ https://t.co/VERng1QJwr pic.twitter.com/yHoCsnYQI7
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 20, 2020
Having no baseball is ruff.
As much as I love my pups, would definitely rather see baseball on this field!! pic.twitter.com/Hen7Np5hZV
— Kayla Vucinich (@ilovevucy) April 19, 2020