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Good morning, Athletics Nation!
It’s been a few days since the last installment of Elephant Rumblings, so here’s your latest coronavirus pandemic update as it pertains to baseball.
The latest team to report a coronavirus case is the Houston Astros, but it wasn’t among their MLB roster. Rather, someone at their alternate training camp in Corpus Christi tested positive, leading the team to temporarily shut down the camp, reports insider Brian McTaggart.
More details from Astros general manager James Click, via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle: “No one currently on the road with the major league team turned up as a part of the contact tracing protocols. Based on the protocols, the big league team is currently unaffected.”
At the moment this won’t interrupt Houston’s big league schedule, as it did for the Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Mets before them. All of those clubs had at least one MLB player test positive, and were forced to postpone multiple games for quarantine purposes, ranging from just a couple games up to a couple weeks.
On the bright side, the Mets’ ongoing episode is so far not spreading into an outbreak. No new cases have emerged among the team in multiple rounds of testing. The Mets have postponed their last four games starting, and you can see the full press release here about the encouraging round of Thursday!
Teams continue to take the virus seriously, in terms of taking steps to avoid its spread. The Los Angeles Dodgers sent home pitching prospect Edwin Uceta for violating safety protocol, reports Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times. Meanwhile, in Cleveland, pitchers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac still haven’t rejoined the team after their own guideline violations.
A’s Coverage
- Slusser: A’s in buying mode as deadline approaches — will there be starters available? ($)
- Hickey: Diekman Says it’s on his Teammates to Force Athletics Hand at Trade Deadline
- Hickey: Athletics Caught by Surprise, Pleasantly So, by Family Video Introductions
- Hickey: It’s Never Too Early for Athletics to Start Talk About Hendriks & Cy Young
- Hickey: While Athletics Hitters Lead MLB in Strikeouts, Batting Coach Sees Improvement
- Hickey: Athletics Feel Prepped for Longest Road Trip Through the AL West
- Kawahara: A’s face ‘important’ 10-game road trip through Texas, Seattle ($)
- Kawahara: A’s find strikeouts are ‘a big deal’ ($)
- Gallegos: Puk’s role; A’s monitor wildfires
- Lockard: Healthy again, A’s prospect Grant Holmes is perfecting his craft in San Jose ($$$)
- Coffey: How Jed Lowrie helped launch Robbie Grossman into a key role for the A’s ($$$)
- Hall: A’s injury update: Teddy Bear alright after getting hit with foul ball
- Friday: Game #27: A’s jump on Angels early in 5-3 win
- Saturday: Game #28: Defense betrays Oakland in 4-3 loss to Angels
- Sunday: Game #29: Mark Canha walk-off seals 5-4 win, season series victory over Angels
MLB News & Interest
- Meisel and Lloyd: Trades, grievances or a reunion: What’s next in the Plesac/Clevinger saga? ($$$)
- Rosenthal: Red Sox-Phillies swap offers template for trades in abbreviated 2020 ($$$)
- Stanwick: Blue Jays acquire Daniel Vogelbach
- Byrne (roundup): Mariners Select Aaron Fletcher, Activate Yoshihisa Hirano
- Byrne (roundup): Padres Place Drew Pomeranz On Injured List
- Piecoro: D-Backs look like buyers as complicated trade deadline nears
- Stark: The Useless Info Dept., Extra Extra Edition ($)
- Today in Baseball History
Weekend Game Highlights
Friday: Win! Semien set the tone with his eighth career leadoff homer.
There's "loud contact" and then there's "Might get a noise complaint" loud contact #RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/T317kUGj0D
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) August 22, 2020
Saturday: Loss! Defense 100% cost them the game, but here’s one nice play by Kemp
That’s a hell of a play by Tony Kemp pic.twitter.com/elctuDWCgr
— Ben Ross (@BenRossTweets) August 22, 2020
Sunday: Win! Canha get a walk-off?!
That's a walk-off series winner from @outtadapakmark!#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/1sIHLAjQPd
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) August 23, 2020
Best of A’s Twitter
Best idea ever
The Green and Gold fams can't cheer on our guys at the ballpark, so they sent their love via the lineup! #RootedInOakland
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) August 22, 2020
(h/t @Suns) pic.twitter.com/QTPnHJYjj3
A’s family loses a long-time member
The Oakland A's are saddened to learn of the passing of Roy Byrd, a longtime security guard at the Coliseum. He was a friend to all and will be missed. pic.twitter.com/LDP9WYXVUh
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) August 22, 2020
Best wishes to Ben in retirement!
After 40 years in the industry and more than 30 at the Coliseum, @AP photographer Ben Margot is hanging 'em up. Thank you for capturing so many amazing memories like this! pic.twitter.com/OBaaBCEvzK
— AthleticsPR (@AthleticsPR) August 23, 2020
Also best wishes to Teddy in the rest of his injury recovery
We’re happy to report that T. Bear, despite feeling a little stuffy, has passed concussion protocol and will be ready for tonight’s game. His new seat neighbor grabbed a helmet out of his trunk as a precaution.
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) August 21, 2020
cc: @MLB @Cut4 pic.twitter.com/XVKBBnhXfA
Puk update
A.J. Puk is throwing a bullpen session today and if he comes out of it well, he would throw to hitter next, probably twice before rejoining team. Melvin says he could wind up with the sort of role Butch Smith had.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) August 21, 2020
Possibly the worst call you’ll ever see, and it wasn’t even Angel Hernandez
Huh???? pic.twitter.com/FLsnPJRCer
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) August 23, 2020
Sorry to quote myself but the world needs to know
Mark Canha has driven in the winning run for the #Athletics in the 9th or 10th inning in three of the team's last 10 games. (Sac fly against Giants, homer against Giants, walk-off sac fly against Angels)
— Alex Hall (@AlexHallAN) August 24, 2020
Best of MLB Twitter
Updates on Clevinger and Plesac
Chris Antonetti, on the next step of this saga:
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) August 21, 2020
(And here's a story on the possibilities, from trades to service time manipulation to reconciliation: https://t.co/8WfutKwumd) pic.twitter.com/qnpXqtwOVA
Phillies swing a trade with Red Sox
The Phillies are getting a PTBNL or more cash from Boston in addition to Workman, Hembree and $815,000. Seabold is a No. 4/5 SP prospect and his inclusion has surprised rival evalutors. Phillies were in a tough spot; needed bullpen upgrades.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) August 22, 2020
Phillies strike again, this time with Yankees, with New York receiving a pitcher with a most unfortunate baseball name
Veteran right-hander David Hale, who was DFA'd by the Yankees earlier in the week, is headed back to the Phillies in the trade for Addison Russ, sources tell ESPN. @MattGelb was on it.
— Geoff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 21, 2020
‘Do knows
Jayce Tingler tried to explain what Fernando Tatis Jr. is doing: pic.twitter.com/IgHeXGyEq9
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) August 23, 2020
Former A’s top prospect back in the Bay Area (infielder Daniel Robertson)
#Rays trade Robertson to #Giants for PTBNL or cash
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 23, 2020
Payton finally makes it to the bigs! (So far he’s 0-for-3 at the plate)
The #Reds today made the following transactions: pic.twitter.com/ZTdLTyvLTJ
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) August 22, 2020
Astros also moved Yordan Alvarez to the 45-day IL, which is just procedural since he was already medically ruled out for the season after knee surgery
Regarding a timetable for Alex Bregman's return from his hamstring strain, Astros GM James Click told @AstrosRadioMLB on today's pre-game show that the team at this point is "hoping it's a three-week thing."
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) August 23, 2020
Minor (non-MLB) moves by the Angels
Today the Angels made the following transactions:
— Angels PR (@LAAngelsPR) August 23, 2020
- LHP Jose Quijada - Reinstated from IL (remains optioned at Alternate Training Site)
- OF Michael Hermosillo - Designated for Assignment
lol wut
How the heck did David Fletcher hit this pitch for a double? pic.twitter.com/cmp4wckJp6
— Cut4 (@Cut4) August 22, 2020
lol wut, part 2
Zack Greinke, calling his own pitch...and throwing a 54mph Curveball. pic.twitter.com/gp0g2vNFWj
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 23, 2020
Love Greinke, but LOL Astros
The Astros watching themselves get swept today pic.twitter.com/imJejKPqij
— 2020 Astros Shame Tour (@AsteriskTour) August 23, 2020
