Majors: Organization Reports: Oakland Athletics: 2009
Well-Traveled John Meloan Settles In Athletics' Bullpen
Nov. 13, 2009
Righthander John Meloan pitched in four organizations in 2009, landing in the Athletics' bullpen in September, where he did not allow an earned run in eight innings. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics' Henry Rodriguez Controls His Own Destiny
Oct. 29, 2009
If 22-year-old righthanded reliever Henry Rodriguez can bring together his control and awesome velocity, he could emerge as a force from the Athletics' bullpen. [...] Continue Reading »
A's Lefty Brad Kilby Uses Unorthodox Delivery To Good Effect
Oct. 16, 2009
Sporting perhaps the most unusual delivery in baseball, lefthander Brad Kilby did not allow an earned run in his first eight big league appearances, emerging as a candidate for the Athletics' 2010 bullpen. [...] Continue Reading »
Mortensen Trying To Put It All Together After Trade
Oct. 5, 2009
Athletics righthander Clayton Mortensen has above-average stuff, he's just trying to learn how to control it better. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics Final Report
Sep. 17, 2009
Casey Tefertiller selects an end-of-season best player, best pitcher and player to watch in the Athletics organization. [...] Continue Reading »
A's Shortstop Cliff Pennington Seeks To Dial Down Energy
Sep. 4, 2009
The Athletics have committed to using the final month of the season to evaluate 25-year-old shortstop Cliff Pennington, whom they selected in the first round of the 2005 draft. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics View Chone Figgins As Exemplar For Eric Patterson
Aug. 21, 2009
The mad scientists in Oakland are in the midst of a cloning experiment—they want to create the next Chone Figgins. The plan is to make Eric Patterson into a multi-positional player who can function as a force at the top of the order. [...] Continue Reading »
Less Equals More For Athletics' Tommy Everidge
Aug. 7, 2009
Tommy Everidge decided midway through last season that it was time to stop trying to hit so many of those darned home runs. The Athletics first baseman evolved into a more complete hitter, mixing power with average, and it pushed him to the big leagues this season. [...] Continue Reading »
A's Catcher Perseveres Through Life-Threatening Illness
Jul. 23, 2009
When the doctors told Athletics catcher Landon Powell that his baseball career might be over, he refused to accept it. The disease itself, autoimmune hepatitis, could have been enough to end his career. The treatment could be even worse. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics Midseason Report
Jul. 10, 2009
Casey Tefertiller selects midseason award winners for the A's system, designating prospects in the Best Player, Biggest Leap Forward and Biggest Disappointment categories. [...] Continue Reading »
Going With Green
Jun. 10, 2009
Southern California shortstop Grant Green seemed like a sure top-three pick in the draft as he entered the 2009 season. But an inconsistent spring dropped him to the 13th pick, where the Athletics were happy to select him. [...] Continue Reading »
Mechanical Refinements Have A's Reliever Sam Demel On Target
Jun. 9, 2009
Athletics righthander Sam Demel has grown to love the late-inning relief role, which he first adopted in college. Now armed with a streamlined delivery and an improved slider, he's seen his career take off in Double-A. [...] Continue Reading »
Shades Of Gray
May. 28, 2009
For a 32nd-round pick, like Athletics righthander Jeff Gray, life in pro ball requires a great deal of flexibility. For Gray, it's meant a willingness to change roles, and also an accepting attitude toward riding the Triple-A shuttle. [...] Continue Reading »
Heart Of A Leon
May. 14, 2009
Last year, righthander Arnold Leon threw a slow, loopy curveball. His mission this year has been to add vigor and bite to the pitch with Double-A Midland. [...] Continue Reading »
Sticking To The Plan
Apr. 30, 2009
When righthander Trevor Cahill arrived at spring training camp, he could have let the whole situation envelop him. But as starters dropped one by one from the Athletics rotation, the 21-year-old pitched well enough to earn a job. [...] Continue Reading »
Power To Spare
Apr. 16, 2009
By the time high Class A Stockton won the California League title, first baseman Chris Carter had pounded 44 home runs and compiled 122 RBIs in a Ports uniform. But it might not have happened had he not recovered from a slow start. [...] Continue Reading »
Earning All A's
Apr. 3, 2009
The first two years of righthander Vin Mazzaro's professional career were a learning experience at the school of hard knocks. But throwing strikes with his power sinker produced immediate results at Double-A. [...] Continue Reading »
Dream Fulfilled
Mar. 20, 2009
Kids from South Dakota don't often dream of big league futures, but Athletics shortstop Dusty Coleman has a good reason—the 28th-round pick from Wichita State last year has started his professional career with a burst. [...] Continue Reading »
The Message Is Clear
Mar. 5, 2009
To the Athletics, a ballplayer is someone who lives and loves the game: He shows up early, exudes enthusiasm and wants to improve every aspect of his game. This is a near-perfect description for Adrian Cardenas. [...] Continue Reading »
Bailey's Turnaround
Feb. 20, 2009
After Andrew Bailey had done just about everything right in advancing his career, something suddenly started going very wrong in Midland. The adjustment to Double-A was simply not working, but A's pitching coordinator Gil Patterson had a few ideas. [...] Continue Reading »
Equipped For Adversity
Feb. 9, 2009
There was hardly time for Brett Anderson to unpack his suitcase. In the space of a single season, he pitched at three minor league levels, threw an inning in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium and played for the U.S. in the Beijing Olympics. [...] Continue Reading »
'A Good Shock'
Jan. 23, 2009
Todd Steverson already was at work, planning for his second year as manager of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, but he was pleasantly surprised by an offer to join the big league coaching staff. [...] Continue Reading »
Land Of Opportunity
Jan. 16, 2009
Players in the A's farm system are well aware of the franchise's declaration of rebuilding. [...] Continue Reading »
Tale Of Two Seasons
Dec. 22, 2008
Catcher Josh Donaldson started the year as Cubs' property, in low Class A Peoria, but he didn't hit up to his potential until after his July 8 trade to the Athletics, which included an assignment to high Class A Stockton, the eventual California League champs. [...] Continue Reading »
Well-Traveled John Meloan Settles In Athletics' Bullpen
Nov. 13, 2009
Righthander John Meloan pitched in four organizations in 2009, landing in the Athletics' bullpen in September, where he did not allow an earned run in eight innings. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics' Henry Rodriguez Controls His Own Destiny
Oct. 29, 2009
If 22-year-old righthanded reliever Henry Rodriguez can bring together his control and awesome velocity, he could emerge as a force from the Athletics' bullpen. [...] Continue Reading »
A's Lefty Brad Kilby Uses Unorthodox Delivery To Good Effect
Oct. 16, 2009
Sporting perhaps the most unusual delivery in baseball, lefthander Brad Kilby did not allow an earned run in his first eight big league appearances, emerging as a candidate for the Athletics' 2010 bullpen. [...] Continue Reading »
Mortensen Trying To Put It All Together After Trade
Oct. 5, 2009
Athletics righthander Clayton Mortensen has above-average stuff, he's just trying to learn how to control it better. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics Final Report
Sep. 17, 2009
Casey Tefertiller selects an end-of-season best player, best pitcher and player to watch in the Athletics organization. [...] Continue Reading »
A's Shortstop Cliff Pennington Seeks To Dial Down Energy
Sep. 4, 2009
The Athletics have committed to using the final month of the season to evaluate 25-year-old shortstop Cliff Pennington, whom they selected in the first round of the 2005 draft. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics View Chone Figgins As Exemplar For Eric Patterson
Aug. 21, 2009
The mad scientists in Oakland are in the midst of a cloning experiment—they want to create the next Chone Figgins. The plan is to make Eric Patterson into a multi-positional player who can function as a force at the top of the order. [...] Continue Reading »
Less Equals More For Athletics' Tommy Everidge
Aug. 7, 2009
Tommy Everidge decided midway through last season that it was time to stop trying to hit so many of those darned home runs. The Athletics first baseman evolved into a more complete hitter, mixing power with average, and it pushed him to the big leagues this season. [...] Continue Reading »
A's Catcher Perseveres Through Life-Threatening Illness
Jul. 23, 2009
When the doctors told Athletics catcher Landon Powell that his baseball career might be over, he refused to accept it. The disease itself, autoimmune hepatitis, could have been enough to end his career. The treatment could be even worse. [...] Continue Reading »
Athletics Midseason Report
Jul. 10, 2009
Casey Tefertiller selects midseason award winners for the A's system, designating prospects in the Best Player, Biggest Leap Forward and Biggest Disappointment categories. [...] Continue Reading »
Going With Green
Jun. 10, 2009
Southern California shortstop Grant Green seemed like a sure top-three pick in the draft as he entered the 2009 season. But an inconsistent spring dropped him to the 13th pick, where the Athletics were happy to select him. [...] Continue Reading »
Mechanical Refinements Have A's Reliever Sam Demel On Target
Jun. 9, 2009
Athletics righthander Sam Demel has grown to love the late-inning relief role, which he first adopted in college. Now armed with a streamlined delivery and an improved slider, he's seen his career take off in Double-A. [...] Continue Reading »
Shades Of Gray
May. 28, 2009
For a 32nd-round pick, like Athletics righthander Jeff Gray, life in pro ball requires a great deal of flexibility. For Gray, it's meant a willingness to change roles, and also an accepting attitude toward riding the Triple-A shuttle. [...] Continue Reading »
Heart Of A Leon
May. 14, 2009
Last year, righthander Arnold Leon threw a slow, loopy curveball. His mission this year has been to add vigor and bite to the pitch with Double-A Midland. [...] Continue Reading »
Sticking To The Plan
Apr. 30, 2009
When righthander Trevor Cahill arrived at spring training camp, he could have let the whole situation envelop him. But as starters dropped one by one from the Athletics rotation, the 21-year-old pitched well enough to earn a job. [...] Continue Reading »
Power To Spare
Apr. 16, 2009
By the time high Class A Stockton won the California League title, first baseman Chris Carter had pounded 44 home runs and compiled 122 RBIs in a Ports uniform. But it might not have happened had he not recovered from a slow start. [...] Continue Reading »
Earning All A's
Apr. 3, 2009
The first two years of righthander Vin Mazzaro's professional career were a learning experience at the school of hard knocks. But throwing strikes with his power sinker produced immediate results at Double-A. [...] Continue Reading »
Dream Fulfilled
Mar. 20, 2009
Kids from South Dakota don't often dream of big league futures, but Athletics shortstop Dusty Coleman has a good reason—the 28th-round pick from Wichita State last year has started his professional career with a burst. [...] Continue Reading »
The Message Is Clear
Mar. 5, 2009
To the Athletics, a ballplayer is someone who lives and loves the game: He shows up early, exudes enthusiasm and wants to improve every aspect of his game. This is a near-perfect description for Adrian Cardenas. [...] Continue Reading »
Bailey's Turnaround
Feb. 20, 2009
After Andrew Bailey had done just about everything right in advancing his career, something suddenly started going very wrong in Midland. The adjustment to Double-A was simply not working, but A's pitching coordinator Gil Patterson had a few ideas. [...] Continue Reading »
Equipped For Adversity
Feb. 9, 2009
There was hardly time for Brett Anderson to unpack his suitcase. In the space of a single season, he pitched at three minor league levels, threw an inning in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium and played for the U.S. in the Beijing Olympics. [...] Continue Reading »
'A Good Shock'
Jan. 23, 2009
Todd Steverson already was at work, planning for his second year as manager of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, but he was pleasantly surprised by an offer to join the big league coaching staff. [...] Continue Reading »
Land Of Opportunity
Jan. 16, 2009
Players in the A's farm system are well aware of the franchise's declaration of rebuilding. [...] Continue Reading »
Tale Of Two Seasons
Dec. 22, 2008
Catcher Josh Donaldson started the year as Cubs' property, in low Class A Peoria, but he didn't hit up to his potential until after his July 8 trade to the Athletics, which included an assignment to high Class A Stockton, the eventual California League champs. [...] Continue Reading »
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