Newsday (N.Y.): A's can't get Manny Ramirez back soon enough

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

OAKLAND, Calif. -- He's not far away, about 90 miles up Interstate 80 in Sacramento. That doesn't seem like much, but the distance Manny Ramirez still has to cover until he's back in the majors -- if, indeed, he ever gets there -- is greater than it appears.

Ramirez is playing for the Triple-A River Cats, the top farm team of the Oakland Athletics, as he regains his timing and waits for Wednesday -- his 40th birthday, by the way -- which will represent the end of a second 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2012 Newsday. All rights reserved.

Newsday (N.Y.): CC Sabathia puts on good show for his fans

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

OAKLAND, Calif. -- It wasn't as if the whole city was here. Vallejo's population is about 116,000. But CC Sabathia had purchased enough tickets -- 200 for family and friends from his hometown, a half-hour northeast of O.co Coliseum -- to fill an area of the rightfield stands.

His own rooting section, if you will, and once Sabathia was able to control his pitches Saturday, he gave them a show and helped the Yankees earn a 9-2 victory over the A's.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2012 Newsday. All rights reserved.

RealClearSports: Athletics Aren't Going Anywhere

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

OAKLAND, Calif. — So where are they going? The Oakland Athletics, that is. Not to Portland. No way. And Major League Baseball has as much chance of succeeding in Las Vegas as Bud Selig would in a one-man revue at the Bellagio.

Selig, not trying to be funny, hinted the A's, the why-won't-the-Giants-give-us-San-Jose A's, might move away from the Bay, meaning the body of water separating San Francisco and its sellout crowds — more than 100 in a row to this point — from the sad turnouts in Oakland.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2012

RealClearSports: For A's, There's No One There in Oakland

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

OAKLAND, Calif. – This is the other side of the Bay, the other side of baseball. This is where the Oakland Athletics perform in virtual anonymity, a team caught between an owner’s dreams and the reality of too many empty seats.

The Toronto Blue Jays were here Tuesday night. As usual the fans were not.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2012

SF Examiner: The way to San Jose becoming bitter battle for A's

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

PHOENIX -- The dynasty started 40 years ago in 1972. The A’s won a World Series. Then another. Then another, an achievement since unmatched.

This is going to be a season of celebration, of memories, and two of the greats from the era, Rollie Fingers and Bert Campaneris, stopped by spring training before a recent exhibition game, living reminders of the way it was.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2012 SF Newspaper Company