The Oakland Raiders are coming off a disappointing debut to their preseason. After bringing in a lot of big-name veterans and adding an impressive group of rookies in the draft, the team was noticeably better during camp than it had looked at the same time last year. Unfortunately, none of that potential materialized in 10-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Detroit Lions put on a similarly underwhelming performance while eking out a 13-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns. The performance is partially explained by the fact that the starters didn't see too much action, but the team as a whole ...
Serious question: Would the Oakland A's have the best record in baseball—the first and only team with over 70 wins so far—without manager Bob Melvin?
Perhaps. But having the 2012 Manager of the Year at the helm certainly hasn't hurt the team.
One could make the argument that there is no manager in baseball today that could run a Billy Beane roster more effectively. Between his mastering of platoons, clear communication, player's manager persona and faith in his guys, Melvin may very well be on his way to a second Manager of the Year award.
Just consider these five moves he's made in ...
The Oakland A’s put an end to the Kansas City Royals’ eight-game winning streak on Tuesday night, as they exploded for 11 runs on 20 hits to back another strong outing from left-hander Jon Lester.
But the A’s star of the game was third baseman Josh Donaldson, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of late-inning home runs and four RBI—one of his finest performances of the season.
Donaldson’s second homer, which came in the eighth inning off left-hander Bruce Chen, was his 25th of the season, a new career high for the 28-year-old All-Star after hitting 24 during his breakout 2013 campaign.
And with ...
The Oakland Raiders have completed two weeks of camp. More importantly, the team has played its first preseason game, providing the first glimpse of what this version of the Raiders actually looks like.
There were several players in camp, such as T.J. Carrie, Khalil Mack and Derek Carr, that had the coaching staff excited. But this was in practice, and no matter how intense a practice may be, there's no way to truly simulate live-game action.
The Raiders also made several key additions, and this would be the first real opportunity to prove that the infusion of experience and talent that looked ...
The Oakland Raiders made some big moves in the offseason, drafting Khalil Mack in the first round and adding Matt Schaub at quarterback.
Can Oakland's offense put up the points? What will be the focal points on defense? What are the major headlines and the burning questions surrounding the Raiders in 2014?
Watch as Adam Lefkoe and Bleacher Report NFL Analysts Chris Simms and Matt Miller preview the Raiders' season in the video above.Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
The Oakland Raiders didn’t score until less than two minutes were remaining in the fourth quarter of a preseason game. The good news is that the game didn’t count, and the Raiders still have time to correct the errors that led to an ugly debut.
Penalties were a big problem in Friday's 10-6 loss, and the starters on both sides of the ball didn’t look sharp, but we are dealing with very small sample sizes of a much larger product. The preseason is like a sample of cold cheese that will be used to make a hot pizza.
After decades of losing, ...
Clearly it's a cliche the Oakland A's understand: You can never have too much pitching. That's why, even after acquiring Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs, the A's went big at the deadline and dealt for Jon Lester.
The trade cost Oakland dearly. To acquire the playoff-tested southpaw from the Boston Red Sox and shore up a starting rotation that was already a strength, the A's sacrificed Yoenis Cespedes, one of the most promising sluggers in baseball.
Oakland will undoubtedly miss his bat, though as John Shea of SFGate.com notes, "Oakland's offense hadn't been in sync since before Yoenis Cespedes ...
Jesse Chavez began the year as a legitimate part of the Oakland Athletics' one-two-three punch behind Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir but was rocked by offenses in July. Now Chavez has been moved to the bullpen, completing a roller-coaster ride from long reliever to starting pitcher to ace back to long reliever.
All hope seemed to be lost for the Oakland Athletics' starting rotation when Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin both underwent Tommy John surgery before the season began. Chavez took over a rotation spot with just two career starts to his name and helped the A's not miss a beat in ...
The July 31 trade deadline may have passed, but the Oakland Athletics can still add to the roster to bolster their playoff chances.
Before July's deadline, Oakland acquired pitchers Jeff Samardzija, Jason Hammel and Jon Lester. It also added outfielders Jonny Gomes and Sam Fuld. Arguably only the Detroit Tigers' pitching staff rivals the caliber the A's possess. And with a returning Coco Crisp, the outfield contains plenty of depth (more once Craig Gentry returns from injury).
The three-headed monster that is Derek Norris, Stephen Vogt and John Jaso has been one of the most consistent units for most of the 2014 ...
The Oakland Raiders' draft picks have seen enough time on the field to show what they can do. Most of these rookies aren't expected to start, but with the overhaul the Raiders' roster underwent this offseason, they certainly have the opportunity to earn playing time.
There's been no real-game action yet, so the performances of these players should be taken in proper context. How they truly perform in the NFL won't be known until they see live action in front of a crowd against other players who are also fighting for a job.
However, that doesn't mean what they've done in camp ...