A's send Weeks down to Class AAA
Jemile Weeks never pulled out of an extended sophomore slump, and on Tuesday the Oakland A's took unexpected and drastic action: The second baseman, who had a sensational rookie season in 2011, was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
Weeks, 25, was the one Oakland player considered "untouchable" last winter when the A's traded pitchers such as Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey. But Weeks was hitting .220 through Monday with two homers and 20 RBI in 113 games.
His .302 slugging percentage was second lowest in the league, and many scouts said it appeared as if Weeks was trying to hit the ball out of the park much of the year and flying out instead. Weeks, 5 feet 9 and 161 pounds, is not considered a power hitter, but he does have extremely good speed; his eight triples lead the league, though he did have some hip injuries that affected him in June.
With Weeks' departure, Adam Rosales, a utility infielder, was at second base on Tuesday night against the Twins. Manager Bob Melvin said Rosales and erstwhile starting shortstop Cliff Pennington will split time at second base.
Newly acquired shortstop Stephen Drew made his A's debut, batting second, and went 0-for-4 in Oakland's 4-1 win over the Twins. He was the only Oakland infielder not involved in the team's fifth-inning 5-4-3 triple play, which helped Brett Anderson win in his first game back from July 14, 2011, Tommy John surgery.
