When the A's offered Marco Scutaro more money and more years than Boston did this winter, it was apparent that the team isn't entirely sold on Cliff Pennington as the everyday shortstop.

Scutaro chose the Red Sox, so Pennington remains the frontrunner for Oakland's shortstop job. But don't count out Adam Rosales.

Rosales was obtained from Cincinnati in the deal that sent Aaron Miles to the Reds and brought outfielder Willy Taveras and his $4 million salary to Oakland; the A's dumped Taveras and will pay all or nearly all of his salary this year. So they've made an investment in Rosales, 26.

Rosales was considered a possibility as the team's utility player, but with Eric Chavez showing that he is, so far, healthy as he comes back from two back surgeries and three...

Ben Sheets still looks like a pitcher who hasn't worked at the big league level in nearly a year and a half. His command isn't quite there and his fastball velocity is slightly down. He is unfazed, because Sheets has never been one to post big spring numbers. Oakland's new $10 million ace still considered his short outing in a 9-5 loss Wednesday to the Chicago White Sox a step in the...

The Oakland Athletics at Los Angels Angels game has been rained out Sunday. About 50 Japanese media were in attendance to cover Hideki Matsui's debut with the Angels. Matsui signed a one-year, $6 million free-agent contract after being named World Series MVP with the New York Yankees last season. Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters earlier in camp that Matsui would be treated carefully...

Coco Crisp's debut with Oakland gave manager Bob Geren an interesting dilemma at the top of the batting order. Crisp doubled and singled, Steve Tolleson drove in the go-ahead run and the Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 on Saturday. "That was a real nice first game," Geren said of Crisp.

Ben Sheets acknowledged being a little nervous but insisted it had nothing to do with facing his former team. It was more about facing hitters for the first time in 17 months. Sheets, who signed a $10 million, one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics in the offseason, started Friday's 8-7 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers and tossed 1 2-3 healthy innings.

With none of the distractions common in recent years -- no brooding outfielders, no major injuries, no contract dramas, no World Series predictions -- it's been a blissfully quiet spring training for the Chicago Cubs. Thursday, they finally got to make some noise. Marlon Byrd homered in his Cubs debut, one of five home runs in Chicago's 16-hit attack that opened the exhibition season with a...