Texas Rangers 3 Oakland Athletics 1

The Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton has been one of the best hitters in the league this year. Hamilton has a league leading 58 rbi's in 55 games played this year. On Friday night he was 2 for 4 with two runs scored, leading the Rangers over the A's 3 to 1. Mark Ellis was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Blue Jays find a groove

The Toronto Blue Jays found their groove on Thursday afternoon beating up on the Oakland A's 12 to 0. The Blue Jays punished A's pitcher Dana Eveland for eleven hits and seven earned runs in just four innings of work. Toronto pitcher Jesse Litsch had a career game allowing no runs in seven innings pitched. The A's just couldn't get anything going. Mark Ellis was 0 for 3 with a walk. Check for the monthly and yearly Ellis statistical breakdown coming soon.

Toronto 2 Oakland 1

Toronto Blue Jay pitcher Roy Halladay pitched eight innings giving up just one earned run on Wednesday night against the Oakland A's. He picked up his sixth win of the season with a help from an rbi double in the ninth inning by Alex Rios that clinched the game 2 to 1. Mark Ellis was 0 for 2 with two walks.

A's 3 Blue Jays 1

Mark Ellis was 0 for 3 with a walk in the A's 3 to 1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Reds hope to get a boost from Bruce

Cincinnati Reds top prospect Jay Bruce took center field for first time as a major leaguer on Tuesday night. He has been tagged by some as the top prospect in all of the major leagues. In his debut he was 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored, 2 rbi's, and 2 walks leading the Reds to a victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates 9 to 6. We will have to wait and see if Bruce can live up to all the hype.

Oakland best Boston again

The Oakland A's topped the Boston Red Sox 6 to 3 on Sunday. It was Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester's first outing after his historic no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals allowed seven hits and four runs in five innings of work. The hot hitting Oakland A's swept Boston in their three game series.
Mark Ellis was 0 for 3 with a run scored and a walk.

A's blank Boston 3 to 0

The A's beat the Red Sox 3 to 0 on Saturday night, with help from Pitcher Justin Duchscherer. Justin held Boston hitless into the seventh when David Ortiz singled. Huston Street came in and closed out the win. Mark Ellis was 1 for 3.

He's back!

Mark Ellis returned to the Oakland A's lineup with a bang Friday night. His three run home run in the fourth inning was his fourth of the year and helped lift the A's over the Boston Red Sox's 8 to 3. After missing nine games due to a hamstring injury, Ellis was happy to be back in the lineup. "To have to just sit there and watch is just such a helpless feeling," he said. "To be honest, you feel a little bit guilty, because you know how hard everyone's going, and you're just there doing nothing. It's awful." Ellis was 1 for 4 with 3 rbi's and a run scored. Oakland's head coach Bob Geren talked about Ellis after the game, "He's kind of our quiet leader on the field. He knows where to be and what to do at all times." Bobby Crosby was equally excited to get his double play partner back, "Just looking over at him makes you feel like you have a better chance to win that night," he said. "He could go 0-for-4 and make an error, and he's still probably going to do something to help you win the game."
Ellis also commented on Boston's Tim Wakefield, "With [Wakefield], it's always hit and miss. It's never easy, that's for sure. I actually thought he had a really good knuckleball tonight. ... It might not look like it because of the home runs, but he really did have a good one tonight."
Rich Harden pitched a gem for the A's allowing only four hits and two runs in six innings of work. He is now 3 and 0 on the season. In the fifth, Harden took a ground ball from Dustin Pedroia's off his leg, but Ellis scooped it up and hook shot the ball to Crosby at second for the out. Harden's take on the play by Ellis "It was great. There's not a lot of guys who make that play." Ellis put his usual easy going slant on the topic, "It was the only way I could get the ball there," Ellis said with a big smile. "When I went off the field, I was laughing. I don't think I've ever made that throw before. It was like lobbing a grenade."
Late in the game Boston was attempting to rally when Jacoby Ellsbury attempted to steal second base. The throw form A's cather Kurt Suzuki was late, but Ellis used his great fundamentals and kept the tag on Ellsbury. Sure enough Ellsbury's momentum carried him off the bag and Ellis was awarded the out. "He's the best second baseman in the league, in my opinion," A's Coach Geren said. "He's a very important part of our defense. ... Mark's one of the smartest players I've ever been around."
I whole heartedly agree. Ellis makes everyone better.

Eleven hits and nine runs, A's win

The Oakland A's cruised to an easy 9 to 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon. Oakland was lead by super strong pitching from Dana Eveland who pitched the complete game giving up just one run. The third and fourth hitters in the A's lineup, Bobby Crosby and Jack Cust, combined for 5 hits, 6 rbi's and4 runs scored. No word or sighting of Mark Ellis. His replacement the last few games has been a young Gregorio Petit from Ocumare, Venezuela. He is 5 for 15 with a run scored in his time as the replacement 2nd bagger.

Ray's 3 A's 2

The A's pitching staff gave up 3 runs in the top of the eighth to the Rays on Tuesday night. The Rays went on the win 3 to 2. Mark Ellis did not play.

Rays beat Oakland dramatically

The Tampa Bay Rays beat Oakland 7 to 6 in 13 innings on Monday night. Evan Longoria hit a two-run homer in the 13 to take the lead, Oakland then scored one run in the bottom half to come to within one run. Mark Ellis did not play.

Atlanta 5 Oakland 2, Chipper Jones

The Atlanta Braves beat the Oakland A's 5 to 2 Sunday. The Braves are led by veteran third basemen Chipper Jones, he is having one of the best years of his career. His batting average is .410, on base percentage is .475, he's slugging at .679, and has 11 home runs. The last player to hit .400 average for a complete season was Ted Williams in 1941. I would love to see Chipper chase the elusive mark, let's hope he can keep it up.

Mark Ellis missed his sixth straight game but looks to be ready for the coming home series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Coach Bob Geren said, "He's very close," when asked about Ellis' recovery from a hamstring injury.

Atlanta 4 Oakland 5

Oakland used home runs from Jack Cust and Ryan Sweeny to edge the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. Mark Ellis did not play.

Atlanta 3 Oakland 2

Atlanta used an Mark Kotsay's two rbi double to left them past the Oakland A's in interleague play Friday night. Mark Ellis did not play.

A's score but lose to Indians

The A's broke the Indians 44 inning scoreless streak by scoring two runs in a 4 to 2 loss on Thursday night. Mark Ellis remained day to day.

Ellis to play this weekend

Interleague plays begins on Friday, and the A's will be traveling to Atlanta to take on the Braves.
Mark Ellis will not play today against the Indians but may be ready for this weekend. "I'm not gonna play here; there's no way," Ellis said before the second game of a three-game series against the host Indians at a soggy Progressive Field. "Friday is the best-case scenario, but I don't want to put any days on it. I feel a lot better today, though.
About five minutes before the team had to be on the field to stretch out, Ellis was alone in a smallish concrete bunker between the clubhouse and dugout, throwing a baseball against a wall and catching the rebound.
"Do I look bored?" he said with a laugh. That is why I follow this guy, he's a kid, living many a young boys dream.

Monday's game

Indians 2 Oakland 0. The Indians C.C. Sabathia pitched a complete game shutout. No news on Ellis.

Ellis out for a few

Mark Ellis strained his left hamstring on Sunday running out a double and is being held out of th Tuesday night game against the Indians. "He's officially day-to-day," A's manager Bob Geren said before the opener of a three-game series against the Indians at Progressive Field. "He got treatment today. He doesn't feel too bad." The Indians made several great defensive plays leading them to the victory 4 to 0.

The A's score 12 runs to beat Rangers

Thirteen hits equaled twelve runs and a win for the A's on Mother's Day. With the score 6 to 6 in the top of the seventh, Bobby Crosby doubled and then moved to third on Ellis' single. Texas relief pitcher Franklyn German attempted to pick off Ellis from first base, but Crosby broke for home and beat the throw giving the A's a one run lead. The A's piled on runs in the eight and ninth, easily taking the victory 12 to 6. After hitting a double, Mark Ellis left the game in the ninth for a pinch runner, he sustained a minor hamstring strain. He's listed as day-to-day. Mark Ellis was 3 for 5 with a run scored and a stolen base. He also recorded his second fielding error of the season.

Oakland A's lose to Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers collected another win Saturday, beating the A's 6 to4. Kevin Millwood, the starting pitcher for the Rangers, threw 12 pitches before coming up lame with a groin injury. The Texas Rangers bullpen stepped up to the plate, and pitched to a victory.

Mark Ellis 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.

Texas blanks Oakland 4 to 0

The Texas Ranger's pitched their third consecutive shut out Friday night over Oakland. The A's managed only 4 hits and never got things going in the game. Texas on the other hand is red hot winning 10 of 14 games. It was a slow night for the A's lineup and Mark Ellis was 0 for 3.

Walk off home run for ELLIS

Mark Ellis went deep in the tenth inning to give the Oakland A's a 6 to 5 win over Baltimore. It was the first walk off home run in Ellis' career. "It's neat. It's a cool thing, something you can play your whole career and not do,'' Ellis said. ''It's fun to run around the bases and see your teammates at home plate. ... It feels good to contribute. It was a pretty bad slump.'' He also said, "Incredible, I've never hit a walk-off homer before ... just to see all my teammates waiting at home plate ... incredible." It was Ellis' third home run of the year. He was 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 runs scored, and an rbi. It was his most offensively productive day of the season. The win capped the series sweep of the Orioles and the fourth win in a row for the A's.

Oakland 4 Baltimore 2

Justin Duchscherer (3-1 record) pitched with authority for the Oakland A's on Tuesday night, holding the Orioles to two runs on four hits in seven innings. The Oakland bull pen, Embree and Casilla, closed out the game by not allowing any hits. Oakland won the game 4 to 2.

Mark Ellis was o for 3 with a run scored and an rbi.

A's in ten over Orioles

The Oakland A's scored a run in tenth inning from an Emil Brown single to beat the Baltimore Orioles 2 to 1. Brown is 13-for-28 (.464 avg) with runners in scoring position as opposed to 14-for-68 (.206 avg) with the bases empty. Manager Bob Geren spoke after the game, ''When Frank walked I knew we had a good chance. He has an elevated concentration in those situations. He tries to keep the ball in the middle of the field and when you talk about RBI situations, that gives you a better chance.''

It was a slow night for the second bagger Mark Ellis, he was 0 for 5 at the plate with one assisted double play.

Texas 3

The Oakland A's topped the Texas Rangers 3 to 1 on Sunday afternoon. The A's Mark Ellis was 0 for 3 with a walk.

Texas 2

The Texas Rangers outscored the Oakland A's 6 to 3 Saturday night. A.J. Murphy pitched his first big league game of the season for the Rangers. He was called up to fill holes for the Texas pitching staff that has three members on the disabled list. The Rangers extended their winning streak to four games. Oakland seemed to have a little trouble getting things going off of Murphy and then went hitless against the Texas bullpen.

Mark Ellis was 1 for 3 with a walk and a double play assist.

Texas to Oakland

Texas handed the Oakland A's a one run loss 4 to 3 on Friday night. The A's got 3 runs in the 4th inning but couldn't score late when they needed it. The A's were very sloppy defensively tallying four errors. The second bagger Mark Ellis had the night off, until pinch hitting in the bottom of the seventh inning. He was 0 for 2 on the night.

Series split for the A's

The Oakland A's played smash ball Thursday night in Anaheim, collecting 20 hits and 15 runs against the Angels on Thursday night. The A's beat up on Angels Pitcher Nick Adenhart winning the game 15-8. Jack Cust made an error on an easy fly ball in the second inning allowing the Angels to rally and score five runs with two out. Cust made up for the error by starting the A's own 8 run scoring 5th inning with a home run. Cust was 4 for 4 with 3 runs scored and one rbi on the night. Mark Ellis chipped in on the fun and was 1 for 5 with a walk.

The Second Bagger Statistics March/April 2008

Mark Ellis 2B Oakland A's

Batting Avg	On base %	Slugging %	Runs	Home Runs	Fielding errors
.254	.331	.390	14	2	1

Ellis historically starts the season off slow, this year seems to be concurrent with that. His fielding is impeccable again this year and really makes him valuable and irreplaceable for his team.

A's getting beat up

The Oakland A's suffered another defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night 6 to 1. The Angels may just be the best team in both leagues right now (Arizona can't be overlooked). They have very strong, young pitching that is silencing opponents bats. Ervin Santana (5-0 record) was very good again last night allowing one run on four hits. Their bullpen has been equally effective, shutting down opponents run production. The A's will need to do better against in division rivals if they expect to make the playoffs. As the rigid MLB schedule dictates, the A's will get another chance tonight.

Mark Ellis stuck with his average and was 1 for 4 on the night.