SACRAMENTO -- There is an intriguing mystery in the corridors of the Oakland Coliseum, curling through the A's clubhouse and spawning theories among A's fans, baseball observers and scouts who study the game.

What happened to Jemile Weeks?

Sensational enough as a rookie in 2011 that A's general manager Billy Beane identified him as the key component to the team's future, Weeks is at Triple-A Sacramento and without an obvious place in Oakland's long-term plan. When second baseman Scott Sizemore last week sustained a season-ending injury, the A's summoned not Weeks but Andy Parrino, who was acquired from San Diego last November.

The 18 months since Weeks was the franchise poster boy, a sinewy action figure featured on billboards and magnetized team schedules, have been a haze of struggle and disappointment most graphically illustrated by not one but two demotions to Sacramento.

After arriving in Arizona in February hoping to reclaim his role as offensive catalyst and everyday second baseman, Weeks in March was kicked back to Sac for the second time in seven months. He began the season as, of all things, River Cats D.H.

"If he's the next man up, he'd be on the field," a National League scout said last week. "Doesn't sound good for his future in Oakland."

Though the April 10 promotion of Parrino put Weeks back on the field -- at shortstop for the first time in his professional career -- how did it come to this? How does a young man who lit up a franchise become so invisible so quickly?

Some baseball insiders attribute Weeks' offensive decline to an inability to counter-adjust after scouts and big league pitchers compiled a "book" on him. Some observers say his defense is suspect. Still others, fans and baseball insiders, wonder if he crossed Beane, who has first, firm and final say on all things baseball in Oakland.

Weeks, 26, blames his stumble through 2012 on largely losing his offensive identity.

"I was going through a transformation that I didn't need to, trying to create a swing that I had never used," he said recently. "It didn't look right. It was hard to get out of it. I couldn't get out of it. I continued to work on creating that new swing, and I couldn't perfect it. When I tried to go back to what I'm used to, I had lost that."

When River Cats manager Steve Scarsone was asked how Weeks went from face of the Oakland A's to Sacramento D.H., he offered a cryptic response: "That's a good question."

Upon posing the same question to Bob Melvin, Weeks' former manager in Oakland, his chin dropped and his eyes darted downward. He paused and sighed.

"That's the way baseball is," he said. "Some guys come to the forefront when the opportunity is there. If they don't take advantage of it ... it could swing right back in his favor again.

"I wouldn't rule anything out. We did see a guy who really was a dynamic player. I still think he has the ability to do that again, and I wouldn't rule him out. Even this year I wouldn't rule him out."

Weeks' career has been in steep decline since the summer of '11, when he seemingly seized the leadoff spot in Oakland for the next decade. The organization's No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft (12th overall), Weeks was delivering on promise, an exciting blend of speed, skill and athleticism. Over 406 at-bats, he hit .303, with eight triples, both categories leading all rookie regulars. He stole 22 bases.

Not since Miguel Tejada's arrival in the 1990s had an A's prospect so stimulated the fan base.

"He's a great talent, a unique talent," Beane gushed of Weeks in February 2012. "And he's only got a half-year in the major leagues. He's a guy who is very much part of our long-term future."

One year later, as Weeks fights to revive his career, it appears he is on the trade block.

Reminded of his previous statement, Beane acknowledges saying it but concedes that things change all the time in baseball -- sometimes quickly.

Beane says Weeks needs to continue working on his defense. That he is playing shortstop broadens his versatility, while allowing another foundering prospect, Grant Green, an opportunity to play second base. The G.M. insists Weeks has major-league ability and, moreover, works hard to mine it.

"That's never been an issue," Beane said. "One of the reasons everyone was so patient last year is that he does play hard, and he obviously cares. I've never had any concerns about that."

What then? Did he say something wrong, do something improper, fail baseball's subjective "attitude test?" There is rampant speculation that some of Jemile's comments last August, upon being demoted while batting .220, were not sufficiently humble.

"I'm going to be a star in this game, man," he said on his way out of the Oakland clubhouse. "You've got to have ups and downs. It just makes the story so much sweeter when you come back. I don't want to expound too much on it, but you're looking at a star, period."

Recently reminded of those words, Weeks is quick to say they were part of a larger point he was trying to make. He understood why he was being sent to the River Cats, even wondered why it took until late August. He wanted to make it evident his confidence was not shaken, that he believes he has something to offer the A's and that recapturing his mojo was a matter of going back to basics.

"After the first four or five games last year, (A's management) wanted me to work on a different type of game," he said. "The team wasn't hitting, so it was brought to my attention to do whatever it took to get on base to help the team. I tried to do that. I took more pitches. I tried (not to overswing). When I got out front and my swing looked big, the perception was I was trying to hit home runs. I have never tried to hit a home run."

Both Beane and A's hitting coach Chili Davis said they never insisted Weeks take more pitches, only that they believed his swing resulted in too many fly balls. And at 5-foot-9, 161 pounds, Weeks is not going to send many fly balls over the fence.

"It takes a lot to get your mind back into the position where you were in, knowing how good you were," Weeks said. "I've never had a season when I hit .220; that was my first time. It gets frustrating, that people might believe you're a .220 hitter. But I'll just go out this year ... I know I won't do that."

Though there are signs Weeks' stroke is back -- a .379 batting average and .463 on-base percentage through 13 games for the River Cats -- there is no indication he'll be back in Oakland any time soon.

Moreover, every member of the A's who spoke about Weeks, including director of player development Keith Lieppman, floated the possibility of Weeks moving to another organization.

"He is swinging the bat well, getting back to being who Jemile Weeks should be," Davis said. "I hope he continues doing that to get that second chance. He deserves a second chance here."

Parsing through comments from those within the Oakland organization, two more questions bobbed to the surface:

Can Weeks ever regain the form that for four months made him such a dynamic catalyst in Oakland?


(mercurynews.com)

Oakland Athletics 2B Jemile Weeks worked at shortstop with Triple-A Sacramento Wednesday, April 10, and started there for the first time in his career. The team recalled INF Andy Parrino over him because Parrino can play shortstop, second base, third and the outfield. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was Jemile's idea," manager Bob Melvin said. "It just opens up some versatility options for him."



(kffl.com)

PHOENIX -- Turns out Scott Sizemore isn't the only A's second baseman ailing these days.

MLB.com learned Tuesday that Jemile Weeks is also dealing with an injury -- a bruised bone in his right shoulder he suffered while getting tangled up at second base on a double-play attempt in Friday's game against the Giants. He hasn't played since being injured.

Weeks, manager Bob Melvin said, is day to day and close to returning to game action.

The young second baseman was enjoying a productive spring before the injury, collecting hits in six of his first 11 at-bats -- including a home run -- for a .545 average, to go along with five RBIs in just four games.

Sizemore, meanwhile, could return to the lineup as soon as Thursday after being hit by a pitch in the left hand on Sunday. He took grounders on Monday and hit in the cage Tuesday morning, both signs of progression.

The two infielders are the top candidates to open the regular season as the starting second baseman.


(mlb.com)

PHOENIX—Jemile Weeks refuses to point fingers or make excuses. The face responsible for his sub-par sophomore season is the one he sees in the mirror every morning.

The second baseman is now trying to regain his starting role with the Oakland Athletics. There are plenty of candidates in the infield.

Scott Sizemore returns after tearing his left knee last spring and missing the year. Jed Lowrie was obtained in a trade with the Houston Astros and the A's signed Japanese veteran Hiroyuki Nakajimi.

There also are veteran backups Adam Rosales and Eric Sogard.

Weeks, who led off for the A's in Saturday's spring opener at the Milwaukee Brewers, embraces the competition.

"It's my job to show them I'm no different than I have been in the past," Weeks said. "There is a sense of having to prove it to people if they doubt."

He was Oakland's first-round pick in 2008, reached the majors ahead of schedule and hit .303 in 97 games as a rookie in 2011.

There was no reason to think he would backpedal. But last Aug. 21, when he was hitting .220 with two homers and 20 RBIs, he was sent to Triple-A Sacramento.

That prompted A's GM Billy Beane to make some moves during the offseason that has produced some stiff competition this spring.

"You put guys into situations to see what they can do," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "You take into consideration a guy who has a track record but guys know they're in competition."

For Weeks, it's a matter of returning to what made him successful in the first place: working hard every day year around.

His older brother, Milwaukee Brewers infielder Rickie Weeks, is also convinced Jemile will return to prominence.

"He's an All-Star second baseman," the elder Weeks said. "I know that for a fact."

After his sensational rookie season, in which he led all major league rookies in batting average and triples, he got of his routine, perhaps resting on his laurels just enough to offset the things he accomplished the previous season.

"Everybody goes through streaks like this," Weeks said. "I came into last season feeling good and then I got out of my routine."

He wasn't going to blame the sophomore jinx, how pitchers adjusted to him or anybody affiliated with the Athletics. He took full responsibility.

"Sure pitchers threw me differently but I have to go back to getting out of my routine," Weeks said. "Those were the same pitchers I faced as when I broke in. It was my results which were different. You realize this game is not easy and you have to keep working hard to be good. There's really no other substitute for that."

The A's really don't know what to expect out of Sizemore and Lowrie, who has also been plagued by injuries during his big league career. Nakajimi is making the adjustment to American baseball.

"I have to applaud Billy for what he did this offseason," Melvin said. "It's a nice problem to have. What it allows us to do is withstand injuries, or give guys days off over the course of a season."

Lowrie, who has yet to play a full season in the majors, is as healthy as he's been and also looking forward to the season. He says playing shortstop "is why I am here. I feel good. I haven't played since last year but I feel healthy."

Lowrie, who turns 29 in April, played in a career-high 97 games with the Houston Astros. He missed two months because of thumb and ankle injuries.
"That's why you put in the time to rehab," Lowrie said. "You know there is baseball down the road."

It's also the reason Weeks has himself back on track and looking forward.


(mercurynews.com)

PHOENIX -- Jemile Weeks has gone from one of the favored few to one of the early exits at the A's camp.

Weeks and outfielder Shane Peterson both were set to Triple-A Sacramento after Sunday's game.

Both were hitting well, Peterson at .408 and Weeks at .370, but Peterson, a first-year Cactus League player, never had a chance of cracking an entrenched outfield.

It was different for Weeks, who had bad luck on a couple of levels to wind up getting shipped back to the minor leagues.

The second baseman got off to a hot start, but landed badly on his shoulder a week into the Cactus League and missed 11/2-weeks worth of work. By the time he got back, Eric Sogard had gone on a tremendous hitting tear, Adam Rosales was hitting well, too, and Jed Lowrie, the shortstop the A's got from the Astros in the Chris Carter deal, was locking down a roster spot.

"Weeks was a tough decision, because he had a good spring,'' manager Bob Melvin said. "He's been working very hard, and his defense had been coming around.''

In the end, though, Melvin couldn't find as much playing time for Weeks once he came back from the injury, and the fact that Weeks is a second baseman and not able to play all over the infield like Sogard and Rosales worked against him.

Weeks has an option, so he could be sent to the minor leagues. Rosales is out of options, and he's still with the big league club. The same is true for Scott Sizemore, who also is out of options and who also is still with the club despite a .171 spring average.

And Sogard is just one of the spring training comets who streak through Arizona every so often. He's hitting .538 and has hits in 15 of his past 21 at-bats. Sending Sogard down -- now that would be tough.


(mercurynews.com)

Update: Weeks is dealing with a bone bruise in his right shoulder, the A's official site reports.

Recommendation: Weeks, who was off to an impressively hot start this spring, hasn't played since hurting the shoulder in Friday's game against the Giants. The injury is minor, however, and manager Bob Melvin believes Weeks should be able to return within the next few days.


(sports.yahoo.com)

The Oakland Athletics second base job for 2013 was supposed to be decided by a competition between Scott Sizmore, Adam Rosales and Jemile Weeks, with Jed Lowrie in the mix getting playing time all over the field.

Now, the team is just hoping that injuries don’t take them from having excess depth in the infield to not having enough players.

At the very least, they can put the competition on hold. As Jane Lee of MLB.com reports, the team has been holding out Weeks as a result of a shoulder injury he suffered during the middle of a double-play attempt in the team’s Cactus League game on Friday against the San Francisco Giants.

The team is calling it a “bone bruise” right now, and A’s manager Bob Melvin has said that Weeks’ ailing shouldn’t isn’t serious, and despite not having played since then, the 26-year old should be ready to go soon enough.

Weeks has been the primary second baseman for the Oakland A’s over the last couple of seasons, and is naturally the guy the team gave the inside track to over Sizemore this spring.

Even before Sizemore was hit by a pitch and taken out of game action, Weeks seemed to be well on his way to hanging onto that job anyway. The switch-hitter had been excellent over his four games in spring, racking up six hits over eleven at-bats, including a pair of doubles and a homer.

Given that Weeks’ value to the team comes mostly from his plate discipline and speed, the early doubles power that he’s showing is a good sign. Because he doesn’t really have home run power (four HRs in 948 PA), Weeks really needs to have the ability to hit the ball to the wall in order to really make use of his running skills on the basepaths.

The fact that he hit 26 doubles in 437 PA in 2011 was a big reason why he was a 1.9 fWAR rookie that year, and that the number dropped to 15 over 511 PA in 2012 was why he was barely replacement level in 2012.

He’ll still be the front-runner for the second base job when he returns, but Weeks now finds himself in another race with Sizemore – the one to come back from an injury as quickly as possible so they can continue to show their stuff on the field.

Considering that they represent most of the Oakland A’s depth at the position, though, the team is hoping that neither of them will end up rushing this one.


(rantsports.com)

PHOENIX (CBS / AP) — Dan Straily made his major league debut before making his Cactus League debut. In Oakland’s case, that’s not unusual.

Jemile Weeks hit a leadoff home run in the first inning, Seth Smith later homered and the Athletics beat a split squad of San Diego Padres 11-6 on Wednesday.
Weeks, Smith and Jed Lowrie each had two hits and drove in two runs. Smith homered in the second as Oakland took a 7-2 lead.

Straily, who had never pitched higher than Single-A until last year, allowed two runs on two hits in 1 1-3 innings. He walked one and struck out one in his first big league spring appearance.

“There are quite a few guys like that,” Straily said. “I talked to a few guys about that. There’s no timidness here. We’re part of the team and we came ready to work.”

Straily ended last season in the Athletics” starting rotation, helping them win the AL West along with fellow rookies A.J. Griffin, Tommy Milone and Jarrod Parker.

Straily did not pitch during the AL division series but both Griffin and Milone made starts. Neither of them started a big league spring game until now.
“I feel like I’ve been before although I haven’t,” Straily said. “I’m getting ready for a long season. I’m getting ready to pitch.”

Straily said he focused on his fastball, though he mixed in a handful of breaking pitches.

“I had to knock the rust off out,” he said. “It’s been a long two weeks waiting to get out there. I threw a lot of good pitches. I wasn’t trying to get ahead of myself.”
Cody Ransom homered and drove in two runs for San Diego. Travis Buck, who previously played for the A’s, had two hits and drove in two runs. Padres starter Eric Stults gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in one inning.

Padres manager Bud Black wasn’t overly concerned about Stults’ outing. The left-hander produced career numbers last year after being claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox in May.

“I’m not going to look at one inning in February,” Black said. “He’s still in a strength building phase and throwing a lot of fastballs. His change did not come into play. His fastball had some life to it and he showed good arm and hand speed. He felt good and that’s the important thing.”

Weeks, coming off a down season, has hit safely in all three of his games and upped his spring average to .625.


(cbslocal.com)

PHOENIX — Jemile Weeks, knocked off the mountain top last year, says his Willie Mays Hayes impersonation of 2012 was a fluke and that he's going to make the A's decision on a starter at second base a difficult one.

Weeks was the starter at second on opening day last March, got off to a quick and powerful start and seemed poised to replicate his successful rookie season. But he tumbled so badly that by mid-August, just about the time Oakland was gearing up for a stretch drive for the American League West title, he was demoted to Triple-A Sacramento.

``It's very important to me to be the starter again,'' Weeks said. ``The next 35-40 days are a time when I can prove myself, show myself and force the A's hand. It's up to the brass to make the decisions, but I'm going to make it hard on them.''

Weeks hit two homers in his first 37 at-bats. There were suggestions that he, like the Willie Mays Hayes character immortalized by Wesley Snipes in ``Major League,'' got focused on the power and got away from the strength of his game, which is to slash line drives, using his speed to get on base and to serve as a generator for Oakland's offense.

``That's the biggest misconception there is about my season last year,'' Weeks said. ``Because my idea of baseball is hitting line drives all over the place. That's what my game is. I never got away from that.''

The line drives never fell in, however. After hitting .303 as a rookie, Weeks had his average peak at .229 on June 2, then flop all over the place from there, finishing at .221 after a three-week stint in August and September in the minor leagues.

When Cactus League games start Saturday, Weeks will have a single-minded ``focus on getting my game back.''

He won't be alone, however. The man who was supposed to be the starting third baseman last year, Scott Sizemore, is back at what is probably his best defensive position. Jed Lowrie, just acquired from Houston, is a shortstop with power who came into pro ball as a second baseman. Adam Rosales was a rising star in .210 when he hit .271 in about half a season and is trying to come back to relevance. And then there is Eric Sogard, a versatile 26-year-old who manager Bob Melvin keeps talking up.

``It's a big opportunity for Jemile after the sophomore slump or whatever he went through last year,'' Melvin said. ``He's got a lot of talent. He's got a lot of competition at second base, too.''

Sizemore lost all of 2012 thanks to a knee injury and is on a mission to become a regular part of the Oakland lineup again.

``It was fun to watch what we did last year; I had the best seat in the house,'' Sizemore said.

Fun? Really?

``Well, not at first,'' Sizemore said. ``When you first get injured and then have the surgery and start the rehab, that is the worst. There is no lonelier feeling than that. But it's all in the past. I feel good. I'm ready to go.''

Lowrie is part of the equation at shortstop as well as at second base. The difference being that second base is open while the A's are going to go with Hiroyuki Nakajima unless he gives them a reason not to. So Lowrie could slip in as the starter at second, where he was a star at Stanford.

``I prefer shortstop, but I'm comfortable at second,'' Lowrie said. ``Mostly I just want to play.''

Melvin is blessed with largess throughout the lineup, and at second base as much as anywhere.

``I see it as a win-win situation.'' Melvin said. ``Weeks could be a weapon. So could Sizemore or Lowrie. You can't count Rosie out. And you can't forget about Sogard.''

Now it's up to someone to grab the position and make it his own, and that should be one of the most compelling stories once Cactus League games start Saturday.


(mercurynews.com)

The talent is still there, insists Billy Beane. That's why the A's general manager was so patient with a struggling Jemile Weeks last year.

That's why the second baseman, hitting just .220 over 113 games, wasn't demoted until August. And that's why Weeks, who turned 26 last week, will be considered very much a part of what manager Bob Melvin deemed the "open competition" for the second-base position this spring.

So, too, will Scott Sizemore, from whom a breakout season at the plate was expected before he suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first day of Spring Training workouts in 2012. The plan now is for Sizemore to see time at both second and third this spring, with the latter spot being Josh Donaldson's to lose, thus likely leaving Sizemore to battle it out with Weeks for an everyday job at second base.

Ultra utility player Adam Rosales and versatile prospect Grant Green will also be given looks at the position.

"I think it's going to be a nice competition over there," Melvin said. "Just because someone starts there Opening Day doesn't mean someone else might not be there the next day based on a matchup."

Weeks was primed for great things in his sophomore campaign, simply based on how easy he made the transition to the big leagues look during a remarkable rookie season, when he hit .303 with 26 doubles, eight triples, 36 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in just 97 games.

The switch-hitter would have appeared in even fewer games had then-incumbent Mark Ellis not suffered an early-season injury. But Ellis' trip to the disabled list paved the way for Weeks' callup, and even when Ellis was cleared for a return, the classy veteran insisted the hot-handed Weeks keep playing. Ellis, subsequently, was relegated to a utility role and, shortly after, traded to the Rockies -- a sure sign of Oakland's commitment to Weeks, the organization's first-round pick out of Miami (Fla.) in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

Such trust in Weeks was cemented even further after the season ended, as he was considered the lone untouchable while the club essentially made every other player available. Less than a year later, he was back in Triple-A Sacramento.

Only later in September, following the River Cats' playoff run, did Weeks return to the A's, but he was left off the club's postseason roster.

"I'm definitely a confident player, but there were times at the plate where I wasn't committed to what I was doing," Weeks said at the end of the season. "It's believing that what you're going to do is going to work. When you face a lot of failure, you might question that."

"It's not uncommon to see a guy who had a great rookie season take a half-step back the next season," Melvin said. "His talent level has not gone away. I talked to him recently, and I know he has high expectations for himself. He's not going to let any distractions get in the way. We've seen what he can do."

It's a unique situation the A's face this spring. The club tries not to use camp to make evaluations that lead to roster decisions, because of the small sample size. Yet Melvin and Co. must do just that this year with the likes of Weeks and Sizemore.

"Jemile had a tough year on the field, but his attitude was great when he went down," Beane said. "We think very highly of his talent. He's a great kid, brings a lot of energy when he's out there. I think he'd be the first to tell you that he expected more and that he'll bounce back this year."


(mlb.com)

The Athletics' second base job "will be an open competition" between Jemile Weeks and Scott Sizemore.

Weeks dealt with health issues and struggled with effectiveness in 2012, but he'll enter spring training as the slight favorite for a starting role. After missing all of last season due to injury, Sizemore is also a candidate for playing time at third base with Josh Donaldson, and could be a potential fantasy sleeper if he can find his way into an everyday job.


(rotoworld.com)

Where do you see Jemile Weeks at the start of next season? Will he work hard enough on his game to be a starter and be more consistent in doing so? -- Mike P., Danville, Ky.

There's no questioning Weeks' work ethic. It's obviously there, and the slip in his performance last season seems to derive from a few early-season tweaks in his game he's now having a hard time reversing. Recall Weeks' rookie campaign and he wasn't really trying to do too much, other than put the ball in play. This year, he hit a couple of home runs in the early goings and, as a result, maybe began swinging a little bigger and putting the ball in the air. That resulted in far too many fly-ball outs, and his numbers obviously dipped.

That being said, if Weeks proves he's made the adjustments necessary to earn an everyday job in the big leagues this spring, he has a decent shot at getting one -- though it'll take a weak showing from Scott Sizemore for that to happen. Sizemore is clearly viewed as the top second-base option at the moment, but he, too, has plenty to prove, having not seen Major League action in a year after undergoing knee surgery last spring. With that in mind, Sizemore will also have to assure the A's that his knee is no longer of concern. Should he fare well in camp, I expect him to start at second base, with Weeks back in Triple-A waiting for the phone to ring again.


(oaklandathletics.com)

ANAHEIM -- Jemile Weeks is back in the lineup for the first time since being sent down to Triple-A on August 21. Don't read too much into it at this time. A's manager Bob Melvin stressed that getting Weeks a start was more a product of needed to get shortstop Stephen Drew a day to rest. Cliff Pennington slides back over to shortstop in Drew's place and Weeks is starting at second base.

"We like what we are seeing out of Pennington and Drew. Those are our starters at this point," Melvin said. "We aren't afraid to play some hot hands too and Weeks has been a big part of this team, I actually feel good I can get him a start."

Weeks knows he has to stay humble and make the most of his limited opportunities at this point. He was the starting second baseman in 111 of the A's first 121 games this season. Since returning to the club on Monday he has been patiently waiting to get a shot.

"It's great," Weeks said. "Just show I have confidence go out there and play the game I've been playing."

Melvin likes to play the hot hand. Weeks will have to prove he can be that guy if he wants to get more playing time. He draws the tough task of having to prove it against Jered Weaver, the leader of the Angels' staff. 

"I wouldn't say it's tough I think the position I'm in you just have to go out there and whoever I am facing you have to face to the best of your ability," Weeks said. "Obviously he is a good pitcher, he's their ace. You have to go out and battle with him."

Weeks is 4 for 17 with a home run and two walks in his career against Weaver. Maybe it's a good time to make an impression. Weaver is 16-4 with a 2.86 ERA but had his last start skipped because of shoulder tendinitis. Weeks hasn't started for the A's since August 20, but made an adjustment at the plate while in Triple-A.

"Just like any other start it's a little different having a break but that's the role you are given, that's the role you play," Weeks said.


(csnbayarea.com)

Oakland Athletics 2B Jemile Weeks started lifting his hands higher in his batting stance when he was demoted to the minors in an effort to make his bat quicker through the hitting zone. Weeks' bat angle is higher as a result and it's more similar to what it was last season.



(kffl.com)

The A's recalled second baseman Jemile Weeks, first baseman Daric Barton and right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez from Triple-A Sacramento.

Weeks, sent down Aug. 21, worked on getting his bat angle higher to help him be quicker through the hitting zone.

He said the demotion, though unwanted, helped him get right mentally.

"I'm definitely a confident player, but there were times at the plate where I wasn't committed to what I was doing," he said.

Melvin said Weeks could draw some starts at second base but is a pinch-running or pinch-hitting option.


(mercurynews.com)

Jemile Weeks’ two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning lifted the Sacramento River Cats to a 4-3 win and their record sixth-straight Pacific Coast League division championship Wednesday night. ensuring the Cats their 11th postseason berth in the franchise’s 13 seasons.

In 2010, Sacramento became the first team to win four-straight division titles. Since the PCL went to the current four-division format in 1998, Nashville  and Salt Lake  are the only clubs other than Sacramento to win three-straight division championships.

“It's a truly remarkable feat,” said Dwight Hall, the PCL’s director of baseball operations, “seemingly even more so in today's game. You have to salute the A's player development efforts, Billy Beane, as well as the River Cats club and their fans for providing an outstanding atmosphere for those efforts to flourish.”

River Cats general manager Jeff Savage agreed.

“This accomplishment speaks to the dedication and professionalism of the Oakland Athletics front office,” Savage said. “I am so happy for manager Darren Bush and his coaching staff, all of the River Cats players, and our loyal fans, who have supported this franchise throughout this incredible run of championships.”

Weeks likely will not be taking part in the River Cats' playoff, instead returning to Oakland with the other September call-ups as the A's make a postseason run themselves.


(csnbayarea.com)

Jemile Weeks took the high road. No excuses. No complaints. Manager Bob Melvin told him he was being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento, and the second baseman packed his belongings with his head up and vowed to be back.

As a star.

Here’s his answer to being asked about possibly returning in September when rosters expand:

 “I didn’t get any word, but I would hope. Even going down there, I would hope I’m still something the team feels they can still use and needs. But at the end of the day, I’m going to be a star in this game, man. You’ve got to have your ups and downs. It just makes the story so much sweeter when you come back. I don’t want to expound too much on it, but you’re looking at a star, period.”

Weeks was hitting .220 with two homers and 20 RBIs in 113 games. His .302 on-base percentage is second lowest in the league. It was a big comedown from his rookie season. On the other hand, he made strides defensively.

“For some reason, I feel like I was prepared for the news,” Weeks said. “It’s disappointing because I know I could have done more as a player, but I’m still happy with the way I took the decline in my average. I still feel like I did a lot of things I wanted to do, and I worked hard. The vision I had before the season, I’ve improved on what I wanted to improve from last year. I felt like I did that. The hitting part just wasn’t there, and that’s probably more of the reason why I’m going down.”

Adam Rosales is tonight’s second baseman, and Bob Melvin said Cliff Pennington will play second on Wednesday.


(sfgate.com)

After going 0-for-7, Jemile Weeks delivered a game-winning sac fly as the A's beat the Rays 4-3 in 15 innings on Monday.

The A's won despite striking out a team-record 21 times. Their top three hitters in the order -- Weeks, Jonny Gomes and Josh Reddick -- combined to go 1-for-20 with one walk and eight strikeouts. Still, the last out got the job done. The A's bullpen combined to pitch eight scoreless innings after a solid outing from A.J. Griffin.


(rotoworld.com)

Jemile Weeks batting ninth is an interesting development. On this lineup analysis page I've often mentioned that Seth Smith or Jonny Gomes might be better suited batting second, it has yet to happen with Coco Crisp and Jemile Weeks both in the lineup.

The rest of the lineup is pretty standard considering the Blue Jays have a left-handed starting pitcher on the mound.


(nbcbayarea.com)

Jemile Weeks was shown the vote totals for American League second basemen. He finished sixth.

For someone hitting .222 in his first full big-league season, Weeks was grateful he received 885,073 votes. Not quite close to Robinson Cano's 5,806,958 or Ian Kinsler's 4,967,247. But considering all circumstances, Weeks was perfectly OK with it.

"That's cool. Just to be in the mix is a good feeling," he said. "I feel I could've done a lot better. This season has been a good learning curve, just the understanding of dealing with the ups and downs. That's a big adjustment for me at this point. I'm not happy about it, but I'll be better down the road because of it. I'll continue to play strong, and good things will come for me."

Last year, Weeks batted .303 with a .340 on-base percentage and 22 steals in 97 games after being called up June 7.

"Coming out of the gate, it was a little different for me," he said. "I didn't get those confidence hits that dropped if you hit it hard or soft. It's been a grind. Now I know how to cope with it, and throughout the rest of the season, it'll be a little bit more of my style of baseball."

Yoenis Céspedes finished 14th among outfielders, Josh Reddick 18th. At all other positions, the top eight were made public, and Weeks was the only A's player ranked.

What about moving up in the fan voting next year?

"Just wait," he said, smiling. "That's all I've got to say."


(sfgate.com)

OAKLAND -- When second baseman Jemile Weeks struck out to end the game on Sunday with the tying run on base, it only symbolized the 25-year-old's larger struggles recently.

While most of Oakland's lineup has been hotter than ever in recent games -- the team averaged 8.4 runs during its five-game winning steak, which was snapped with Sunday's loss to San Diego -- Weeks has been mired in a slump. He's 10-for-51 over his last 13 games, lowering his season batting average to .222.

A's manager Bob Melvin revealed on Tuesday that Weeks has been dealing with soreness in his legs, which is one of the reasons Melvin decided to switch him and outfielder Coco Crisp in the lineup, moving Weeks to the second spot. But that hasn't done much to help, with the second baseman just 2-for-11 in the three games since the swap.

Still, Melvin said thinks Weeks will be able to snap out of his funk soon.

"There were a lot of expectations put on him coming into the season," Melvin said. "To this point, he's had a little bit of a down season based on what we saw from him last year, but sometimes that makes you a little tougher when you do come out of it, knowing how to get through these difficult times."


(mlb.com)

OAKLAND – Trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning, the A’s mounted a rally off former Oakland closer Huston Street and got one of their best young hitters to the plate in Jemile Weeks with the tying run just 90 feet away.

But on a 1-2 pitch, Street blew one past Weeks to help San Diego avoid a sweep and end the A’s season-high five-game win streak.

“Fastball inside,” Weeks said of the pitch that ended the game. “I don’t usually swing through fastballs I can hit.”

A day after the A’s celebrated a comeback win in a raucous clubhouse, Weeks stood at his locker in a much quieter setting.

“Disappointing,” he said. “As a player, I feel like I’m one of the best out there on the field. So to not come through or at least put the ball in play, it’s frustrating.”

Padres starter Clayton Richard frustrated the A’s all afternoon, setting Street up for the save in the ninth. San Diego’s southpaw worked 7.2 innings before giving way to Street and allowed just five hits and two walks while striking out six.

“He just mixed his pitches,” Weeks said. “They made some good plays on defense. We just didn’t capitalize.”

The A’s did have some chances against Richard, but they were few and far between. Heading into the ninth, the A’s had advanced a runner to third base just once.

A’s manager Bob Melvin said that he thought his team was going to pull out the win after Coco Crisp’s single cut the Padres’ lead to 2-1 in the ninth.

Instead, the A’s fell just short, missing the chance to complete their second series sweep of the season.

“Obviously we weren’t as good,” Melvin said. “Going into the game we certainly had a lot of confidence going and early on it was tough to even see too many good swings.”

Richard was working ugly swings out of the A’s into the eight inning, and A’s starter Bartolo Colon was long gone by then.

Colon’s outing was cut short by a right oblique strain he sustained when fielding a sacrifice bunt in the third inning. After his errant throw to first base, Colon received a visit from Melvin and the training staff and hit the showers.

After the game, Colon said he dealt with a similar oblique injury on the opposite side in 1999 that forced him to miss 28 games.

The A’s won’t know how long they’ll be without Colon until they receive the results of Monday’s MRI, but Melvin acknowledged that Saturday’s starter Tyson Ross could be a candidate to re-join the team if Colon is out for an extended period of time.

Another injury-plagued starter, Brandon McCarthy, is set to return to the bump when the A’s open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Interleague games against N.L. West opponents have been kind to the A’s, Sunday’s loss notwithstanding, and Weeks will be anxiously waiting for a chance to atone for his most recent at-bat.


(csnbayarea.com)

Jemile Weeks went 2-for-4 with a double and walk in Sunday's loss to the Diamondbacks.

Weeks is now 10-for-38 (.263) in June after hitting .250/.337/.315 in May and .186/.263/.326 in April. It's progress, but Weeks has a long way to go before officially being declared "back" to the impressive form he displayed as a rookie last season.


(rotoworld.com)

Jemile Weeks returned to action on Monday with a 1-for-5, two-RBI performance against the Rangers.

Weeks had been day-to-day with a left hip strain. Monday's effort marked his first RBI since May 1 -- a span of 26 games. The disappointing second baseman has picked it up a bit the past week but is still batting only .227 with seven RBI in 193 at-bats.


(rotoworld.com)

Jemile Weeks has been diagnosed with a mild hip strain and is listed as day-to-day.

Weeks stated that he wasn't worried about the injury, and even hinted that he may be available to play on Sunday. This doesn't look like it's something that will keep him out long-term, but monitor the situation before setting your lineups for next week.


(rotoworld.com)

Jemile Weeks went 1-for-4 and picked up his 10th stolen base of the season on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Ervin Santana and the Angels.

Weeks has been struggling at the plate this year, hitting just .200 with two homers and five RBI through Tuesday's game. Still, he’s been a decent table-setter at the top of the A’s lineup with 16 runs scored and 10 steals. As long as he continues to lead off, he’ll retain solid mixed-league fantasy value.


(rotoworld.com)

Not a week goes by without Jemile Weeks picking up the phone and calling his mother. In fact, the A's second baseman says it's more like an every-other-day occurrence.

"She's one to try to lend baseball advice because she believes she's got some knowledge after all these years," said Weeks, laughing. "With two boys playing baseball, she'll give her advice from time to time. You don't always want to hear it but she'll be right sometimes. You just give her the respect, and who knows? Maybe it ends up being helpful."

The task comes naturally for Valeria Weeks-McMillian, a pastor in Orlando and mother of two boys and one girl. Each offseason, Jemile and brother Rickie, second baseman for the Brewers, return to the area and, every Sunday, attend church before digging in to a home-cooked meal, always served with a dose of perspective.

It's one Jemile never loses sight of during the year, no matter where his baseball travels take him.

"She definitely keeps me grounded," he said. "It's kept me with the mentality to have something to believe in, as far as our religious beliefs and how we live our daily lives. I can say that having parents who provide that for a child, it keeps you safe from a lot of outside influences. I think my siblings and I benefited greatly from that.

"Once it's planted in you, it sticks. We might venture out here and there, but the foundation is always there. I think that keeps us from exploring things we don't need to explore."

For Valeria, baseball came behind only church and school. But even though the sport didn't mean much to her if math and science homework weren't done, many of her favorite early memories of Jemile came on the field, where his opponents would repeatedly -- and mistakenly -- expect little production from his 5-foot-8 frame.

"That was always funny to me because I thought, 'They really don't know who this kid is,'" Valeria said. "Whenever they did that, the ball always went over their heads. It never failed. The coaches and the parents on the sidelines, they'd say, 'Wow, look at that little kid go!'"

Even when Jemile wasn't of age to don a Little League uniform, he kept his opponents busy.

"He had all of us throwing the ball to him, with one of those plastic ball-and-bat sets," Valeria said. "I would have the ball and he'd say, 'Pitch the ball, Mama!"

Said Jemile: "God blessed us with parents that care. Growing up in our house, you just learned how to be appreciative. You're supposed to be appreciative of the little things, so you know how to be appreciative of the bigger things."


(mlb.com)

OAKLAND -- A's second baseman Jemile Weeks came out of Saturday's game after injuring his left ankle when he stumbled running out of the batter's box on a single in the second inning against the Tigers.

Weeks remained in the game for two more innings before the A's lifted him for pinch-hitter Cliff Pennington in the bottom of the fourth.

A's manager Bob Melvin said Weeks is day-to-day and probably won't play on Sunday, but Weeks said he's had this injury before and he thinks he'll be able to play.

"I've come back the next day before, and I"m looking forward to doing that this time," Weeks said.

Weeks, the A's switch-hitting second baseman, had been struggling with a .192 average coming into the game, but he had singled in his two at-bats on Saturday night. In his second trip, he stumbled just as he lined the ball into right field.

Weeks' injury came just hours after the A's had placed their cleanup hitter, Yoenis Cespedes, on the disabled list with a strained muscle in his left hand.


(mlb.com)

Jemile Weeks returned to action on Tuesday, going 2-for-3 with a run scored in a come-from-behind victory over the Blue Jays.
He also stole his sixth base, showing no ill effects from the groin tightness that forced him to miss Sunday's game. The young second baseman is struggling mightily with a .188/.260/.304 batting line, but is a good bet to straighten things out soon.


(rotoworld.com)

Oakland Athletics 2B Jemile Weeks (groin) might be able to return to the lineup Friday, May 4. He is dealing with tightness in his groin, and manager Bob Melvin felt it best to rest him with a scheduled open date Thursday, May 3.




(kffl.com)

Jemile Weeks is out tonight with what manager Bob Melvin described as slight groin tightness, incurred on a stolen base on Tuesday night. Considering how cold it’s been here – in the 40s – and the fact the team has a day off tomorrow, Melvin figures that this is the wisest course of action. Weeks’ game relies on his legs, so no use taking any chances.

Coco Crisp, after sitting out last night with a sinus infection (also a Melvin decision based on the miserable weather), is back in and he’s batting leadoff with Weeks out.


(sfgate.com)

Second baseman Jemile Weeks, off to a poor start at the plate, made two errors in Monday's game and went hitless for the third consecutive game - a first for him in his major-league career - so manager Bob Melvin had a chat with him Tuesday.

Afterward, Weeks played well in the field, and he had two hits (including a two-run single), scored twice and stole a base. Weeks' first-inning single snapped an 0-for-12 skid.

Yoenis Céspedes drove in Oakland's first run with a one-out single in the first inning, and Cliff Pennington and Weeks handled the rest in the fourth, with Pennington scoring Kurt Suzuki with a double to left and Weeks driving in Kila Ka'aihue and Pennington with a single to center. Weeks rolled home on a wild pitch by Felix Doubront.

Ka'aihue, likely to get increased playing time at first because of Daric Barton's subpar play, had a walk, a single, a double and his first major-league stolen base.


(sfgate.com)

Jemile Weeks hit his second homer of the year Friday off Mariners reliever Charlie Furbush.

Weeks already has as many homers in 34 at-bats this year as he finished with in 406 at-bats as a rookie. Unfortunately, he isn't doing much else yet. He's batting .206, his only ribbies have come on the solo homers and he's 1-for-2 stealing bases.


(rotoworld.com)

As the A's prepare to resume the regular season Friday night against Seattle in their home opener, second-year second baseman Jemile Weeks appears to be priming himself for stardom.

During spring training, A's fans focused most of their attention on the team's newest sensation, Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.

Meanwhile, last year's sensation quietly continued to hone his skills for a season that just might draw attention outside of Oakland. Weeks, who hit .303 and stole 22 bases in 97 games after his June debut, had a strong spring. He had a .339 average and looked far better defensively than he did last year, when he led A.L. second basemen in errors with 13.

"I see him improving because Jemile's just a guy who looks to improve every day," manager Bob Melvin said. "I think I'm even more impressed with his defense right now than his offense. When I got here last year, in my opinion he was a well below average defender at second base. But, boy, he has come a long way. He looks like he wants to be an All-Star and a Gold Glover at some point."

Weeks, 25, doesn't know what his ceiling might be. But he definitely doesn't see this frightfully inexperienced A's team finishing in the basement.
"I don't think you can set expectations on this team," he said. "We have so many new faces, and there are so many opportunities out there for us. It's a new group with a lot of different ways to attack. Guys are out there to prove something. You might find the next Manny Ramirez or Albert Pujols. You don't know who it might be, because the team's young. Anything can happen."

Weeks knows he'll have to set a strong tone as the leadoff hitter for the A's to rise above the low expectations outsiders have regarding the team's fortunes this season. He is braced to accept that role, which he did throughout the spring as well as during the offseason, when he consulted Hall of Famer Barry Larkin about how he might improve his defensive skills.

Weeks also put in extra time at spring training working on defensive drills, maintaining proper mechanics, making the routine play and improving his throwing. Almost every day in Arizona, Weeks showed up early in the morning with infield coach Mike Gallego to take extra ground balls, often with shortstop Cliff Pennington.

"The last thing you want is to have a coach have to prod somebody into doing early work," Melvin said. "But it was just the opposite with him. I think the last day before we left for Japan, we had an easy day and didn't have early work scheduled. But Weeks and Pennington both went to Gags and told him, 'We want to continue our program.'"

It has showed in games thus far. Weeks looks smoother, more confident and better able to use his speed to expand his range. His throws are surer and stronger, and he looks more in sync with Pennington around second base.

"I think I just put in the work," he said. "I took a lot more ground balls, but I also worked on quality as opposed to quantity. The more you do that, the better you tend to get. But I have to continue to do it throughout the season. I'm not there yet."

Weeks also knows he has set a formidable bar for himself offensively based on last season. Can he match or exceed the impressive totals he logged in 2011? His high average this spring may have been a positive indicator.

"I think from the outside, people want to see the same thing or better," he said. "For me, it's just a case of putting my best on the field."

Weeks sees the same kind of projection for the team. He thinks this group has more energy than last year's club, simply because it wants to better the low preseason expectations.

"We've got power, speed, all-around game in our lineup, and our pitching should be OK, too," he said. "We can kind of hit you from every angle. It's what you need to compete at the major league level and be a good team. If we can get the best out of each person, I think it could be a special team."

As for becoming an All-Star, Weeks has his work cut out in a league that includes Robinson Cano, Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler. But he stands out as one of Oakland's potential stars. "I'm ready to go," he said. "We're 1-1, and we've already shown we can make things happen. We had a winning record in spring, and I think that may have surprised some people. Hopefully we can keep surprising them. I think we will."


(mercurynews.com)

Second base is a tough position this year for drafting, per usual. Outside of Cano, Pedroia and Kinsler, there are no elite-level fantasy players. While Weeks may be just outside of that fringe, he's a solid player and will get you some great value in the right round.

In just 406 at-bats last season, Weeks batted .303 with 50 runs scored and 22 stolen bases. While his .350 BABIP indicates his average will not be quite as high moving forward, we expect close to 40 steals from Weeks, which is great value at 2B. Weeks is going near the 17th round in most drafts, however, and would be a steal taken a few rounds earlier. In fact, we believe he may outperform is older brother, Rickie. What he lacks in power, he makes up for in speed and batting average.


(cnnsi.com)

Jemile Weeks knocked homers from both sides of the plate today, the first batting right-handed in the first inning of the A’s 11-7 victory and the second hitting left-handed in the fourth.

After that second blast, hitting coach Chili Davis greeted Weeks by saying, “You know who had the lead in switch-hit homers in the same game before (Mark) Teixeira? It was me.”

Teixeira has done it 12 times, Davis and Eddie Murray did it 11 times. Weeks said he does not believe he ever has homered from both sides of the plate in the same game, at any level.

“It’s a testament to the approach I have right now,” Weeks said. “I’m still working on some things, but I’ve been able to power up some balls here. I know that will be surprising to everyone here.”

Weeks also added a single and a walk,  he’s 7 for his past 13, and he is batting .419 overall.

Cliff Pennington, batting second behind Weeks, was 4-for-4. Between them, they reached base safely in eight total plate appearances before Weeks struck out in the eighth.

“Weeksie made that out his last time up so I had to pull them both out,” manager Bob Melvin joked.

Pennington is batting .464 overall.

“He’s been on all spring training,” Weeks said. “I believe that will carry on throughout the year for him.”


(sfgate.com)

PHOENIX — A couple of times every week during the baseball season, Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks will catch up via phone with older brother Rickie of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Of course, Jemile has been playing catch-up with his older brother his entire life. And it always seemed that wherever Rickie went, Jemile figured to be there sooner or later.

Second base on the diamond first-round pick in the amateur draft and, as of June, a starter in the major leagues.

Their age gap of four years and four months kept Jemile from playing at the same level with Rickie, but it didn't stop him from trying.

"We competed a lot," Jemile recalls of their childhood in Altamonte Springs Fla., "from Wiffle Ball to throwing the tennis ball out front, just me and him, trying to strike each other out from about 40feet away throwing as hard as we can. We did all of that."

Fast-forward a little more than a decade later, and Jemile is forging his own identity as the A's full-time starter and leadoff man. In fact, the younger Weeks might be on a faster big-league track, as it took Rickie five seasons to become a consistent major league producer; in 2011, his sixth season, Rickie was an All-Star.

Drafted 12th overall in 2008, Jemile advanced quickly and was hitting .321 with 10 steals in 45games with the Class AAA Sacramento River Cats last season when he got the call to the majors.

In less than two weeks the A's made him their leadoff hitter. In less than three weeks, they traded longtime second baseman Mark Ellis. And after his first month, Weeks was hitting .309.

But just as it was playing in the backyard with his older brother, things didn't come easily.

"The biggest difference is the rate at which (pitchers) make adjustments," Weeks says. "When I felt like I was finally starting to feel better, they immediately switched things up. They understand what your weaknesses are really fast."

Still, Weeks finished his rookie year in Oakland with a .303 average and 22 stolen bases in 97 games. He'll be back in the leadoff spot again this season for a team that finished 12th out of 14 American League teams in scoring.

But before Weeks arrived, the A's averaged 3.6 runs a game. After he was called up, they averaged 4.2 a game.

"I take it upon myself to be a table-setter ," he says.

Now, when Jemile and Rickie talk on the phone, it's not so much competition they share, but encouragement.

"Motivate each other and keep each other confident," Jemile says.

But there's one thing his older brother has done that Jemile hasn't — go to the playoffs. Unless you count going with the entire Weeks family to watch Rickie in last year's National League Division Series.

While the A's might be playoff long shots for the foreseeable future, the Weeks' pattern suggests Jemile might follow in his brother's footsteps one more time.


(usatoday.com)

Jemile Weeks, Second Baseman, Oakland Athletics

2011 season: 97 G, 406 AB, .303 AVG, 50 R, 2 HR, 22 SB, .761 OPS

Last year, the A’s had only three players post an OPS above the league average of .720: Josh Willingham, Scott Sizemore and Weeks. Willingham signed with the Twins and Sizemore sustained a season-ending injury early in Spring Training, leaving Weeks as arguably the team’s best returning offensive contributor. That’s not what one would normally expect out of a team’s leadoff hitter and second baseman.

The brother of Brewers All-Star Rickie Weeks, Jemile was first-round pick by the A’s in 2008 but does not possess the same bat as his sibling. He has not hit more than nine home runs in a professional season, and playing in the cavernous Coliseum in Oakland won’t help his cause in that regard. The spacious stadium does aid him in other ways, though, because it allows him to use his speed to churn out extra-base hits. Despite not being called up until June last year, Weeks led the squad with eight triples and ranked just two doubles behind team leader Hideki Matsui with 26. Unlike many who play in Oakland, Weeks’ offensive numbers were actually significantly better at home (.794 OPS) than they were on the road (.727).

Weeks also used his speed to steal an impressive 22 bases in that time, but he’ll have to work more on picking his spots in the future. He was caught stealing on 11 occasions last year, giving him just a 67 percent success rate. In order to provide value from steals, players need to make it across at least 75 percent of the time. Weeks also could stand to take more walks, a particularly important attribute in a speedy leadoff hitter, and he needs to continue to work on his defense, which was below average last season.

Overall, Weeks is far from a perfect player, but he’s clearly a talented athlete who’s capable of making an impact at the Major League level. At 25 years old, there’s still time for him to work out the kinks in his game, though he’ll most likely end up as a solid regular. There’s no shame in that – on most teams, Weeks would be a welcome role player who could provide a spark at the top of the lineup. And on the A’s this year, he might be one of the only sparks anywhere in the lineup.


(denver.cbslocal.com)

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- There are not many familiar faces on the Oakland A's roster this season due to an offseason purge, but A's fans will enjoy getting more familiar with second baseman Jemile Weeks.

Weeks was brought up on June 7th last season and it was his first stint in the big leagues. He started 96 games, hit .303, with 26 doubles, 8 triples, and 22 stolen bases. This year the 25-year-old switch hitter feels like he belongs.

"Yeah, it's a little bit of a comfort level. This year I still have that mentality you're ready to shine, but you also know you might be able to work on a few things to perfect your game," said Weeks.

Manager Bob Melvin has noticed a big difference in Weeks' approach.

"He hasn't had as much experience as a lot of guys have, so as good as he is, we feel like he can get better, but he's a great kid on top of it and a hard worker," said Melvin.

Weeks has only been in the big leagues for a season, but he's a veteran in this new look clubhouse.

"We didn't have a great season last year, you want to revamp get a new feel, and bring in some guys with more potential, guys that are hungry, guys that will go out and put it all on the line because we have much expectation right now," said Weeks.


(abclocal.com)

Once Jemile Weeks got the ball in this rundown, he wasn’t about to give it up.

Weeks made a diving tag to nab his older brother Rickie in the first inning and finished with two hits in the Oakland Athletics’ 6-0 exhibition victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.

Oakland left-hander Tommy Milone walked Rickie Weeks to lead off the game but picked him off first. Jemile Weeks was the last player with the ball in the ensuing rundown and chased his brother back toward first before going to the ground for the out, tackling his sibling at the bag in the process.

“He was acting like he was frustrated but he was all right,’’ Jemile Weeks said. “He just looked at me kinda funny and gave me a little smirk.’’

Asked if he ever considered throwing the ball to a teammate, Weeks quickly said, “No. Not a chance.’’

Milone, one of four players acquired from Washington in the offseason deal that sent Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals, pitched three innings of one-hit ball. He struck out NL MVP Ryan Braun for one of his three Ks.

“It was a good feeling to get out one of the best hitters in the game right now,’’ Milone said, “especially to do it for the third out and walk off the field. I didn’t feel as good as I did the last time but I can’t complain about the results.’’

Milone, one of several pitchers in the mix for a spot in the Athletics’ largely open starting rotation, is proud of the development of the pickoff move he used to get Weeks.

“It used to be just a `show me’ move,’’ he said. “Now it’s turned into, I wouldn’t say a game changer, but it saves innings.’’

Braun finished 0 for 2 and is hitless in four plate appearances this spring.

“I can only head in one direction,’’ he said with a wry smile. “So the overwhelming odds are that I’ll put one in fair territory one of these days.’’
Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo allowed a hit and struck out four over two innings in his spring debut.

Manager Ron Roenicke has yet to announce his opening-day starter, but the spring schedule points to Gallardo.

“I don’t think it ever will (get old),’’ Gallardo said. “It’s one of those things that’s very exciting and everybody’s looking forward to it, both the ballclub and the fans.’’


(boston.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - Jonny Gomes and Jemile Weeks hit two-run homers to help the Oakland Athletics' backups beat up the Seattle Mariners' regulars.

Gomes connected in the third off Kevin Millwood, Weeks homered in the fifth against Hong-Chih Kuo and the Athletics had 16 hits in their 9-2 exhibition victory Saturday.


(mlb.com)

PHOENIX -- Jemile Weeks' rookie season ended last September, but his baseball education continued into the winter.

The A's second baseman found a valuable tutor in Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin. They live near each other in Central Florida, and Larkin dishes out whatever wisdom he can offer.

He has found Weeks to be an eager pupil.

"He's like a sponge," Larkin said in a phone interview. "He takes any kind of information, and you can see him applying it. I think the world of him as a person, but I think he has a tremendously high ceiling because of his ability to make adjustments and add things to his game."

Weeks made quite a first impression in 2011, batting .303 with 26 doubles, eight triples and 22 stolen bases in 97 games following his June call-up.

His batting average led major league rookies with 350 or more plate appearances. But more than anything, Weeks' speed and exciting play provided a shot in the arm for a team -- and fan base -- that suffered through a 74-88 record.

A's general manager Billy Beane proceeded to trade away several high-profile players during the offseason, but he labeled the switch-hitting Weeks as the one untouchable player on his major league roster.

"He's a great talent, a unique talent," Beane said. "And he's only got a half-year in the major leagues. He's a guy who is very much part of our long-term future."

Now the key is whether Weeks, 25, can build on his breakout season, which was hardly flawless.

His 13 errors led American League second basemen even though he spent roughly the first two months of the season in the minors. Weeks' glove work has been his weak spot since the A's drafted him 12th overall in 2008 out of the University of Miami.

He worked extensively with A's infield coach Mike Gallego after his promotion last June. And despite the errors, A's manager Bob Melvin said he thought Weeks actually made more progress defensively in 2011 than offensively.

So far this spring, Weeks has impressed Melvin in turning the double play.

"His mechanics are so much better," Melvin said. "I think a lot has to do with his confidence, coming into camp confident based on what he did last year."

Credit an assist to Larkin, who will be inducted into Cooperstown in July.

He began working several years ago with Weeks' older brother Rickie, who plays second base for the Brewers.

Jemile said he has benefited greatly from Larkin's tutelage over the past two winters.

"He's given me a number of drills that I can stick with," Weeks said. "He's talked to me about different aspects of the game, how to handle myself. Everything that comes out of his mouth is important."

While breaking into the majors with the Reds in the mid-1980s, Larkin said he tapped into the wisdom of veterans such as Buddy Bell, Dave Concepcion and Tony Perez. Now he's happy to take on the mentor role, and he said many of the techniques that served him well as a shortstop can help Weeks as a second baseman.

He has worked with Weeks to get the most out of his athleticism defensively.

"He's a young exciting player," Larkin said. "I wish I had a chance to play with him, to be honest. I love his makeup and love the way he plays the game."


(mercurynews.com)

Check out our EXCLUSIVE photos from the 2012 UM Baseball Fan Fest which featured a HR Derby won by proCane Minnesota Twin Danny Valencia. Other proCanes like Jemile Weeks, Jon Jay, Chris Perez, Eddy Rodriguez and many more joined the festivities.


Jemile Weeks, Danny Valencia

Jemile Weeks

Peter O’Brien

The Maniac

Jemile Weeks

Rony Rodriguez

Danny Valencia

Jemile Weeks

Danny Valencia

Danny Valencia, Peter O’Brien




Click here to see more photos ->> Read More...

Check out our EXCLUSIVE photos from the 2012 UM Baseball Fan Fest which featured a HR Derby won by proCane Minnesota Twin Danny Valencia. Other proCanes like Jemile Weeks, Jon Jay, Chris Perez, Eddy Rodriguez and many more joined the festivities.


Jon Jay, Danny Valencia, Jemile Weeks, Coach Jim Morris, Chris Perez

Peter O’Brien, Rony Rodriguez, Jemile Weeks, Danny Valencia

Jon Jay, Jemile Weeks

Danny Valencia

Jon Jay, Coach Gino DiMare, Jemile Weeks

Adan Severino, Richard Giannotti

Chris Perez

Jon Jay

Alex Fernandez




Click here to see more photos ->> Read More...

Oakland Athletics 2B Jemile Weeks is likely to hit leadoff in manager Bob Melvin's batting order this year. OF Coco Crisp is a candidate to hit third, with SS Cliff Pennington hitting second.




(kffl.com)

OAKLAND -- The Weeks family naturally celebrates Thanksgiving year-round.

Sure, their dinner table may be more crowded on Thursday, covered with more food -- "Gotta have the cornbread," mother Valeria Weeks-McMillian said. "We love the cornbread" -- and more games than the normal day would likely allow time for.

But the acts of thanks, of reflection, of appreciation -- some or all of which are too often relegated to one holiday -- are ongoing, no matter if it's the third Thursday of November or the first or second Tuesday of April.

A conversation with Jemile Weeks, the family's middle child, proves just as much.

The Oakland A's second baseman, one of the game's top rookies in 2011 following his June promotion, takes nothing -- neither his big league status nor any perks that come with it -- for granted.

He talks of the childhood he had in a house of structure, under a roof filled with plenty of love -- the kind of tough love that meant homework and church always came before playtime in the streets.

"I got into my fair share of trouble when I wasn't home at a certain time," Weeks said, laughing.

But, eventually, Jemile always made it home. And the 24-year-old still finds his way there, never forgetting his Florida roots or the people responsible for creating them.

"The offseason time is about being with the family, and Jemile sure relishes that time," said Valeria, who is also mom to daughter, Kaisha, and son, Rickie, MIlwaukee's All-Star second baseman. "Baseball fills our hearts with joy for 162 days of the year, but these are the times we look forward to. These are the moments I wait for."

In the winter months, Jemile and Rickie make their offseason homes close to mom, who provides Sunday dinners after church. As a pastor, Valeria introduced her kids to church at a young age, so as to provide them with a "solid foundation."

"It was important for them to be there because it gave them character-building skills, putting God first and everything else second," Rickie Weeks Sr. said. "I think it really helped all of them socially, communicating with people and behaving the right way."

So they went multiple times a week, even if it meant Rickie Sr. sneaking out of service early with his sons in time for a baseball game. As they grew older, both took to the drums in the church musical group -- an exercise Jemile believes aided in the rhythmic and timing skills involved in hitting.

"Certain things were expected of us and certain things just weren't acceptable in our household that might have been next door," Jemile said. "They tried to raise us to a different standard, and we had no choice in the matter.

"We lived on a different schedule -- a good schedule that helped mold us."

But he insists, "When you have that type of guidance to steer you away from those bad influences, it really shapes your future, maybe a lot sooner than the person next to you."

Though baseball didn't mean much to Valeria if schoolwork wasn't done, several of her favorite early memories of Jemile came on the field, where her son -- who stands just 5-foot-8 -- would step to the plate, his opponents automatically coming in from the outfield and infield with little expectation.

"That was always funny to me because I thought, 'They really don't know who this kid is,'" Valeria said. "Whenever they did that, the ball always went over their heads. It never failed. The coaches and the parents on the sidelines, they'd say, 'Wow, look at that little kid go!'"

Even before that time, Rickie Sr. recalls Jemile in his stroller, impatiently waiting for his turn to join his older brother on the field.

"He would try to get himself out of that stroller," Rickie Sr. said. "He was like, "I gotta get out there and play baseball, dad!"

"He had all of us throwing the ball to him, with one of those plastic ball and bat sets," Valeria said. "I would have the ball and he'd say, 'Pitch the ball, mama!"

Said Jemile: "God blessed us with parents that care. Growing up in our house, you just learned how to be appreciative. You're supposed to be appreciative of the little things, so you know how to be appreciative of the bigger things."

There's undoubtedly much to be thankful for in the Weeks household. Jemile calls it a "sweet life" -- even when cornbread's not on the table.

"I always told Jemile, 'Big things come in small packages,'" Valeria said. "I truly believe that. I am so proud of him. I'm proud of him as a man, as my son."


(mlb.com)

Oakland A’s Rookie of the Year candidate Jemile Weeks and Bishop O’Dowd High School graduate and former University of California pitcher Tyson Ross will join the Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland for a holiday food and fund drive Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Beginning at 2 p.m., the first 150 people who make a minimum donation of 10 non-perishable food items or $20 will receive an autographed photo card from both the A’s second baseman and starting pitcher.

The Alameda County Community Food Bank expects record demand for emergency food assistance this winter and is requesting healthy, high-quality, non-perishable food items, including:
• Canned meats, fish and vegetables
• Pasta and sauce
• Low-sugar cereal
• Rice and beans
• Low-salt soups and stews
• Peanut butter

This food drive continues the A’s long-time partnership with the Alameda County Community Food Bank. During the 2011 season, the A’s collected more than $7,500 and 2,500 pounds of food as a part of Food Bank Wednesdays at the Oakland Coliseum. Started in 2007, this program asks fans to make a donation of five food items or $5 at Wednesday home games in exchange for a ticket voucher for a future A’s game.

For more information please visit www.accfb.org or www.oaklandathletics.com.

WHEN:    Wednesday, Nov. 30 beginning at 2 p.m.
WHERE:  Alameda County Community Food Bank  7900
Edgewater Drive
Oakland, CA 94621


(mlb.com)

Oakland general manager Billy Beane indicated earlier this week that the team’s ballpark situation being in flux could keep them from spending significant money on free agents and now Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the A’s will listen to offers on basically every player.

According to Rosenthal free agents Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp, and David DeJesus are all but certain to leave the A’s and among players under contract only second baseman Jemile Weeks is totally off limits.

If true, that would mean young building blocks like Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, and Kurt Suzuki could be available, which would surely have just about every team in baseball calling Beane.

Things could change in a hurry if the potential San Jose ballpark plans are approved, but short of that happening Rosenthal writes that Beane’s offseason will be spent trimming an already modest payroll.


(nbcsports.com)

OAKLAND -- Jemile Weeks' June arrival, some say, has affected the level of consideration he's received for American League Rookie of the Year Award honors.

But with the help of fans, Weeks has the chance to land atop the ranks for another recognition, the annual Greatness in Baseball Yearly (GIBBY) Award for top rookie.

Major League Baseball's A-listers will take home GIBBY trophies -- the ultimate honors of baseball's awards season -- based on votes by the fans at MLB.com, media, front-office personnel and MLB alumni.

The 2011 GIBBYs feature nominees in 19 categories. Individual honors will go to the top everyday player, starting pitcher, closer, setup man, rookie, breakout player, comeback player, defensive player, wow factor, manager, executive and postseason performer.

GIBBY trophies also will be awarded for the year's best play, moment, performance, oddity, walk-off, fan moment and postseason moment from MLB.com's Must C highlight reels.

Fan voting ends Dec. 4, and you can vote up to 25 times per category. Winners will be announced Dec. 16 from 6-8 p.m. PT on MLB Network and MLB.com.

The 24-year-old Weeks, the younger brother of the Brewers' Rickie Weeks, paced the A's in triples (eight), multihit games (35) and games of three hits or more (14). His team-leading .303 average ranked best among AL rookies with at least 400 plate appearances and would have ranked second best among all rookies in Oakland history next to Mitchell Page (.307).

Among AL rookies, Weeks led the pack in triples, tied for second in stolen bases with 22 and ranked third in hits (123) and doubles (26) in 97 games -- numbers that helped A's fans forgive general manager Billy Beane for trading longtime mainstay Mark Ellis to Colorado.

"We've always had high hopes for him," Beane said at the end of the season. "I didn't think he'd be here until next year. You can see what he did, arriving a half-year before anyone thought he would be ready. He's a dynamic player. He was a bright spot for us."



(mlb.com)

OAKLAND -- Here's a shopping list for your Jemile Weeks build-a-big-leaguer starter kit:

Tree branch, acorns, bottle caps, socks rolled into a ball, swimming pool, drum set, standard baseball equipment.

Mix in liberal amounts of strict parenting and great baseball/athletic genes, add love and hard work, boil under the Florida sun for 20 years, and the result is an overnight major-league sensation.

Jemile Weeks.

The A's called up Weeks from Triple-A on June 7, a temp fill-in for injured second baseman Mark Ellis. Weeks made himself at home and Ellis was traded. Weeks has been a .300-hitting switch-hitter with speed and style, a waif (5-foot-10 and 162 pounds) run amok, dreadlocks flying.

While playing in a home-field atmosphere that is a baseball version of the witness protection program, Weeks has given the A's the kind of instant impact that the legendary Buster Posey gave the Giants last season.

(Posey in 2010: 108 games, .305 BA, .756 OPS. Weeks in 2011: 95 games, .305 BA, .766 OPS.)

"We've got something special here," says Mike Gallego, the A's third-base/infield coach.

You sit down to talk with Weeks and you wonder where the rookie is.

Acts as if he belongs
There is a hint of awe when he talks about coming to the big leagues: "The most fun thing is just being here. Getting called up, I was too happy. ... And then we get on those plane flights, man, going to the different cities. ... The food is all there for you, complimentary, you've got first-class seating throughout the plane, iPods playing ..."

But mostly Weeks carries himself as if he is unimpressed that he is tearing up big-league pitching, as if he has been here 100 years - which, in a genetic sense, he has.

Weeks' brother Rickie (4 1/2 years older and an All-Star second baseman for the Brewers), their father, their grandfather and their great-grandfather all had notable baseball careers.

Jemile has been a serious player since before he could walk. Growing up in the Orlando area, he would strain to roll his walker onto the field, wanting to play ball with Rickie. Jemile learned to count by keeping track of how many batting-practice pitches dad would throw to Rickie, then demanding an equal number of pitches.

Jemile's father, Rickie Sr., remembers coaching Rickie Jr.'s team when he was about 8. The players were complaining that someone was throwing rocks onto the field. Finally they noticed little 4-year-old Jemile under a nearby oak tree, using a tree branch to fungo acorns onto the field.

Sticks and stones
The Weeks boys would hit acorns, bottle caps, tennis balls. They would swing underwater in the swimming pool. They would play sockball in the house, hitting from one knee. A hit into the couch is a double; over the couch is a homer. Break a vase or a dinner plate, uh-oh.

Broken china, that was the extent of trouble caused by the Weeks boys.

Rickie Sr. taught elementary school. Mom, Valeria, was in the Pentecostal ministry, on her way to becoming a pastor. You've heard of good cop/bad cop? The Weeks children had to deal with teacher/preacher.

"He and Rickie have not been mischievous, not under my roof," says Valeria Weeks-McMillian (she and Rickie Sr. are divorced, but are on friendly terms). "I'm just blessed, that's all I can say."

Both parents loved sports, but if the three kids (daughter Kaisha is one year younger than Rickie Jr.) were pushed and prodded, it was in the direction of the house rule: homework and church first, then baseball.

"We knew who the parents were. Put it that way," Jemile says with a smile.

Weeks is unfailingly respectful to umpires. An A's staffer recently asked him to make a public appearance and did a double take when Weeks showed up in shirt and tie. That's not the way today's ballplayer rolls.

Dress-up habits aren't all Jemile learned in church. He copied Rickie Jr. by becoming a drummer in the church's musical group and says that helped him develop rhythm, timing and hand-eye coordination, all useful in hitting. (Check out Weeks' stickwork on YouTube, in a drum-off with the Stockton Ports' mascot - "Dinger and Jemile Weeks drum battle.")

Claiming his place
The A's drafted Weeks in 2008 out of Miami, the 12th overall pick. Injuries stalled his progress, but this year Weeks was healthy and ready when the A's called him up.

In his second game, Weeks doubled, singled and was deprived of a triple on a scorekeeping decision. The graph of his batting average is as smooth as his swing.

"I pretty much showed up and went to work," Weeks says, adding, "I don't know if it was that easy, but I knew a big factor of being up here was confidence, and that's something I try not to lack at any stage of the game. Obviously I had some nervousness, but I had to realize that you're called up for a reason."

The reason: Weeks can rake. His fielding is flashy, but rough around the edges. His swing is silk. Opposing pitchers haven't found the holes in his swing that often are the downfall of a hot rookie.

"You see a lot of guys," Gallego says, "they might start off pretty well and taper off. You see that happen a lot. This kid has, consistently, day after day, thrown major-league at-bats up there. Very impressive."

Weeks shrugs. Why should pitchers' adjustments knock him off-stride?

"Just like they try to understand me, I try to get an understanding of what they're trying to do to me," he says.

Rickie Sr. says, "I know they have hitting coaches in the big leagues, but Jemile was always big on correcting himself. After every swing, he always knows what he's done wrong."

The stroke is locked in. So is the attitude. Manager Bob Melvin says he is impressed with Weeks' reaction to the inevitable rookie speed bumps.
"He gets mad," says Melvin. "He doesn't start to doubt himself, drop the head and feel sorry for himself. He's very tenacious in what he does. He respects the game and he respects the opponent, but he's not awed by anybody, and that's pretty impressive to me."

If Weeks is riding a roller coaster of rookie emotion, it's all hidden under the polite smile.

"I wouldn't want to play him in a card game," Gallego says. "One of my big things for being a big-league player is not showing your cards, not letting the opponent know you're upset, that he beat you; not letting people know what you're thinking. ... I can't read the guy, and that's a good thing."

Family tree
Jemile Weeks' brother, Rickie Jr., plays for the Brewers, of course. But his family's sporting heritage spreads far wider:

-- Jemile's sister, Kaisha, was a star sprinter at Southern University in New Orleans.

-- His father, Rickie Sr., was a prep baseball star in New Jersey and played at Seton Hall and Stetson University.

-- His mother, Valeria, competed in basketball and track in high school.

-- His maternal grandfather, Victor, 82, played for several teams in the Negro Leagues before a knee injury ended his career. He is now blind but follows his grandsons' careers closely. Rickie Jr. and Jemile are well aware of their grandfather's career in the Negro Leagues. "He definitely gave us an inspiration and kept us determined," Jemile says. "I think (from knowing Victor's story) you have a different awareness. ... It's a different type of appreciation."

-- He has a maternal grandmother who was a prep basketball star, a great-grandfather who was a top college shot-putter and another great-grandfather who was an ambidextrous pitcher who barnstormed in the Carolinas and Virginia.


(sfgate.com)

Recently, Jemile Weeks' teammates were starting to get on him about his lack of home runs.
"They said, 'You've just got the bagel on the board, fill the board up,' and 'Anyone think he'll get to hit one out today? I don't,' " Weeks said with a laugh Thursday afternoon.

Weeks silenced the rest of the A's with a solo shot to right off Colby Lewis in the sixth inning Thursday, his first big-league home run. It took him 90 games to record the homer. That's the second longest homerless streak to begin a career in Oakland history after Mike Bordick's run of 132 games, which ended May 10, 1992.

"The home run put some extra pep in his step today," manager Bob Melvin said.

"It's awesome to see him get his first one," Oakland starter Trevor Cahill said. "We've been joking with him to get it, and especially here, with the big ballpark, it takes the pressure off."

Weeks went 3 for 3 and he scored the winning run in the eighth inning. He's batting a team-high .303.


(sfgate.com)

2B Jemile Weeks leads American League rookies in triples with eight, and he's second in steals with 21. His 110 hits are third most, as are his 23 doubles.




(latimes.com)

Weeks held out one more day as a precaution

Second baseman Jemile Weeks showed up to the ballpark Thursday expecting to be in the A's lineup.

Instead, he was held out for a second straight day as a precaution by manager Bob Melvin. Weeks is still feeling the effects from cramping he suffered in his left leg Saturday in Texas.

The soreness is in his hamstring.

"It's just precautions, so I don't have to play a day, take one off," Weeks said before the series opener against Detroit. "Certain movements I'm just not as quick as I want to be. I came in today ready to play, but you don't want to play halfway, 60 or 70 percent."

Melvin said he's erring on the side of caution with his rookie second baseman, who averaged just 59 games over three minor league seasons (2008-10) because of injuries relating mainly to his left hip.

Weeks has started 84 of the A's 89 games since he was promoted from Triple-A Sacramento for his big league debut on June 7.

"I know he wants to get back out there and play, but he's probably better served to give it one more extra day," Melvin said. "He's been playing awfully hard and aggressive, probably more so than he has in his career, which is a credit to him. But we don't want to take this thing too far."


(mercurynews.com)

Jemile Weeks went 4-for-5 with a double Wednesday against the Royals. Weeks has seven hits in his last two games, and his average is back over .300 for the first time since the end of July.




(fantasysp.com)

Jemile Weeks can steal bases, no question. It's staying there that's the problem.

The rookie has sailed right past the bag three times this season, twice head first and once, Friday night, feet first. So on Saturday, manager Bob Melvin, special adviser Phil Garner and first-base coach Tye Waller had Weeks out early, working on technique.

"They're trying to get me to slide a little bit earlier, make sure I'm in front of the bag or hitting on top of the bag and stopping my momentum," Weeks said. "It's just getting back to fundamentals."

Melvin said that they showed Weeks video of some successful base stealers who also start their slides on the late side, including Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury, who pops up when he reaches the bag, a tactic that might help Weeks.

Weeks has 21 steals, making him the seventh rookie in Oakland history to reach the 20-steal mark. He has seven steals in the past 10 games after 14 in his first 66.

Weeks extended his career-high hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the third.


(sfgate.com)

2B Jemile Weeks extended his career-high hitting streak to nine games with a two-out single in the fifth inning at Cleveland on Thursday. Weeks is 15-for-39 with seven stolen bases during the streak. He scored three runs on Thursday.



(latimes.com)

Jemile Weeks stole a career-high three bases and a scored a run in Saturday's loss to the Red Sox.

Weeks had just one hit on the afternoon, but also reached base on a fielder's choice and a walk. The rookie second baseman now has 19 stolen bases in 26 attempts this season. The 24-year-old has maintained a high batting average for nearly three months now, so he should be owned in most mixed leagues.


(kffl.com)

Second baseman Jemile Weeks has shown himself to be a defensive liability. He had two errors on one slapstick play during a 7-1 loss to the Rangers and has 11 errors in 56 games overall. That is the most by an Athletics second baseman since Mark Ellis had 14 errors -- in 154 games -- in 2003.



(dallasmorningnews.com)

Oakland 2B Jemile Weeks continues to produce from the top spot in the A's order as he went 2 for 4 on Sunday in Tampa Bay. Weeks helped the A's win in extra innings as he tripled in the game and scored a run. Weeks added a walk and is batting .293 on the year since his recall.



(fantasysp.com)

Thanks to proCane fan JD Barbosa for sending us this video of Jemile Weeks’ double on August 6th in Tampa.

NEW YORK -- When A's rookie second baseman Jemile Weeks arrived at Yankee Stadium on Friday afternoon, he immediately went out to the field to take it all in.

"You're talking a big deal, first time at Yankee Stadium," Weeks said. "It's an exciting time for me, just to look at the stadium and out into the stands to get a feel of what it's like."

Weeks certainly played inspired in his first visit to the ballpark. He went 3 for 6 with two RBIs, a bright spot for the A's in their 17-7 loss.

Weeks is hitting .315. Despite not being called up from Triple-A Sacramento until June 7, he entered Friday leading American League rookies in triples (three) and was ranked fourth in steals (10) and tied for fifth in multihit games (13).

Weeks showed no ill effects from fouling a ball off his right instep Tuesday against Detroit. He didn't play Wednesday against the Tigers and had Thursday's day off to get extra rest.


(chicoer.com)

Jemile Weeks went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI in Sunday's win over the Angels.
Weeks has come out of the All-Star break sizzling. Over his last four games, he is 9-for-16 with three RBI and three stolen bases. With no competition for playing time now that Mark Ellis is gone, Weeks is going to be a fantasy asset in the steals department.


(rotoworld.com)

OAKLAND -- Jemile Weeks has only been in the Majors since June. But when the A's rookie traveled to Arizona for All-Star Game festivities, he got an opportunity few rookies are presented with.

Weeks, the younger brother of Brewers All-Star second baseman Rickie Weeks, was at the Midsummer Classic as Rickie's guest, and the younger Weeks soaked in as much as he could during the break.

"Being around those guys, with that type of celebrity status and ability to play and be the best in the world, I was among them," Weeks said. "A lot of people would have loved to have been in that situation."

Weeks was on the field while his brother participated in the Home Run Derby, and said he was "star struck" by the experience and being around All-Stars who he grew up watching play.

"Honestly, all the guys that were there, most of them were guys that I've watched -- either through my Minor League ranks or growing up, I watched them," Weeks said. "Just to see all of them -- from [Jose] Reyes to seeing guys like [Troy] Tulowitzki, who I watched play a lot, or a guy like Scott Rolen, who you grow up watching -- just different guys who you don't see yourself being on the same field as. Those are the guys you really look at and are like, 'Wow.'"

Although he was surrounded by some of his childhood idols, Weeks didn't use the opportunity to pick anyone's brain, admitting he was perfectly content just taking in the experience. However, the time at the Midsummer Classic did inspire Weeks, who hit .287 for the A's before the break and was named the Co-Rookie of the Month for June, to strive to make it back as a participant, rather than a spectator.

"When it comes to stuff like that, those are the best in the game. And if you play this game, you might as well try to be the best," he said. "Hopefully, one day I'll be able to get there."


(mlb.com)

Less than a month into his big-league career, A's second baseman Jemile Weeks owns a monthly honor: On Tuesday, he and Minnesota outfielder Ben Revere (.294, seven stolen bases) were named the American League's Co-Rookies of the Month for June.

Oakland brought up Weeks from Triple-A Sacramento on June 7. In 21 games in the month, he hit .309 (25-for-81) and stole six bases.

Weeks was enthused about the award.

"It's always a positive to come up and get an accolade in the major leagues when you're not used to even being here," he said.

Manager Bob Melvin, who joined the A's two days after Weeks did, said he was impressed early by Weeks' ability to process information.

"You could talk to him during a game about adjustments and he actually listened," Melvin said. "I remember when I was a young player, when someone asked me to do something intricately in the course of a game, it went right in one ear and out the other. ...

"But, he's able to sustain it and actually go up there and do exactly what you ask of him."

After an 0-for-4 afternoon Monday, Weeks took early batting practice Tuesday. He was working on "trying to let the ball get deeper, be more consistent with my strike zone. I've been a little erratic lately."

For his consistent June, Weeks will receive a trophy. He'll gladly accept it, but he joked, "A watch would have been nice, too."

A watch is what Gio Gonzalez will receive for being the AL's Co-Player of the Week with Toronto's Jose Bautista (four homers). The A's lefty went 2-0, allowing one run in 15 innings while racking up 16 strikeouts.


(sfgate.com)

OAKLAND -- When the A's traded Mark Ellis -- the longest-tenured player on the team -- to the Rockies on Thursday, they made it clear that rookie Jemile Weeks is not only the future at second base, but the present, too.

With Weeks' development coming along quicker than many expected, his performance on the field has come as a pleasant surprise to manager Bob Melvin.

"He's been very consistent, which to an extent has surprised me," Melvin said. "Younger players have a tough time staying consistent. They'll go through hot streaks, cold streaks and then they'll have to deal with the fact that the first time in their career they're struggling some."

But that hasn't been the case with Weeks through his first 21 Major League games. The rookie, who has worked his way into the A's leadoff role as of late, was hitting .309 and reaching base at a .349 clip entering Friday's series opener against the D-backs. He has also swiped as many bags (six) as he has RBIs, and has seven multiple-hit games through his first three and a half weeks in the big leagues.

He has also flashed his glove countless time on defense, sporting a .973 fielding percentage while helping turn 15 double plays.

And Melvin believes Weeks is just scratching the surface of his capabilities, saying the switch-hitting rookie will only continue to grow as he learns pitchers and gets more reps.

"Certainly the numbers he's putting up right now and what he's doing for us energy-wise and so forth, he's certainly forecast that throughout his whole career," Melvin said. "He's only going to get better."


(mlb.com)

Jemile Weeks has been as advertised for Oakland. Through his first 20 games, the younger Weeks has compiled a .303/.346/.461 line to go with six stolen bases in eight attempts, adding up to a .359 wOBA and a 131 wRC+. The second baseman of the future for the Athletics has quickly become the second baseman of the present.

Just as quickly, Mark Ellis became the second baseman of the past for the Athletics. His ineffectiveness had those around the A’s discussing Weeks’s impending arrival; his early-June hamstring injury began the Weeks era. At his return, the A’s had a decision to make. The A’s decided quickly, moving the venerable second baseman to Colorado for pitcher Bruce Billings and a player to be named later. The trade sees the exit of a player who defines the Moneyball Athletics, as Ellis compiled $83.5 million worth of value for only $27.3 million in salary as an Athletic.

The return for Ellis is unsurprisingly slim, as the 34-year-old and his 54 wRC+ didn’t offer much encouragement to teams looking for an offensive boost, even if his defense can still play. Billings, the minor league pitcher involved, is nothing special. For the Rockies minor league teams, he’s posted FIPs in the low-to-mid 3.00s. He throws the standard righty reliever fare: a fastball-slider combo, but the fastball tends to stay in the low-90s. At age 25, his upside appears limited.

For the Athletics, though, this trade was never about the return. It was about the collapse of Ellis, a player who embodied so much of what made Billy Beane‘s Oakland A’s the Oakland A’s for the last decade, and the rise of Jemile Weeks. Ellis was a key part of the A’s division championships in 2002, 2003, and 2006. His current contract, however, was no insignificant part of the Athletics’ recent failures. This year, he has provided nothing in a weak AL West, and although he was productive in 2010, he was also weak in the initial year, 2009. Overall, with the Rockies taking on $1 million of his deal in the trade, the A’s ended up paying Ellis $15.5 million for 4.6 WAR. A respectable $3.4 million per win total for most franchises, but for the A’s, extending Mark Ellis was supposed to be a significant money-saving move, not a marginal victory for the pocketbook.

Now, with the shift to Jemile Weeks at second base, the A’s will have cheap production at second base once again. This time, it’s not coming from an unheralded, defense-first diamond in the rough. This time, it comes from a hot prospect, poised to deliver through speed, contact, and patience. Jemile Weeks only embodies the Moneyball philosophy with his high walk rates, a quality that hardly qualifies as a market inefficiency anymore. Players like Weeks who put the ball in play, run well and play an up-the-middle position are hot commodities everywhere.

That doesn’t mean Weeks can’t be a long-term star for the Athletics. For the A’s to truly succeed, they don’t need to change their philosophy. They simply need to put a product on the field bolstered by successful young players, with efficient veteran signings serving as the mortar. Billy Beane and the Athletics will be counting on Jemile Weeks to be a firm part of their organizational foundation for years to come.


(fangraphs.com)

In the eighth round of the 2005 draft, the Brewers selected high school second baseman Jemile Weeks, younger brother of Rickie Weeks, who was within days of being called up to begin his career as Milwaukee's second baseman.

The Brewers knew the younger Weeks had a scholarship offer from the University of Miami and would be difficult to sign but they took a shot anyway. Instead, Jemile went to college and emerged three years later as a first-round draft pick of the Oakland A's.

Imagine what might have happened had Jemile signed with the Brewers. Would he have taken his brother's job? Would the Brewers have committed long-term to Rickie as they did this spring?

We'll never know, but suffice to say Jemile has made an immediate impact in Oakland. In fact, he was playing so well after being summoned from the minors June 7 that veteran Mark Ellis did not reclaim the second-base job after coming off the disabled list last week.

Entering Saturday, the 24-year-old Jemile had established himself atop Oakland's batting order with a .305 batting average. Ellis, now considered trade bait, said he understood why Weeks did not relinquish the job.

"Jemile is playing too well to take him out," Ellis said. "He's provided a spark. You can't take him out. I hope he does well and plays 10 years in Oakland."

Jemile, a 5-foot-9 switch-hitter, is making a similar impact with the A's that catcher Buster Posey made across the bay in San Francisco when summoned in the first half of the 2010 season. Beyond that, their backgrounds are similar.

Both were first-round picks in '08, with Posey going fifth and Weeks 12th. Both were college stars in Florida, with Posey coming out of Florida State. Both were seen as possible difference-makers, offensively and defensively.

Obviously, Weeks can only dream of having the same first-year impact of Posey, who went on to claim rookie of the year honors and help the Giants win the World Series.

"I have nerves," said Weeks, who was batting .321 with a .417 on-base percentage at Class AAA Sacramento when summoned. "At the same time, they're exciting nerves, like readiness."

Weeks was fortunate to receive counsel and advice along the way from his big brother as well as former A's standout Rickey Henderson. There also has been the leadership and magnanimity of Ellis, who holds no grudges.

"My loyalty is obviously to Oakland, but I realize the situation," Ellis said. "Jemile is the future, and we play the same position. It's something I have zero control over, anyway."


(jsonline.com)

NEW YORK -- Jemile Weeks was never so much a fan of one particular Major League team. The A's second baseman was more drawn to certain players, among them three or four whom he tried to model himself after.

The Mets' Jose Reyes was included in that bunch. The nine-year veteran shortstop offers the speed, spark, and even the same long hair Weeks hopes come to define him as a big leaguer.

"That was probably one of my more favorite players in the league to watch before I got to this level," Weeks said. "I watched him a lot, and that's always been somebody who I watched and was like, 'Man, that's the type of guy who -- he brings that type of energy to a team, the way he plays. I like that.

"I would like to take pieces from his game and try to do that, too. And anything that I can bring along in my own style and my own way of playing, it'll add to it."

Weeks came face to face with Reyes for the first time on Tuesday night at Citi Field when he reached second base during the A's series-opening victory over the Mets and noted that Reyes had a few "encouraging words" for him.

Reyes currently leads the Majors with 13 triples. That's 10 more than Weeks, but the A's youngster has been in the bigs for all of 14 games, making Reyes' mark something of an attainable feat -- sort of.

"We'll see," Weeks said, smiling.


(mlb.com)

NEW YORK -- The A's have officially made a switch from veteran Mark Ellis to rookie Jemile Weeks as their starting second baseman, manager Bob Melvin confirmed before Wednesday's game against the New York Mets.

Ellis was activated from the 15-day disabled list, and it was assumed that Weeks might hold on to the job considering he is hitting .362 with 10 runs and four stolen bases in 13 games since being promoted from the minors.

Ellis, the longest tenured Athletic who holds the Oakland record for games played as a second baseman (1,021), is likely to see time at first and third base as well as second as a utility infielder.

He took the news in stride about being relegated to the bench and said it's best for the team that Weeks remains in the lineup.

"It's different, I'm not going to lie," Ellis said. "But Jemile has played great and added a spark for this team."


(mercurynews.com)

I'll admit I didn't have a lofty opinion on Jemile Weeks(notes) when the Athletics recalled him earlier in June. He showed speed in the minors but little pop, and the A's buried him in the batting order. And doesn't everyone in the Weeks family break down about 15 minutes after you drive off the lot? I essentially tossed the rookie into the "prove it to me" file.

Two weeks into the run, it's time to reevaluate. Baby Weeks can play.

Weeks is off to a tidy .362/.400/.574 start with the big club, and he's batted leadoff in his last three games. He handles the bat well (just five strikeouts, 92.9 percent contact rate) and he's eager to make things happen on the bases (four steals in six attempts, including three swipes over the last two days). Weeks didn't show ideal patience in his early at-bats, but he drew a couple of walks in Tuesday's win over the Mets and he had a healthy 13.4 percent walk rate in Triple-A. Getting on base shouldn't be a problem here.

The diminutive second sacker still isn't a power threat, but he's producing runs (10 scored, six driven in). To this point in his pro career, he's been a four-category contributor.

Weeks is currently available in 90 percent of Yahoo! leagues, a crazy-low number. I'd rather have him than Chone Figgins(notes) (39 percent, good grief), Omar Infante(notes) (33 percent), Jamey Carroll(notes) (30 percent), Jed Lowrie(notes) (29 percent, broken), and Ryan Raburn(notes) (22 percent), among others. Everyone needs a little banana yellow in their life.


(yahoosports.com)

When asked how the second base situation will shake out once Mark Ellis is back, Athletics interim manager Bob Melvin would say only that "If Jemile (Weeks) is here, he's going to play some. He's played well."

The guess here is that Weeks will get the majority of the playing time at second base, with Ellis maybe playing a couple days per week and being a prime trade candidate before the deadline. But, it wouldn't be shocking if Weeks is sent down to play every day at Triple-A. We should know more Wednesday, when Ellis is activated.


(rotoworld.com)

Is this season moving fast or what? Spring Training felt like it was five minutes ago and now, just like that, we’re a little over a month away from the trade deadline. That magical time of year when every baseball fan is slightly on edge; where every move, or non-move, could be the difference between “this could be the year” and “there’s always next year.”

For the next month, each and every fan will be hypothesizing on what his or her team needs to get over that hump and into the postseason. It’s a telling time of year. If your GM makes a move that brings in talent, you know the front office is serious about going all the way this year. If they ship out talent for prospects, you’re in the dreaded “rebuilding” phase.

A’s fans have become far too familiar with this phase over the last five years. In fact, the rebuilding phase has seemed to be connected to the building of something else. Well, I’ve got news for you (which should come as a shock to absolutely no one), that “something else” A’s fans have been hoping for and Bud Selig has been refusing to seriously address isn’t coming any time soon. They’ve got to start looking for other ways to bring fans out to the ballpark and creating an exciting team would certainly help.

You’ll be hard pressed to find someone who likes Mark Ellis more than I do. The fact that he’s been in the top five among AL second basemen in fielding percentage for the last six years speaks for itself to just about everyone except the people who vote for Gold Gloves. His stellar defense has always been more than enough to make up for his career .265 batting average and it’d be difficult to find a nicer guy in all of baseball than the South Dakota native.

But now there’s this guy on the team that is bringing an infectious energy. He’s hitting, he’s playing defense, he’s all-around exciting to watch and brings an “anything could happen” air to a game. He gets on base and the pitcher can’t think of anything other than him. The A’s can’t afford to favor Ellis over Jemile Weeks. It’d be sending a similar message that keeping Geren would have sent. Beane would be saying, “I like this guy as a person and what he’s meant in the past, so we’re going to keep him here, whether he’s the right guy for the job or not.”

I know that Ellis is a million times more liked by fans than Geren ever was, but keeping him around as a starter wouldn’t be the right thing for the team and keeping him on the bench wouldn’t be the right thing for Ellis. We just have to accept, the Ellis era is coming to a close in Oakland.  If only they could figure out a way to convince him to retire and stay on as an infield coach. We all know they need it.

I’m not a huge fan of the term, “Chicks dig the long ball.” I don’t happen to dig it all that much. Sure, home runs are exciting, but I dig the underrated guys who play defense and get on base, the guys who play hard and make things happen. But the fact is, the long ball sells tickets and that’s something the A’s have been missing. The team hasn’t had a 30 home run guy since Jack Cust hit 33 in 2008 (he also struck out 197 times that year, but hey, who’s counting). Last year, Kevin Kouzmanoff’s 16 homers led the team.

Hardcore fans find other stats that excite them and look at multiple factors and qualities in players and in games, but for the A’s to bring in more fans without the new ballpark, they need to appeal to the average fan too; and if there’s one thing the average fan likes, it’s the long ball. Who could blame them? It’s exciting knowing that at any moment your team could go from down two to up one. It’s hard to cheer for a team that gets down a couple runs and all hope is lost, and that’s what it’s felt like as an A’s fan for the last few years.

The team is headed in the right direction. I honestly believe that Melvin is going to bring out the best in these guys, Jemile Weeks is going to add a burst of personality and energy that this team has been thirsting for and if Beane could add another bat to supplement the power that Josh Willingham is capable of, the team will keep winning and fans will show up.

If you can’t build it, smash a few out of the park, steal a few bases, strike them out, and they will come.


(csnbayarea.com)

NEW YORK -- David Forst, assistant general manager of the Oakland A’s, was checking out batting practice before Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets and ticking off reasons for the team’s recent surge when the conversation turned to rookie second baseman Jemile Weeks.

A brief scouting report on Weeks: He’s a burner on the basepaths, a doubles-and-triples slasher type of hitter and a high-energy player who is still refining his game around the second-base bag.

Does the kid have plate discipline?

“Absolutely,’’ Forst said. “He’s a first-round draft pick of the A’s. He better have it.’’

As if on cue, Weeks proceeded to draw two walks, steal two bases, mix in a single and score three runs to help the resurgent A’s beat New York 7-3 at Citi Field. It was Oakland’s sixth straight victory and kept the A’s within 5½ games of first-place Texas in the equal opportunity American League West.

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks in Oakland -- and we’re not just talking about the trailer for “Moneyball’’ finally making the rounds. The A’s have weathered a rash of injuries, and they’re hoping things will continue to round into shape with pitchers Rich Harden and Brandon McCarthy moving closer to returning from the disabled list.

The players’ collective mood has already shown a noticeable improvement since general manager Billy Beane fired manager Bob Geren and replaced him with Bob Melvin. The last time two Bobs were linked this closely, there was workplace havoc in the movie “Office Space.’’ But the managerial change has clearly had the desired impact since one Bob left the premises and another took his place.

The A’s found their stride over the weekend with a three-game sweep of San Francisco in the Bay Bridge Series and were so wary of upsetting team karma that they’ve continued to wear their Fort Knox gold jerseys on the road. Steve Vucinich, Oakland’s equipment manager, packed the home jerseys for the trip after consulting the Major League Baseball style guide and finding they’re permissible in away games under the rules. Gold jerseys don’t blend very well with the A’s road-gray pants, but when a team is on a 6-0 run, clashing hues can make for sartorial elegance.

“It’s not our best look,’’ Weeks said. “But it’s part of our winning right now, so I guess we’ll keep it until it wears itself out.’’

The A’s don’t hit much even in the best of times, and they ran out a nondescript lineup against New York. With team home run leader Josh Willingham bothered by a sore Achilles and the slumping David DeJesus forced to the bench by designated hitter Hideki Matsui’s outfield cameo, Melvin did some nifty improvisation. Center fielder Coco Crisp made his 11th career start in the No. 3 spot in the batting order. And Conor Jackson and Ryan Sweeney -- who have combined for one homer in 277 at-bats this season -- hit in the fifth and sixth spots.

Oakland’s table setters alleviated any concerns by setting the tone from the outset against Mets starter Dillon Gee. Weeks and shortstop Cliff Pennington reached base seven times in their first eight plate appearances and scored five runs, and that was more than enough offensive support for A's starter Josh Outman.

Weeks now is hitting .362 with a .400 OBP since his arrival from the minors June 7 and is showing some admirable selectivity at the plate.

“He looks like he’s been leading off for 15 years,’’ Melvin said. “He takes changeups just off the plate in two-strike counts, and he takes pitches when it’s 3-1. A lot of young players are going to want to swing there because that’s a good count to hit. But he just makes them throw another strike.’’

Barely a week into his new job, Melvin already has a big decision to make. Veteran Mark Ellis, whose hamstring injury prompted the A’s to call up Weeks from Triple-A Sacramento two weeks ago, is eligible to return from the disabled list Wednesday. The A’s aren’t saying precisely how they plan to resolve the traffic jam at second base. But Weeks sure isn’t playing like a kid who’s interested in seeing more of the Sacramento skyline.

“I’m certainly not going to do anything until I talk to the players,’’ Melvin said. “It’s a great problem to have. One of them is up-and-coming and probably our best prospect. And the other guy has probably meant as much to this organization as anybody in the last 10 years. It’ll be nice to have them both on the team, but it’ll be a difficult proposition either way.’’

Regardless of what happens in the short term, Weeks is carving out an identity beyond that of “Rickie Weeks’ little brother.’’ While Rickie sneaked up on people at Southern University before going to Milwaukee as the second pick in the 2003 draft, Jemile is a product of a baseball factory at Miami. At a rock-solid 5-foot-10, 215 pounds, Rickie looks as if he should be blowing up offensive backfields on a safety blitz. Jemile, in contrast, is a scant 5-9 and 160 pounds. But when he’s raising havoc on the bases, with those braids spilling out from beneath his cap, he can certainly look intimidating.

Jemile has already earned an ardent following in a short time in the Bay Area. When Hall of Famer and stolen base king Rickey Henderson recently showed up to work with the Oakland position players on base stealing and pronounced Weeks “exciting,’’ it was enough to make a rookie’s head spin.

“It was just flattering,’’ Weeks said. “You just sit back and say, ‘Wow. Rickey Henderson said that about me.' It’s just a great feeling. I can’t really put it into words.’’

Two weeks and 47 at-bats into his tenure with the A’s, Jemile Weeks doesn’t need many words to express himself. His game is speaking quite eloquently on his behalf.


(espn.com)

Rickey Henderson is in town to work with some of the A’s top base runners. “I think now that we really wanna run a little more, I’ll come up and see what I can do for them,” said Henderson, who has worked extensively with the A’s minor league teams since the start of last season. Henderson worked with Jemile Weeks plenty at the Double-A level and thinks a young player with Weeks’ ability provides a spark for an entire team. “I think he’s exciting,” Henderson said. “Usually you get a guy like that just coming up to the big leagues, he’s got a little fire in him. He’s a little hyper out there. It seems like the team picks something up.”


(ibabuzz.com)

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The Oakland A's swept the San Francisco Giants in the Bay Bridge series and that sweep gives the A's some hope in what looked like a lost season. New manager Bob Melvin has provided a spark and so has the speedy new rookie, 2nd baseman Jemile Weeks.

He can run, he can field, and he can hit. Since being called up on June 7th, Weeks has been on a tear with a .364 average in his first 12 games.

"I feel great. I mean, this is where I've wanted to be all my life and finally it's here, so it definitely feels good," said Weeks.

Making the big leagues was almost expected of Weeks because baseball has been in his family for generations.

"It's kind of been a part of the family; my grandfather played, my dad played. It went on down to my brother and me being the youngest, I just followed suit pretty much," said Weeks.

In less than two weeks with the club, Weeks has been a game-changer with four doubles, three triples and two stolen bases. Most importantly, the A's are winning.

"It was my opportunity to come up here and try to be a part of this team and help them win. And that's probably the most exciting thing is that we're winning right now and it's me, I'm actually helping out this team win and that's something that I didn't see myself doing so soon in the season," said Weeks.


(abclocal.com)

Jemile Weeks doubled, singled and drove in three runs for the A's in the win over the Royals on Thursday.
Weeks is making a strong case for keeping a starting job after Mark Ellis returns next week. He's 11-for-32 and has three triples already since his callup. Despite batting ninth in eight of his nine games, Weeks has five RBI already. Ellis had 15 in 59 games, and he was always batting seventh or higher.

Weeks has really settled in since being called up and has one more week until Mark Ellis can be activated from the disabled list. If he keeps anything resembling his current pace, Weeks will put the A’s in a position where they have to decide what to do with Ellis as opposed to deciding what to do with Weeks.


(rotoworld.com)

Jemile Weeks went 1-for-3 with a run scored and stolen base in Oakland's 2-1 win over the Royals on Wednesday.

The swipe was Weeks' third in eight games since being recalled from Triple-A, while he is now batting .321 through his first 28 major-league at-bats. The time to take a flier is now if he's still on your league's wire.


(rotoworld.com)

(espn.com)

An injury to Oakland Athletics second baseman Mark Ellis has opened up a spot for 2008 first-rounder Jemile Weeks. The younger brother of the Milwaukee Brewers' Rickie Weeks hasn't stood out in any one area during his minor league career, but he has shown fairly consistent improvement. Hitting .321 with 10 steals and 30 runs scored in 45 games at Class AAA, Weeks hasn't looked overmatched during his brief stay in the majors.

Even though Ellis is due back soon, the A's could continue to give Weeks playing time — especially in the wake of a 10-game losing streak and the firing of manager Bob Geren.


(usatoday.com)

Jemile Weeks was the Athletics' first-round selection (12th overall) in the June 2008 free agent amateur draft out of the University of Miami. He has above-average bat speed and athleticism and plays with energy. He is a tick below-average defender, but he has improved his ability to turn the double play. His arm and arm accuracy are below average, but the latter is better than it was when he was at Miami. He’s always had the potential to be a top-of-the-order (probably No. 2 hitter) offensive player with some pop from both sides of the plate, but he has not lived up to his abilities because of multiple leg and hip injuries.

Weeks, 24, has above average quickness with the potential of stealing 20 bases. He will spray the ball to all fields with 10 homer potential from both sides of the plate, if he ever gets enough plate appearances. Unfortunately, he has still never gotten 350 at-bats in a single season at any level. He needs at-bats, reps and experience.

He doesn’t have the potential to be an impact, top-of-the-order player, but he does have a chance to become a complementary player on a championship caliber club.

BOTTOM LINE: Jemile Weeks should develop into a No. 2 hitter that hits .280 or .290 with 10 homer power while stealing 15-20 bases. He’ll be a below-average defender at second base with inconsistent defensive skills. He’ll play the game with enthusiasm, but he won't be able to live up to the expectations of a first-round pick.


(espn.com)

You better not have blinked while looking for a silver lining in the A's ninth straight loss of the season Wednesday night in Oakland's 3-2 loss in Baltimore. Otherwise, as the saying goes, you might have missed Jemile Weeks.

The 5-feet-9, 160 pound (soaking wet and with rocks in his pockets) Weeks was all over the field in his second career major league game. He had a single, a double and, if the official scorekeeper was in a more magnanimous mood, he would have had a triple, too.

The second baseman also scored two runs - the A's only two runs and turned a nifty double-play in which he deftly backhanded Adam Jones' grounder up the middle, touched the bag to force out Nick Markakis and gained his balance in time to throw across his body to get Jones at first.

This is what the A's, no doubt, envisioned, when they drafted him with the No. 12 overall pick in 2008 out of Miami. Not what he showed Tuesday in his first big league at-bat.

Called up from Triple-A Sacramento, where he was absolutely raking the ball at a .321 clip with a .417 on-base percentage, to help out with Mark Ellis going on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, Weeks was put in the lead-off spot.

In his first-ever at-bat, Weeks watched not one. Not two. Not three or even four pitches go by without so much as lifting his bat off his shoulders. He looked at five - five! - pitches and, yes, struck out looking. Looking!

Maybe it was nerves. Maybe it was part of his master plan. Either way, the A's wanted him for his aggressiveness, in every aspect of the game.
Dropped to No. 9 in the lineup Wednesday, he showed it in his first at-bat, jumping on a 90-mph fastball from Zach Britton and driving the 2-and-0 offering into the left-fielder corner for a one-out double in the third inning, Weeks' first career hit.

In the sixth, he led off the inning with a single to left, moved to third on Coco Crisp's single to center and scored on Daric Barton's 4-6-3 double-play, Week's first career run scored.

And in the eighth, his drive to left was lost in the Camden Yards lights by Nolan Reimold for what was ruled a three-base error. And despite jamming his neck in Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds', ahem, nether region on his late-breaking head-first slide, Weeks stayed in the game. He scored one batter later on Crisp's sac fly to center, Week's second career run scored.

Yes, Weeks is still looking for his first career victory. He already his his first career silver lining.


(csnbayarea.com)

Jemile Weeks made his big-league debut Tuesday night at Camden Yards, and even though his night was quiet, it was still a chance for fans to get a look at one of the A's top prospects.

Weeks, the 24-year-old brother of Milwaukee second baseman Rickie Weeks, was Oakland's first-round pick in 2008, 12th overall. He was called up when Mark Ellis was placed on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain. Weeks did not reach base in the A's 4-0 loss to Baltimore.
The A's have dropped eight in a row, extending their season high, and they have scored all of five runs over their past three games.

They are in last place, and they have turned into a somewhat dull team with few big personalities. Oakland's top attribute is its starting pitching, which has taken a dip for the past week-plus. And on Tuesday, the A's put one of their best starters, Brett Anderson, on the DL - the fifth A's starter out of action this year.

So the arrival of a prize prospect such as Weeks could provide at least a spark of interest. He's an energetic player, too, as is Adam Rosales, who came off the disabled list the day before, and an injection of energy might be just what the A's need.

Weeks said he'd spoken to his brother, who told him to "just go out there and get after it, get that first hit." Weeks' parents, Richard and Valeria, were on hand at Camden Yards on Tuesday, along with Weeks' sister, Kaisha.

Weeks, who was batting .321 at Triple-A Sacramento, was pulled out of Monday night's game at Colorado Springs after his first plate appearance. He said his teammates kept telling him he'd been called up, but not actually knowing until the end of the game was nerve-racking.
This is likely to be merely a fill-in situation for Weeks, though he is considered the A's second baseman of the future. Asked if Weeks would have any shot at sticking at second base if he excels now, A's manager Bob Geren said making any sort of statement would be unfair, but, he said, "Mark is a great player who is just injured right now."

Ellis wasn't altogether thrilled with going on the DL. The longest-tenured A's player said he believes his injury would heal in a matter of a few days.

"I don't think it's that big a deal at all," Ellis said. "But when you don't have enough bodies, sometimes someone has to go on the disabled list."

Ellis said that the injury is nowhere near as severe as the left hamstring strain that cost him more than a month last year. The A's initially left Ellis on the roster for more than a week when he was hurt last year, but that probably only lengthened the time it took him to return when he did go on the DL.

Though Weeks did not record a hit Tuesday, another of the new additions did. Scott Sizemore, recalled Monday, has singled in each of his two games with Oakland. Sizemore played third on Tuesday; Rosales is expected to be back there tonight.


(sfgate.com)

Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com reports that the Athletics are calling up prospect second baseman Jemile Weeks from Triple-A Sacramento.

It's time. Mark Ellis left Monday's game with a hamstring injury, so it's assumed that he will land on the disabled list. The A's still need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, but they can move Dallas Braden to the 60-day disabled list. Weeks, 24, entered Monday's action batting .321/.414/.446 with three homers, 22 RBI and nine stolen bases over his first 44 games with Triple-A Sacramento this season. He should be owned in AL-only leagues from the outset.


(nbcsports.com)

Oakland Athletics 2B Jemile Weeks is hitting .313 with three homers, 19 RBIs and eight steals at Triple-A Sacramento.





(kffl.com)

Sounds fans who miss the days when current Brewers star Rickie Weeks was manning second base in Nashville have gotten the next best thing lately.

Jemile Weeks, Rickie's younger brother, also plays second base, bats leadoff and fashions his hair similarly with dreadlocks.

The prized Oakland Athletics prospect, making his Greer Stadium debut with the Sacramento River Rats this week, appears on his way to a promising career. He holds a .313 average even after going 0-for-5 in the River Cats' 3-2 win over the Sounds on Monday night.

Jemile said his brother's success at the same position seems only to boost his own confidence.

Rickie led all major league leadoff hitters with 29 home runs last season and started the 2005 season in Nashville as the Brewers' top prospect. He was promoted to Milwaukee in June.

"I think it's more of an inspiration for me. It's not weird at all," Jemile said. "It's showing if he can do it, I'm coming from the same type of atmosphere, being a first-round pick and playing second base, so it shows that those things are attainable for me, also."

Four years younger than Rickie and nearly 50 pounds lighter, Jemile said his approach at the plate is different from his brother's.

"I pretty much try to use all fields when I can. He's going to play his game, which is a power game. My game is a little mix of everything with some speed involved."

He gets regular baseball advice from Rickie, but equally important, Jemile said, he can take the credit for steering his brother to wearing the dreads he is now known for.

"I actually started this in college and then I cut my hair," he said. "Then he started his so I came back around and started mine after him again."



(tennessean.com)

Three years after being taken in the first round by the A’s out of the University of Miami, second baseman Jemile Weeks seems to be nearing the majors.  Rickie’s little brother is hitting a cool .327/.427/.482 with two homers, 14 RBI and six steals in 110 at-bats for Triple-A Sacramento.   A switch-hitter, he’s batting .324 against lefties and .329 versus righties.

The A’s weren’t expecting to need a replacement at second base this year after spending more than they likely needed to in picking up Mark Ellis‘ $6 million option for 2011.  Ellis, always a rock-solid performer when healthy, was coming off a fine .291/.358/.381 season in 2010.

Second basemen, though, do have a history of losing it early, and Ellis is a 33-year-old with a lengthy injury history (he’s played in 130 games just twice as a major leaguer).  His ugly .194/.221/.269 start in 134 at-bats this season might be more than just an extended slump.  And it’s not only the batting average: with no homers, six RBI and a measly four walks on the season, he’s done nothing at all to help the A’s offensively.

Ellis is still a fine defender and the A’s would be downgrading there if they went to Weeks, but it might be worth it to make the switch anyway.  Weeks doesn’t have his brother’s power, but he’s not punchless either and that he walks almost as much as he strikes out should give him a nice on-base percentage.

Considering that the A’s have actually slipped behind the Mariners in runs per game, leaving them only ahead of the Twins in the AL, they don’t have much to lose by giving Weeks a try.



(nbcsports.com)

With the A’s infield getting less impressive by the day Jemile Weeks has been looking more attractive by the day. No, not in that way. Not that there is anything wrong with that….

For the non minor league followers I’ll give you a little background on him. Weeks was drafted in the first round of the 2008 draft by the Oakland Athletics. He plays second base and has hit the ball well on his way up through the minors.

Currently he is playing for the Sacramento River Cats. Weeks is hitting .351 with an outstanding .969 OPS. The guy knows how to get on base. He also knows how to hit for extra bases. He isn’t much of a home run threat but he already has 3 triples and 5 doubles in just twenty four games. That isn’t overly amazing but that’s better than most of our infielders on the big league club.

I do understand the hesitation to bring him up. The A’s don’t know if his offense will translate against MLB pitchers. I get that. The problem is the infielders we have now aren’t hitting MLB pitchers. It’s time to give someone else a shot.

This is Weeks’s fourth year in the minors. Personally I don’t think he needs much more cooking. I think this guy is ready to play. Why not let LaRoche back up Kouz? Then bring up Weeks to give Ellis some bench time. As I blogged before, he just isn’t effective.

I realize the A’s would have to send someone down or release them. That is where I am not sure what the A’s should or can do. Personally I think a trade of either Kouz, Barton or Ellis for whatever prospects we could get would be best. Either way this kid has paid his dues and has shown he can play at every level on his way up the ladder. Let’s see if he has what it takes to play in the bigs. He surely can’t be any worse than what is going on now.



(beanesbunch.com)

The Sacramento River Cats (10-7) defeated the Tucson Padres (6-11) 4-2 on Saturday night at home, backed by solo home runs by second baseman Jemile Weeks and first baseman Anthony Recker.

Weeks wasted little time putting Sacramento on the scoreboard as he launched a leadoff solo home run into the visiting team’s bullpen, on Tucson starting pitcher Will Inman’s (0-2) second pitch of the game.



(sacramentopress.com)

The latest speedster to fill the River Cats' leadoff role doesn't steal bases like Eric Patterson or do back flips like Corey Wimberly.

Jemile Weeks, 24, just plays with passion, his speed, hitting ability and defensive skills enough to carry him to within a step of the major leagues.

And, like former River Cats Patterson and Wimberly, the 5-foot-9, 161-pound Weeks has already become a fan favorite.

What's not to like? The second baseman is hustling, making plays and hitting .391.

"He comes to the park every day to play with passion," said River Cats manager Darren Bush, who also managed Weeks at Double-A Midland last season.

"You can't substitute anything for that. It's fun watching him out there."

Weeks said he's enjoying playing at Raley Field.

"There's a different atmosphere here with the fans," he said. "Just knowing you're at that next level, knowing you're near a big-league team, is just an inspiration."

Weeks, who lives in Altamonte Springs, Fla., grew up playing baseball with his older brother, Rickie, the Milwaukee Brewers' second baseman. While their age gap (nearly 4 1/2 years) prevented them from playing on the same team growing up, there was plenty of playing catch.

"It's a big help," Weeks said of his brother's success. "It was always a little bit of competition."

Weeks, a switch hitter, said playing hard was an emphasis when he was younger. "I think it shows in my play and my brother's play," he said. "That's what we were taught from my parents."

Jemile Weeks was first drafted by Milwaukee in the eighth round of the 2005 draft, but he opted to play for the University of Miami.

The A's chose him in the first round in 2008.

Speed is a big part of Weeks' game. But injuries have kept him in check.

He strained his left hip twice while running to first base, once in 2008 with Class-A Kane County, and once last season with Midland.

So he hasn't developed into a consistent base stealer, at least not yet. He's stolen 31 bases in his three previous seasons (176 games).

"He wants to (run)," Bush said. "I hold him back a lot. But he's very capable of doing it."

Weeks knows his speed is a big reason the A's selected him.

"It's something that's going to help me get to where I want to go," he said. "The key for me is to try to stay healthy, use my speed when I can. I feel real confident I can get bags."

Weeks, who has good power for his frame, said playing for Bush has been a blessing.

"He keeps you fired up," Weeks said. "But when things don't go your way, when things jump the wrong way, he's not there to jump down your throat. He's there to help you. He keeps you going."

Hopefully all the way to Oakland.



(sacbee.com)

A's second-base prospect Jemile Weeks might not have millions in the bank and a long major-league resume like his older brother, but he does have three hits against Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez. Brewers shortstop Rickie Weeks can boast only two, in 11 big-league plate appearances.

Jemile singled, doubled and homered against Sanchez in a Triple-A game at the Giants' minor-league complex Tuesday. Though the major-league team was off, Sanchez needed a start to stay in line for his April 1 season debut at Dodger Stadium.

Sanchez threw about 85 pitches and allowed five runs (four earned) in four innings. He walked one and struck out six, including four of five hitters in one stretch.

Sanchez did not care that he got hit, saying he used the start to refine his changeup, which he wants to throw in any count, especially on the first pitch to get ahead 0-1.

"I felt pretty good," he said. "I was getting everything over the plate. I threw a lot of changeups today, getting a feel for it. I got stretched out today. That's what I wanted to do."

Hitters are hard to walk in minor-league games because they are aggressive (even those drafted by Billy Beane). Still, Sanchez's good strikeout-to-walk ratio is a positive sign. In four Cactus League starts, he has 14 strikeouts and four walks, a trend that could keep him in games longer if he carries it into the season.



(sfgate.com)

The A's second-base prospect went 2-for-2 and scored twice, including the winning run in the eighth inning of Sunday's 5-4 victory over the Brewers, who also had a second baseman named Weeks (Rickie), who broke into the majors in 2003.

"It's not something people get to do, play against their brother," Jemile said. "It's something I'm thankful for."

By the time Jemile, 4 1/2 years younger, was entering high school, Rickie had graduated. By the time Jemile was entering college, Rickie had turned pro. A similar story played out Sunday. By the time Jemile, 24, entered in the sixth inning, Rickie was getting pulled.

Jemile hopes the trend ends, saying, "I'm trying to get to the big leagues before he leaves the big leagues."

The younger brother, the 12th overall pick in the 2008 draft, has been slowed by injuries. He played at Double-A Midland last season, and the natural progression would be Triple-A this season. So it's a key time for Jemile, especially considering second baseman Mark Ellis' contract runs out after this season.

"It's the organization's call," Jemile said. "Me, I'm going out there with the attitude of a guy they look at as somebody who could be an everyday player in the big leagues. Just wanting to show them my tools, so they'll know."

Rather than return to the Brewers' facility in Maryvale, Ariz., Rickie stayed the entire game to watch Jemile, and it was worth the wait. With two outs in the eighth, Jemile doubled Michael Choice to third. Both scored on a single to right by A-ball outfielder Rashun Dixon, with the speedy Jemile barely beating the throw.

He said he worked on strengthening his legs in the offseason to help his all-around game.



(sfgate.com)

The A's have invited 2B prospect Jemile Weeks to spring training as a non-roster invitee. Weeks is considered Oakland's fifth-best prospect, according to Baseball America.




(fantasysp.com)

Jemile Weeks, A's: When Rickie's younger brother has been healthy, he's shown some pretty good tools on the field. Unfortunately for the 2008 first-round pick, he didn't play more than 80 games in either of his first two full professional seasons. If he can get past the injuries that have sidelined him, he could develop into a highly interesting leadoff type with good speed and even some pop.



(mlb.com)