Jemile Weeks is Co-Rookie of the Month

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)