June 6, 2011A'S PAGEA'S VIDEO
Paul Gutierrez
CSNCalifornia.com
Perhaps looking to jump-start their offense while injecting some enthusiasm into the clubhouse, the slumping A's on Monday reinstated infielder Adam Rosales from the 60-day disabled list and recalled infielder Scott Sizemore from Triple-A Sacramento.
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One of the corresponding roster moves was expected -- optioning right-handed rookie Fautino De Los Santos to Sacramento. The other, though, was not -- sending six-year veteran third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff to the River Cats.
The return of the spark plug Rosales, who missed all of spring training with the fractured right foot, is a welcome one. In three games of a rehab stint with Sacramento, he went three-for-10 with a double, a triple and three walks and appeared at second base, third base and shortstop.
Last season, Rosales, 28, was the first A's player since Scott Brosius in 1995 to start at least one game at six different positions. Rosales batted .271 with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 80 games last season for the A's before going on the disabled list on Aug. 12 with a stress fracture in his right ankle.
Sizemore, meanwhile, was acquired from Detroit in the May 27 trade for lefty reliever David Purcey. At Triple-A Toledo, Purcey batted .408 with two homers and 15 RBI and was leading the International League in batting and on-base percentage (.495) before the Tigers called him up on May 3. With Detroit, he hit just .222 with 10 walks and in nine games with the River Cats he batted .267 with 12 walks and 1 runs scored. He played third base in eight of his nine games with Sacramento and hit second in the lineup.
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Kouzmanoff's uncharacteristic slow start this season -- he hit .208 in April and his nine errors were second-most among American League third basemen -- started the whispers. He homered Sunday in Boston -- all four of his home runs have come on the road -- and had raised his batting average to .221. But it was obvious the A's front office had seen enough, hoping he gets his swing and confidence back in the minor leagues.
De Los Santos made his big league debut Saturday and pitched two innings Sunday, showing off his high-90s velocity while allowing a run on two hits and striking out four.