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Carter Spoils Samardzija’s Night

Published

10 years ago

September 6, 2014

Oakland, CA – It’s not where they want to be yet they still continue their journey. Adam Dunn continued his hitting streak, Coco Crisp returned to the lineup and Jeff Samardzija pitched his third game with nine strikeouts or more. But that wasn’t enough to snap the A’s losing streak as they fell 4-3 to the Houston Astros.

“Jeff’s last three starts have been good,” said Oakland’s manager Bob Melvin. “Unfortunately, we don’t do enough offensively to give him some help.”

The A’s found their missing at-bats in the third. They scored three runs giving them lead. Alberto Callaspo leadoff the frame with a hit off Brett Oberholtzer who was late throwing him out at first. Crisp struck out and Oberholtzer walked the next two batters to load the bases.

Derek Norris hit a single to right field scoring in one run, an error on right fielder Jake Marisnick allowed the second runner to score making it a 2-1 game. Jonny Gomes popped out and Dunn’s RBI single extended Oakland’s lead 3-1. This is Dunn’s fourth game hitting consecutively and driving in a run in each of his four games.

“I was just trying to relax, get a good pitch to hit and not chase,” Chris Carter said. “I’m always looking for a fastball, then try to adjust off-speed and go from there. I got a good pitch middle way.”

The Astros responded in the fourth with a RBI single from Carter who trimmed the lead down to one run. Carter then went deep to center field in the sixth with a two-run homer giving Houston back the lead, making it a 4-3 game. Carter has 7 home runs, 20 RBI’s in 16 games against his former team this season.

“I threw a pitch he could handle, he got extended on it, and he hit out of the park,” said Samardzija. “If there’s one I could have back, it would be that one, for sure. But we’d thrown some fastballs by him earlier in the game, so I thought it was a good choice.”

Samardzija gave up his second home run of the game, his first went to Jon Singleton who blasted a solo shot on the first pitch in the third. Houston’s defense stifled the A’s offense in the fourth when they failed to score after loading the bases.

“We had many opportunities to put that game out of reach,” Norris said. “You let teams hang around long enough, they’re going to come through and they’re going to beat you, and I think that’s more the focal point for me than the pitch to Carter.”

Oakland loss tonight puts them two games ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the Wild Card race. The Mariners beat the Texas Rangers. With 22 games left in the season, every game becomes crucial for the A’s to keep a good position if they’re unable to catch the Angels. There’s a lot of baseball left and Oakland will take it one day at a time.

Notes – Adam Dunn has homered twice in four games since joining the A’s via trade from the Chicago White Sox last Sunday. Dunn has also hit safely in his last four games and driven in a run in each of those games. He feels confident about his at-bats and excited to be on a team that is in contention. Despite the struggles as of lately, Dunn continues to keep a positive attitude.

“We’ve played quite a few games here and I feel fine,” said Dunn. “It’s a lot easier when you know a few of these guys like I do. So, it’s been a very easy adjustment. The makeup that this team has is pretty loose and they realize they’re good despite what’s happened in the past month.”

“He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” said A’s manager Bob Melvin. “He’s invigorating! He comes from a team that’s not in the pennant race and feels good about being here.”

Oakland has dropped from the leading the American League West to trailing six games behind the Anaheim Angels. The A’s have lost three straight, seven of the last eight and nine of the last twelve games. The moral is a bit low yet, Dunn feels as though he’s on top of the world.

“There’s a lot of games left, can’t sit here and worry about teams coming in two weeks,” explained Dunn. “We just have to take care of business and let everything else play itself out. This is what the goal is, to play meaningful games in September and then the postseason. They’ve done that and I’ve actually reaped the benefits of it by coming over here late.”

“You see his at-bats, he invigorates himself and a lot of the other guys,” Melvin said. “We do have some guys who are still struggling a bit but this is time we need to come out of this. Having him in the lineup gets other guys in there swinging the bats well.”

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‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

14 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

15 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Biden’s Legacy Secured with Record-Setting Black Judicial Appointments

His record surpasses previous efforts by his predecessors. President Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black judges, including seven Black women. In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s first term resulted in only two Black women appointed out of 234 lifetime judicial nominations. The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Published

15 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

iStockphoto.

By Stacy M. Brown
WI Senior Writer

President Joe Biden’s commitment to diversifying the federal judiciary has culminated in a historic achievement: appointing 40 Black women to lifetime judgeships, the most of any president in U.S. history.

Biden has appointed 62 Black judges, cementing his presidency as one focused on promoting equity and representation on the federal bench.

The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Meanwhile, Trump has vowed to dismantle key civil rights protections, including the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Having the Black woman’s experience on the federal bench is extremely important because there is a different kind of voice that can come from the Black female from the bench,” Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told reporters.

Lena Zwarensteyn of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights told reporters that these district court judges are often the first and sometimes the final arbiters in cases affecting healthcare access, education equity, fair hiring practices, and voting rights.

“Those decisions are often the very final decisions because very few cases actually get heard by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Zwarensteyn explained.

Biden’s nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court further reflects his commitment to judicial diversity. Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court.

Patrick McNeil, spokesperson for the Leadership Conference, pointed out that over half of Biden’s Black female judicial appointees have backgrounds as civil rights attorneys and public defenders, experience advocates consider essential for a balanced judiciary.

Meanwhile, Congress remains divided over the expansion of federal judgeships. Legislation to add 66 new judgeships—approved unanimously by the Senate in August—stalled in the GOP-controlled House until after the election. House Republicans proposed distributing the new judgeships over the next decade, giving three administrations a say in appointments. President Biden, however, signaled he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argued the delay was a strategic move to benefit Trump’s potential return to office. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to expand the power of the presidency and giving him 25 new judges to appoint gives him one more tool at his disposal,” Nadler said.