Swingin’ A’s Weekly Recap: April 1st-7th

The A’s are off to a very interesting start. On the one hand, the A’s showed a little bit of fight in their first official series of the season against the Seattle Mariners. On the other hand, though, the A’s are coming into Monday’s series against the visiting Kansas City Royals with a 1-3 record. Oakland saw a good performance from both Brandon McCarthy and Bartolo Colon in games one and two of the series (in Japan), but both starters had a little more trouble in their second go-around with Seattle’s lineup.

Oakland’s offense, meanwhile, has been supported largely by the team’s newest center fielder, Yoenis Cespedes. Through the season’s first four games, the A’s have seen their center fielder hit .308/.400/1.007 with 3 HR and 7 RBIs. The $36 million man has, in more ways than none, lived up to the huge hype that surrounded him when Oakland signed him earlier in the offseason. There are some concerns about the center fielder’s strikeout rate (7 SO in 13 at-bats), but the A’s are happy with finally having a true power hitter in the middle of their lineup.

The A’s are hopeful that Cespedes’ success continues in the team’s series against the Royals. While we prepare to cover that series, though, please join us in reviewing some of the top stories from the past week. Enjoy!

[4/1/12]: Out With March, In With April and Real Baseball (Jason)

[4/3/12]: The Redemption of Brian Fuentes (Devin)

[4/3/12]: Abandoning Nostalgic Value This Year (Joseph)

[4/5/12]: How Well Do Oakland’s Arms Stack Up In AL West? (Joseph)

[4/5/12]: Prognostications From the Swingin’ A’s Crew (Sean)

[4/6/12]: Coco Crisp Honored in Chia, Don Zimmer as a Stuffed Bear…A Celebration of Ballpark Promotions (Jason)

[4/7/12]: 2012 Opening Night: A Night of Unusuals (Sean)

[4/7/12]: Poll: How Many HRs Will Yoenis Cespedes Hit In 2012? (Joseph)

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