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)