Dein erstes Forum » this year. Hes got to keep working, k

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics could be providing a look into their future to an American League West rival when right-hander Raul Alcantara makes his major league debut Monday afternoon in the opener of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.The 23-year-old, acquired by the As along with Josh Reddick from Boston in 2011 for reliever Andrew Bailey, has been almost unhittable at Triple-A Nashville since an in-season promotion. Hes gone 4-0 with a 1.18 ERA in his last eight starts, a stretch in which hes struck out 32 and walked just three.Its his time, As manager Bob Melvin proclaimed before Sundays series finale against the Boston Red Sox. Were excited about watching him.The As also will promote another of their top prospects, right-hander Jharel Cotton, to start Wednesday against the Angels.Cotton was one of three pitchers acquired this season at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Dodgers when the As dealt away Reddick.Alcantara will start in place of left-hander Sean Manaea, who is battling a sore back.He can only hope to be as effective as Kendall Graveman was Sunday in a 1-0 win over the Boston Red Sox.Graveman shut out the Red Sox on six hits over 6 1/3 innings, setting the stage for a walk-off win that allowed Oakland to snap a five-game losing streak.Alcantara will be opposed by Angels right-hander Jered Weaver, who made his major league debut 10 seasons ago. He shut out the Baltimore Orioles on three hits over seven innings that night en route to an 11-2 rookie year.The 33-year-old is just 10-11 with a 5.21 ERA this season, but both marks have improved significantly in his last two starts, during which hes beaten the Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds, allowing only three runs in 12 innings.Weaver has gone 14-11 with a 2.77 ERA in 36 career starts against the As. The ERA is his lowest among all teams hed faced more than 15 times.The veteran pitched a three-hit shutout in his previous visit to Oakland on June 19.Angels manager Mike Scioscia made it clear after Weavers previous start that he has no intention of replacing his top pitchers with prospects just because his club is out of playoff contention.Our philosophy and the way were going to approach every day, he said, is to go out there and win a game by starting with the first pitch of the game and winning that pitch and winning situations and going out there and playing the game the way we need to play it.The Angels flew south from Seattle on Sunday night without right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who remained hospitalized for observation after being hit in the head by a line drive in LAs 4-2 win over the Mariners.Shoemaker was diagnosed with a small skull fracture.The Angels (61-75) won two of three in the series and have opened a three-game lead over the As (58-79) in the battle to escape last place in the AL West. Air Jordan Scarpe Saldi . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Scarpe Jordan Uomo Scontate . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. http://www.airjordanscontate.it/ . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. Jordan Scarpe Sconti . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Scarpe Jordan a Poco Prezzo . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. CHICAGO -- Chicago forward Nikola Mirotic was fined after he missed the team walkthrough before the Bulls ugly 95-69 loss to Milwaukee on Friday night, and coach Fred Hoiberg kept him on the bench for the second night.Mirotic said he forgot about the walkthrough, and he apologized to his teammates and Hoiberg. He said it had nothing to do with not playing Thursday night.No, Im not that kind of guy. Even if things are not like how I would like them to be, Im very professional, he said. Its not my first year here. Those guys respect me and I respect them. I would never do that, something like that.Hoiberg said Mirotic worked out Friday morning and they had a meeting, but he wasnt excused from the walkthrough. The 6-foot-10 Mirotic is averaging a career-low 8.7 points through 24 games this season. He is shooting 38 percent from the field and 28 percent from 3-point range, also career lows.Asked about their meeting, Hoiberg said Mirotics mindset was as good as he can be in a situation like that.Obviously, any competitor isnt going to be happy when you get taken out of a lineup, Hoiberg said before the loss to Milwaukee. But talking to him about keeping himself ready ... It was good to see him in there this morning getting in extra work and getting up extra shots, keeping himself prepared when hhis name was called, and thats what we talked about.dddddddddddd Obviously hes going to get another chance this year. Hes got to keep working, keep himself ready, and when opportunity comes, go out and play well.The 25-year-old Mirotic made his NBA debut in 2014 and averaged 10.2 points while playing in all 82 games during his rookie year. He made 38 starts last season and averaged 11.8 points, but he has been plagued by inconsistency throughout his time in Chicago.Its been difficult, Mirotic said of sitting for consecutive games. Its the first time in my career that this is happening, but its the coachs decision, so I have to respect that.Also Friday, guard Michael Carter-Williams got the cast off his injured left wrist and said he is hoping to practice next week. Carter-Williams has been sidelined since Oct. 31 with wrist and left knee injuries.Ive been doing everything with my cast on, he said. Ive been running and working out, just trying to stay in shape, so when I come back it wont take me long to get back to playing (in games).The Bulls acquired Carter-Williams in an October trade with Milwaukee.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '