Frank Castillo, his changeup unusually sharp for a first start, held the A’s to a pair of singles in three shutout innings of a 1-0 Cub victory. Other highlights: Two line doubles by Derrick May, one of them driving in Candy Maldonado with the game’s only run in the sixth; three straight singles by Rey Sanchez; and a leaping catch at the wall in center by Willie Wilson, robbing ex-teammate Troy Neel. “I made an easy play look hard,” Wilson said.
In a Mesa matchup of mostly subs, Oakland beat the Cubs 4-1. Randy Myers’ debut as a Cub, a perfect inning, lasted seven pitches. “Not a debut,” said Myers. “Just another spring training.”
– May, limited to DH duty while he continues to build strength in his surgically repaired throwing arm, will probably play the field by the weekend “on a limited basis,” manager Jim Lefebvre said. That means taking it easy on the throws.
– Ex-Cub, ex-Sox Goose Gossage, at 41, has a real shot to stick with the A’s, manager Tony LaRussa said Monday. “Same thing as last year,” LaRussa said. “There’s two or three spots open.” After a slow start, a source said, he was throwing fastballs past Rickey Henderson and Ruben Sierra Sunday. He has yet to pitch in a game.
Last year Gossage made the team but his right biceps betrayed him in July and tendinitis forcing him to miss the rest of the season. He is back for one more chance, convinced that the shoulder can hold up despite his age.
“I don’t think it was a factor of age,” he said. “I see young guys having arm problems.”
A better bet to make the Athletics, as a backup: Dale Sveum, briefly with the Sox last year.
