What Manny Ramirez brings the A's - MLB

Here’s was Oakland’s projected lineup two weeks ago:

2B Jemile Weeks – S
CF Coco Crisp – S
LF Seth Smith – L
C Kurt Suzuki – R
RF Josh Reddick – L
3B Scott Sizemore – R
DH Brandon Allen – L
1B Daric Barton – L
SS Cliff Pennington – S

And here’s what it might look like come the end of May:

2B Jemile Weeks – S
LF Coco Crisp – S
RF Seth Smith – L
DH Manny Ramirez – R
CF Yoenis Cespedes – R
C Kurt Suzuki – R
1B Daric Barton – L
3B Scott Sizemore – R
SS Cliff Pennington – S

Of course, that’s far from set in stone. Maybe Cespedes won’t prove ready, and Josh Reddick will be penciled back into right field. Maybe Ramirez decides this whole comeback thing isn’t a good idea after all and returns to the Dominican Republic.

But let’s face it, no major league lineup should have Kurt Suzuki batting cleanup.

I’m not sure what Ramirez has left. With the news that he was joining the A’s, I revised his 2012 projection to .260/.372/.431 with 11 homers and 46 RBI in 304 at-bats, but that’s just a wild guess (as a free agent, I had him projected at .271/.381/.452, but that was for a neutral hitting environment).

The A’s really had nothing to lose by going into the Manny business. It’s not as though the fans could get much more apathetic. Plus, since they’ll be without him for the first 50 games anyway, they’ll still have time to evaluate whether Brandon Allen should be in their plans and take a longer look at Reddick.

I don’t think there’s a whole lot to gain, either, especially considering the going rate for veteran DHs, but the A’s are a little more interesting now and that’s something.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.

What Manny Ramirez brings the A’s

Phils’ Hoskins tears knee, expected to miss significant time