A's pregame notes: Colon surprises Melvin

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OAKLAND -- Injured starting pitcher Bartolo Colon surprised manager Bob Melvin on Thursday. What was he doing? Playing catch in the outfield. The big right-hander strained an oblique muscle on June 17 against the Padres. Colon is 6-7 with a 4.22 ERA, 55 strikeouts, and just 16 walks in 89.2 innings pitched. He will be placed on the disabled list Saturday prior to Tyson Ross' start. It will be Ross' job to lose until Colon can return. "I think in this game, you make your bed each and every time you go out there," Melvin said. "You can't say now somebody is hurt and this is my spot. You have to go out there and commit to performing and take it one day at a time." Melvin added that Colon could possibly return prior to the All-Star break. A's pitchers have been on fire lately. They have allowed just 22 hits in their last six games which is an Athletics record dating back to 1918. Yes, their record dates back to the deadball era. The starters are 4-1, with six quality starts in their last seven games. The only non quality start came when Colon left the game injured after two innings pitched. "They start feeding off each other," Melvin said. "Each starter now takes it upon himself to be the guy to go out there and keep it rolling." The A's catcher timeshare is in full swing. Melvin said that Derek Norris will be in the lineup and behind the plate Saturday, with Suzuki sitting. "I spoke to both of them yesterday, and told them what the first four or five games are going to look like," Melvin said. "We'll look and see what we are going to do based on each and every series." Yoenis Cespedes will play some games as DH even when fully healthy. He has taken to being the DH, going 3 for 8, with a double and a three run homer. Between innings he goes into the gym and rides the exercise bike. On Wednesday Cespedes said his hamstring is 80-percent, and he doesn't want to play in the outfield until he is fully healthy.Dallas Braden will continue to throw from flat ground. There is still not timetable as to when he might return to the A's active roster."It's been going well as far as strengthening and playing catch," Melvin said. "Until we get him on a mound we won't know."

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