Grateful for time with A's, Rosales joins Rangers

OAKLAND -- The A's lost one of their best defensive infielders to a division foe on Friday, with the Rangers claiming Adam Rosales off waivers.

Texas just so happens to be visiting Oakland this weekend, making for quite the easy travel day for Rosales, who carpooled to the Coliseum from nearby San Ramon with A's reliever Dan Otero, as he normally would. When he arrived at the ballpark, he simply went to the other clubhouse.

"I was excited knowing I was going to be in the big leagues still, because that's where you want to be; that's the goal," said Rosales, designated for assignment by the A's upon Alberto Callaspo's arrival Wednesday. "It's really bittersweet, though, because it's a great organization, and I feel like I grew up so much over these last four years."

Rosales got the news he was to be a Ranger when he received a call from A's assistant general manager David Forst on Friday morning. Hours later, he was speaking with new manager Ron Washington, who told him he would be playing all over the infield in a utility role.

"I thought David was calling to tell me I was going back to Sacramento," Rosales said. "Thought I'd get some at-bats, get fresh and develop down there, but he had different news for me this time. As a ballplayer, in the nature of this game, you gotta take it in stride with a grain of salt and make the adjustments I need to make as a ballplayer."

Rosales hit just .193 with a .268 on-base percentage in 50 games for the A's this year but typically provided them with solid defense, particularly at shortstop. That was why they were relieved he passed through waivers when initially designated earlier in July, only to learn of a different outcome the second time around.

"We'd probably rather it be in a different uniform, maybe in the National League somewhere that we don't play, but everyone is pretty fond of Rosie," manager Bob Melvin said, "and the fact he's back in the big leagues again is good for him, definitely.

"It is, as he said, very weird. It's probably weirder for him, but weird for us in that we have to change our signs now."