Track and Field Notes: Chapman, Murray, Ballpark, Olson

The Athletics announced an extension yesterday with slugger Khris Davis – the first club for five years. That's the big news, but there is more to do in Oakland …

• If the A had the choice, they would probably have made at least one other long-term investment. The club attempted to lock the third baseman Matt Chapman in the past in vain; he only continued to increase his value in the meantime. But he says he's interested in staying with the "A" for a long time, "reports Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. on Twitter. It is interesting to note that Chapman quotes the Davis contract as "a step in the right direction" for his own situation. If an agreement comes together, he says, "is out of [his] control."
• In a recent profile of superstar Kyler Murray, who has just signed a contract to join the A, Robert Klemko of SI covers many topics of general interest. From a hot focus, however, there's one nugget of special interest: for every club, the Oakland Football Club won an additional $ 14 million contract to keep Murray out of the NFL. This offer was obviously made in January, while Murray was wondering whether or not to declare the project (what he finally did). The A would have added this sum to the $ 4.66 million they had already promised. While there is no obvious solution for an agreement at this stage, now that Murray has positioned himself as the best choice in the NFL Draft, it's a fascinating figure to consider – with multifaceted links to the assessment of the amateur talent, the evaluation of the recent expansions signed by the current players of the MLB and the will of the teams of the MLB to give up the choices of the draft (given the enormous risk that the A have taken – and were willing to double – for a talented but undeveloped player).
• This money represents small potatoes compared to the still uncertain situation of the stadium in Oakland. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweeted yesterday, there was a notable recent development. Alameda County has signed an agreement with the team to divest the municipality's participation in the O.co Coliseum site to the A, with a vote to approve tomorrow. This is part of the club's recently announced plan to build a new park on another site while redeveloping its current home. (This idea was born after the previous plans were scuttled.)
• By focusing on the immediate needs of the alignment, the A's are certainly eager to get Matt OlsonThe bat returns to the formation. The injured hand of the first bagger seems to be healing; as director Bob Melvin told reporters, including Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle, via TwitterOlson was able to take a cup for the first time today. This is a promising development, but other obstacles will have to be overcome before Olson is ready to return to MLB's list of players.