A's notes: A's ready for NFL season

SEATTLE -- In most cases, no news is good news. That appears to be the case for A's starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy. The A's had no major updates to report on Sunday morning before the game. With each day and subsequent update, things seem to be getting better for the pitcher who underwent a surgery to stabilize a skull fracture and an epidermal hemorrhage late Wednesday night. -- With McCarthy out indefinitely, Tommy Milone is now the oldest pitcher in the A's starting rotation. Milone, 25, finds it pretty hard to believe. He's had a solid rookie season, though. He has walked one batter or less in his last 13 starts, which is the second longest streak in Oakland history, and he is one win shy of reaching 12 victories that would tie an Oakland rookie record. "I think he has been about as consistent as you can be over the course of the season," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "The fact that he got off to a hot start at home led to the discussion of home and road splits for him, but I don't think he has a different approach anywhere." Milone is 2-4 with a 5.71 ERA in his last seven starts. Opponents are hitting .298 in those seven contests. As the elder statesman of the rotation, he'll have to find a way to limit mistakes. -- With the football season officially kicking off on Sunday, most of the A's players were huddled around in the clubhouse watching the games. The A's skipper said he isn't much of a football fan. He says he'll catch a game from time to time but isn't the type to play fantasy football or watch the NFL from dawn to dusk. "I'll watch a game if I have nothing to do," Melvin said. "Even during the offseason I would maybe watch a game, but I'd prefer to get out and do some things rather than sit on the couch all day long."Melvin says he likes both the 49ers and Raiders and is a bit of a fair weather fan when it comes to the Bay Area teams. He said he's also a fan of the Packers and likes whoever is doing better between the Giants and Jets. -- More of the same in Seattle? The last two games were nearly identical. The A's won both contests with a 6-1 final score, and both A's starting pitchers (A.J. Griffin, and Brett Anderson) got a win and threw 108 pitches. George Kottaras hit a fourth inning homer in both games, and Stephen Drew hit an RBI single on Friday and Saturday.