Moeller's Eric Surkamp Gets Another Shot At Oakland's Rotation

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Moeller grad Eric Surkamp is hoping to make his fourth trip to the big club is finally permanent.

Surkamp, a 2005 graduated of Moeller High School, is being recalled from Nashville to make the start against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night in Oakland.

The Cincinnatian pitched at North Carolina State where his teammate was Seattle Seahawks quarteback Russel Wilson. Surkamp is taking the place of Jesse Hahn, who was sent to Nashville on Friday to fine tune his skills.  Surkamp is on the same shuttle.

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The left-hander made the team out of spring training but was sent down on April 25.  Surkamp was recalled on May 11 and sent back on May 17.  Two weeks later, on May 31, he was called to Oakland again and returned to Nashville on June 2.

Altogether, Surkamp has six starts under his belt with an 0-3 record and a 6.41 ERA.

Surkamp caught a break in March when Felix Doubront was injured.

"With us, he brings some experience. The game that put him on the map was the last game of spring training at our place when we were playing the Giants. Dubront went down after the first inning. Surkamp gave us seven innings and shut them out the rest of the way," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.

The Athletics are looking for one of their young pitchers to earn a permanent spot in the rotation.  They have been unable to so far.  Surkamp signed a one-year deal with the Athletics in December.  He now has the opportunity to stay.

"He has to go out and get some outs," Melvin said.."He hasn't worked deep in a game for us. That's what he'll be trying to do Tuesday and become a consistent part of the rotation which he hasn't been yet. Anybody has a chance to stay in this rotation. I think we've shown that if you perform you stay. If you don't you get sent back."

Surkamp has pitched well at Nashville with a 3-1 record and 3.68 ERA for the Sounds.

Surkamp was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the sixth round of the 2008 draft.  He spent six seasons in the Giants' organization, missing the 2012 season with elbow, 'Tommy John", surgery.  Surkamp made his debut with the Giants on August 27, 2011 with a six inning start in which he allowed one earned run.

The Chicago White Sox claimed him on waivers in December 2013.  The White Sox traded Surkamp to the Dodgers in May 2015 for Blake Smith.  He elected free agency at the end of the season and signed with Oakland two months later.

Surkamp's logged 49 Major League appearances with 13 starts. He has a 4-6 record with a 6.45 ERA.