A's Céspedes relieved with family safe Céspedes, who had been worried about his relatives' safety in the Dominican Republic in the wake of a legal dispute with a former representative, was so upset that he rarely spoke to the media and spent much of the final few weeks of the A's season sitting at his locker, interacting little with others. Céspedes told The Chronicle before the season that he expects to play even better this season once his family's immigration and legal issues are resolved. Grant Balfour threw a bullpen session Saturday and could throw to hitters next, the final step before pitching in a game.