'05 Oakland A’s spring training blog

Amid the people

2006-02-20T20:43:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure if there's a more fan-friendly spring training site than the A's Papago Park. Fans are allowed to enter the complex and walk up to the four baseball diamonds without an intrusive security guard backing them away or barracades keeping them away. Players can hardly avoid autograph seekers, though there was a funny scene Monday in which pitcher Barry Zito was jogging to the clubhouse, with fans in full pursuit. Not sure Zito saw much humor in the sight. The other day, general manager Billy Beane addressed the media for the first time in an informal setting. Rather than conduct the interview in his office or on an adjacent patio, Beane wanted to stand in the sun during a chilly morning. While reporters were gathered around him, several fans were within earshot, listening in as Beane discussed Zito's contract and other matters. I simply could not imagine, say, Giants GM Brian Sabean or Yankees GM Brian Cashman conducting an interview with fans gathered around him. Just another example of the laid back atmosphere in A's-ville. Beane might be a millionaire and one of the more famous of his ilk, but he'll show up to camp every day in shorts and sandals. As the GM finished his press briefing, an older man approached and handed him a photo of Beane hitting during a 1989 spring training game. "I've been trying to give you this for three years," the man told Beane, adding, "you were pinch hitting for Canseco." Beane was grateful.

The new guy

2006-02-19T21:24:00.000-08:00

Milton Bradley showed up a couple of days earlier than most position players. Bradley is the outfielder with untapped potential who has made most of his news for his temper and minor off-field incidents. He's looking for a fresh start. I wrote an indepth piece on him for Sunday's Times, so I feel I've gotten to know him, even though I had never spoken to him before Sunday. I introduced myself and he said he heard I had been making calls to his associates and friends. He seems like a nice guy. He later told reporters he wasn't going to talk this spring unless he did something noteworthy in a game. Fine with me. That certainly was the talk of the day among the team's beat writers. Having covered Barry Bonds for 12 years, nothing comes as much of a surprise to me. As far as I'm concerned, Bradley could be a delight to cover. If he doesn't want to talk to the media, more power to him.

And so it begins

2006-02-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

It's Day One of the marathon season. Although pitchers and catchers merely have to phone their club to let them know they have reported, some players actually arrive in the clubhouse to get settled in. For the A's, Saturday was the reporting day for pitchers and catchers. There weren't a lot of visitors to the clubhouse, though pitcher Barry Zito, catcher Jason Kendall and All-Star Justin Duchscherer were on hand. Dan Haren, Kirk Saarloos, Kiko Calero and Joe Kennedy also made an appearance, along with position players Charles Thomas and Matt Watson. Position players don't report until later in the week. Sunday will be the first workout for pitchers and catchers at the team's Papago Park complex. On a personal note, this is my 14th straight spring training _ 12 of them with the Giants. This is Year No. 2 with the A's. No matter how many years you've covered baseball, or how jaded you may be _ I'm not there yet _ there's a sense of anticipation this time of year. It's a little like the first day of school. I was anxious on the flight down from Oakland Friday, though a four-hour delay at the airport made for a long day. This is the first report from Phoenix, and they'll continue through spring training.

Just a test

2006-02-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

This is a blog test from Joe Roderick to see if we're up and running. We will be live from Phoenix on Saturday. Stay tuned.

Winding down

2005-03-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

The day before the A's broke camp in Arizona, they were facing a few difficult roster decisionw this week. Will second baseman Marco Scutaro make the team? Will Seth Etherton beat out Kirk Saarloos for the fifth starter spot? Will young Huston Street make the team? Answers: No, yes, yes. Of course, those are my opinions, but I don't see how the A's can keep three second basemen if Bobby Kielty and Charles Thomas make the team as backup outfielders. The club will carry 12 pitchers. Saarloos has outpitched Etherton lately, but Saarloos is not on the 40-man roster and Etherton said he was told by general manager Billy Beane when he signed that he'd make the team. Street has been one of the biggest surprises in camp and should be among the seven relievers when the season begins. He started spring training tremendously, but has allowed a few runs lately. Scouts love this kid. Some believe that he could become a closer as early as this year, though with only one year of professional experience it's hard to believe the A's would throw him in the fire so quickly.

Inside ball

2005-03-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

Spring training is a laid back time for players and writers. What major sport allows you to go into the clubhouse during games? Traditionally, when a starting pitcher leaves the game, writers head down to the clubhouse for a quick interview. After the interview, you can hang out there for a while or head back to the press box. The A's will allow writers to go down the tunnel to the dugout and sneak a peek at the game. Saturday in Tempe, I was standing near the dugout in front of a retaining wall watching the action. You can't get any closer to the field. Yet, no one cared that we were so close to the action. If you've got a press pass, that's good enough for security guards. That's the beauty of spring training. This stuff simply doesn't happen during the regular season. If you were hanging out near the dugout for a real game, you'd have credentials revoked and probably be taken to the police station and locked up. That might get you out of a writing a game story. Come to think of it, not a bad idea. This is a funny time of the year. Spring training can be long and tedious, but now that the Arizona portion is just about over, there's a little bit of sadness that casualness of the exhibition season is nearly over and we won't return until next February to do it all over again.

Football drills

2005-03-25T18:44:00.000-08:00

I was standing in the dugout during A's batting practice before a rare night game in Phoenix and A's strength and conditioning coach Clarence Cockrell was running outfielder Eric Byrnes through an agility drill. The apparatus laying on the ground in front of the dugout was called an "agility ladder." It helps a player improve his footwork. It's essentially the newest workout version of running tire drills, as football players once did. Cockrell showed Byrnes different agility steps and Byrnes then followed his lead. I've never seen the Giants use the agility routine while I was covering them. Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention. Cockrell said he's been putting players through such drills at spring training during his four years as their conditioning coach and while he was with the Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks. I was tempted to run the drill, but I might have looked funny doing so in slacks and dress shoes. Plus, I worked out during the afternoon and my legs were heavy. You know, we sportswriters have to get into shape during spring training, too. ... Night game at Phoenix Friday: Barry Zito had allowed three runs in his first three innings against San Diego. He was having control problems in the first inning, walking three. It's been a rough week for all A's starters.

Book party

2005-03-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

Mychael Urban had a kickoff party for his new book, "ACES: The Last Season On The Mound With The Oakland A's Big Three _ Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito" The event took place at a steakhouse in Scottsdale Wednesday night. Urban is the A's beat writer for mlb.com and was given almost unlimited access by the Big Three in recent years. Only Zito remains after Hudson and Mulder were traded during the offseason. Zito was in attendance Wednesday night, as was general manager Billy Beane and a handful of players and coaches. After the party, Zito and his sister, Sally, performed before an audience at the club. It was a good scene. Sally played piano and performed several of her songs. She's quite talented. Zito played guitar and sang a few numbers. When he's done playing he could have another career. He's also a surfer, practices yoga and is an avid reader. Not your typical ballplayer. Sally's songs can be found on her website _ www.sallyzito.com _ and there's even a song by Barry.

Young catcher

2005-03-22T21:41:00.000-08:00

Kurt Suzuki won't make the Opening Day roster as a catcher, but he's making an impression in spring training. Suzuki was drafted last season and is only 21, but he could be the team's catcher of the future. "He's absolutely opened a lot of eyes, and not just mine," A's manager Ken Macha said. Suzuki has passed Jeremy Brown, the famed "Moneyball" catcher who was drafted in 2002, and John Baker, a De La Salle High School graduate, among the catching prospects, according to a scout in Arizona. The A's have starter Jason Kendall and backup Adam Melhuse at catcher. ... The A's rotation could be good, but the fifth spot is shaky right now. The competition is among Keiichi Yabu, Seth Etherton, Dan Meyer and Kirk Saarloos. None looked good in their last appearance, according to a major league scout who watched all of them. The A's aren't going to rush Meyer to the big leagues. He was acquired from the Atlanta Braves in the Tim Hudson deal. It's clear he could be in the minors for at least another season. The A's might have to go on the trade market or hope the other three are serviceable until they get some help.

Take the fifth

2005-03-21T22:10:00.000-08:00

No one has come out of the pack to grab the fifth starting spot for the A's. Keiichi Yabu and Seth Etherton, presumably the leading contenders, were both hit hard Monday against the Giants. Kirk Saarloos and Dan Meyer are also part of the competition, but scouts say Meyer needs more seasoning in the minor leagues. I asked A's manager Ken Macha if he was troubled by his pitchers' inability to cease the job. "I want guys to go out and throw strikes and give us a chance," he said. "Is it troubling? I'm a patient guy. We still have 10 days left in spring training." Barry Zito, Rich Harden, Danny Haren and Joe Blanton are the top four starters. It's a solid rotation, but the lack of a quality fifth guy could be a problem at this point. ... There was another huge crowd in excess of 10,000 for the second straight Giants-A's game, this one at Scottsdale Stadium. The teams won't meet again until March 31, the first of three Bay Bridge Series games. ... Nice matchup today for the A's first spring game against the Texas Rangers: Harden vs. Kenny Rogers.

Lazy Sunday

2005-03-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

It was supposed to rain this weekend, but nary a drop fell. The A's and Giants renewed their rivalry Sunday at Phoenix Muni before a sellout crowd of over 10,000. With Jason Schmidt and Barry Zito starting, this seemed to be more than just a spring training game. But really, that's all it was. Strangely, Schmidt was rocked, allowing nine hits and 10 runs, including three homers. That's not Schmidt-like. Having covered the Giants for 12 seasons, this was the first time I had a chance to watch my old team. I have to admit it was a little bit odd covering the A's with both teams meeting. I ventured into the visiting clubhouse before the game to chat with some old Giants, but Schmidt was the only one there. (The bus had not arrived from Scottsdale.) We renewed acquaintances. Schmidt was always up front and candid with me and we had a professional relationship that included barbs thrown both ways _ mostly at me. If you don't know Schmidt, he's a prankster, a jokester. What a minute! I'm getting off track here with those Giants. Wrong team, folks. ... Zito fared much better than Schmidt, allowing only a run in six innings. He's had an impressive spring and could have a big season. The teams meet again today in Scottsdale before another sellout.

The eclectic Mr. Zito

2005-03-19T11:44:00.000-08:00

Barry Zito is much more than just a baseball player. Zito is an avid surfer, practices yoga, is a voracious reader and comes from a musical family.
His father, Joe, was a conductor and composer who traveled with Nat King Cole. His mother, Roberta, was an operatic singer and played the violin. His older sister, Bonnie Jean, studied the flute and piano. Another sister, Sally, may be the most talented musician of the family.
Zito plays guitar in his sister's band, the Sally Zito Project, a burgeoning group based in Los Angeles. Their next gig, this Wednesday night in Scottsdale, Ariz., will help promote the newly released book by A's beat writer Mychael Urban: "ACES: The Last Season On the Mound With The Oakland A's Big Three."
You can listen to Zito and Sally's songs on sallyzito.com

Early birds

2005-03-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

Eric Chavez and Jason Kendall are established stars, but they seem to arrive to the park earlier than anyone. On any given day, Kendall can be seen on the field working with bullpen coach Bob Geren, a former catcher. "One of the highlights of spring is two of our highest paid players are out on the field getting extra work in," manager Ken Macha said. "You look out there and Kendall is throwing." Macha also mentioned Mark Kotsay, another tireless worker. ... Just in case you're not aware, when the A's aren't on the radio (KFRC) during exhibition games, they can be heard via webcast at oaklandathletics.com. Robert Buan, who handles the team's Extra Inning segment after regular-season games, does a fine job with play-by-play. He also has occasional special guest, usually A's beat writers. For example, a certain writer from Knight Ridder Newspapers (that would be me) made his broadcast debut during Wednesday's game against San Diego. I even assisted Buan on one play, "There's a grounder to shortstop." But, alas, I'm sticking to my day job.

Clubhouse fun

2005-03-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

Nick Swisher, the confident A's rookie, seems to attract his share of verbal abuse and taunts in the clubhouse. Swisher has the long hair and close-cropped sideburns. In the old days, this wouldn't cut it for a rookie. Rookies were supposed to be quiet and respect the veterans. Not anymore. Swisher patrols the clubhouse like a man who's been around, which is perfectly OK. He has the minor league credentials to back up his bravado. His demeanor is infectious. On Wednesday morning, there were several copies of Sports Weekly in the clubhouse. Swisher was on the cover. He knew it might be a long day. And he fun was just beginning. Swisher was hearing about it from teammates almost instantly. Then Charles Thomas, a young, friendly outfielder the A's acquired from the Atlanta Braves, emerged in the clubhouse with the Sports Weekly cover taped to the front of his jersey. Swisher had signed the copy. This is the kind of clubhouse tomfoolery that gets beat writers_ and the players, of course _ through the long days of spring training. ... Swisher was hitting .111 before Tuesday's game before going 3-for-4. He admitted he had been pressing. He's seemed much looser since then.

My meeting with Ichiro

2005-03-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

Wandered over to the Seattle Mariners clubhouse before their game against the A's to try to do a quick interview with Ichiro Suzuki. I was working on a story on fellow Japanese countrymen Keiichi Yabu for Wednesday's publication and thought Ichiro might be able to add his insights. You know it's not going to be your day when an old friend tells me Ichiro fouled a ball off his foot the day before and was getting treatment in the trainer's room. I noticed a pack of Japanese writers waiting to pounce on the Japanese megastar. The elusive Mr. Ichiro finally walked out of the trainer's room and to his locker. I was the first on the scene. I asked him if he remembered facing Yabu and what kind of pitcher he was. "Need interpreter," Ichiro told me. (As I learned later, Ichiro speaks some English, but since he did not recognize me this was his way of, how should I say, blowing me off.) And this pause was the small opening the Japanese media needed to get me out of the way. For them, there was news to be had: The great Ichiro had an injury. They file daily reports on the single-season hits leader, so this story would certainly break up the monotony. After they were finished, I asked one of them if he wouldn't mind interpreting for me since the Mariners' interpreter was nowhere to be found. There are certain customs in Japan, and, I was blindly unaware that a Japanese writer has the utmost respect for the player he covers and would never translate under any circumstance. (Nor would the player want him to.) My bad. To make a long story (or blog) short, Ichiro returned to the trainer's room. His interpreter then arrived and I asked him if he wouldn't mind helping me. The young man said he also served as the team's bullpen catcher and had to leave soon to warm up a pitcher. He was kind enough to go into the trainer's room and ask Ichiro one or two of my questions before returning with quotes. This whole scene _ the wait and all _ consumed about two hours. Just another day in paradise.

Streets of Scottsdale

2005-03-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

If you've ever spent more than a minute in this area you'll realize that driving in Scottsdale is not the most pleasant experience. It's an eclectic mix of elderly folks and Arizona State students. In other words, one car is going 10 mph and the other about 60 mph in city traffic. There's also local residents' uncanny ability to run red lights. Not just one car, but two or three at a time, as much as two seconds after the light has gone from yellow to red red. It's unbelievably scary and dangerous. I've never seen anything like it in the U.S., and I've driven in Chicago, New York, Boston, Dallas and Houston, a few of the most difficult and congested cities for driving. You've been forewarned. Be careful out there. ... We've certainly strayed off the beaten path today, but yesterday was an off day for the A's, so not much baseball to be discussed. It was a lazy Tuesday morning after the off day. I'll update this later with possible insights from today's game against Seattle in Peoria. If you Japanese followers were anticipating an Ichiro vs. Keiichi Yabu matchup, it won't happen. Yabu is not making the trip to Peoria.

Fresh faced

2005-03-13T22:40:00.000-08:00

Back in the desert for the remainder of spring training. ... Danny Haren, the young pitcher the A's acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Mark Mulder trade, showed up in the clubhouse with a lot less hair and no longer sporting his bushy beard. He had them cut a couple of days ago. On the wall heading out of the clubhouse was a "before and after" shot of Haren. The "before" was a photo of a Cro-Magnon man. The "after" was the new-look Haren. Haren said he was heckled in his last start in Tucson, but that's not the reason he headed to the barbershop. "The fans were yelling at me to cut my mullet," he said. "My hair was out of control. It was bothering me every time I was running." ... This is a loose team. Manager Ken Macha was holding court with reporters on the field before Sunday's game when outfielder Mark Kotsay wandered over to the pack and began chatting up his manager. He wanted to talk about the NCAA Tournament. Macha is from Pittsburgh and understandably roots for the Panthers. Macha knows his basketball. He's also quite a player in the pick-up game with writers _ so I've been told. I haven't played in one of those games in years after tearing my calf muscle. A sign of old age, friends. Macha is 54, but in great shape. He shows up in the clubhouse in the wee hours of the morning, before many players have arrived, and works out in the weight room.

karate for breakfast

2005-03-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

It was a typical Saturday morning in the A's clubhouse today: lots of chatter, lots of card playing and lots of ... martial arts??? In what's become a franchise tradition, team chaplain Donnie Moore gives a motivational martial arts display. Fifteen thin stacks of concrete were set up for Moore to try and karate chop with his hand. Moore does work for an organization called Radical Reality, giving martial arts demonstrations that tie in life lessons for young people. According to a member of the A's media relations staff, Moore can also roll up a frying pan with his bare hands (I still can't get a visual of this in my head) and rip a phone book in half. No word on whether Moore broke through all 15 blocks of concrete. A team meeting was held at the same time as the demonstration, and reporters were cleared out of the clubhouse.

What, no corn field?

2005-03-11T18:40:00.000-08:00

The Kansas City Royals spring training stadium just appears all of a sudden as you're driving down Bell Road in Surprise, Ariz., sort of like a scene out of "Field of Dreams." The drive seems like it takes forever if you're staying in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area, but the stadium is quite impressive once you finally arrive. Appropriately named Surprise Stadium (someone must have thought long and hard on that one), it's shared by the Royals and Texas Rangers. The entire complex includes six or seven immaculately groomed baseball diamonds, giving both teams plenty of room to practice. The fields look almost identical too, even the lighting structures. When you get out of your car in the media lot, it's almost difficult to figure out which field to walk toward. An impressive facility, if only it were a little closer to civilization.

Swish-ful thinking

2005-03-10T18:02:00.000-08:00

Right fielder Nick Swisher almost came up with an unheard of 9-2 force out at home in the ninth inning of Thursday's game against the Angels. Bases were loaded with no outs and the score tied 5-5, and Jeff Mathis hit a sinking liner to right. Because the baserunner at third, Reggie Willits, thought the ball might be caught, he had to stay near the bag. Swisher made a great short-hop scoop of the ball and came up firing. Willits barely crossed the plate before catcher Jeremy Brown could make a play. It was nearly a remarkable defensive highlight. I've played on several baserunning-challenged slo-pitch softball teams, and I've never seen a force out at home from the outfield. ... Someone wanted to know about Keith Ginter playing OF in the event Byrnes gets traded: First of all, that's a big "if." Ginter played some outfield with Milwaukee, and his bat can be very valuable in the lineup. But Ken Macha still wants to learn a little more about the outfielders he's got. Charles Thomas is a bit of an unknown since coming from Atlanta, but Macha likes the fact he's got speed and can play all three outfield positions. Then there's switch-hitter Bobby Kielty, who has been out several games with a calf injury. Macha is anxious to see if Kielty's left-handed hitting has improved (supposedly it has). He should be healthy enough to play by the weekend. I don't see Ginter getting too many innings in the outfield this spring, but things can change in a hurry.

Promising arms

2005-03-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

Veteran catcher Jason Kendall is a good fit to be handling the A's stable of young pitchers this spring. Not that he's spending a ton of time giving them instruction. So far, Kendall likes what he sees from Oakland's young arms. He got a chance to catch lefty Dan Meyer and right-hander Huston Street on Wednesday against the Giants. "They hit the glove," he said. "They changed speeds and worked both sides of the plate. I just want them to concentrate on hitting spots." ... One of the best parts of watching spring training as a fan is that the seats are so close to the action on the field. But you'd be wise to keep your head up. In Tuesday's game against the Cubs in Mesa, one bat went flying into the audience. A few innings later, a check-swing foul ball rocketed over to the same area behind the first-base dugout. In Wednesday's game in Phoenix, part of a broken bat went hurling toward fans along the third-base line. Everybody seemed to come away injury-free. At least fans at the Cubs game got rewarded for the dangerous surroundings. Each time a bat or ball went into the stands, a couple of Hooters girls -- appearing at the game as a promotion -- would wander down and make sure everyone was OK. Each trip down received a hearty ovation from the male segment of the audience.

Something in the air

2005-03-08T21:26:00.000-08:00

If some pitchers struggle in the Cactus League, A's assistant coach Rene Lachemann has an explanation. The desert air can affect pitching, along with the weather, he says. It's the reason Keiichi Yabu has struggled with his command a little bit, and Lachemann said the same thing was happening to Juan Cruz earlier in camp. Lachemann spent three years with the Cubs as bench coach for Don Baylor. He said training in Arizona is not only bad on pitchers, it gives hitters a false sense of security if they're smacking balls to all corners of the park. "When I was with the Cubs, when we left Arizona, we were hitting .310 and .320. When we got to Chicago, we couldn't score more than two runs in the first two weeks." While manager Ken Macha is reserved and has more of a dry wit, anything is willing to come out of Lachemann's mouth. He had the quote of the day Tuesday talking about Cruz, a rail-thin pitcher he also coached in Chicago: "One year he left at 155 pounds and came back at 145. I thought someone wired his jaw shut."

Class clown

2005-03-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

With Eric Byrnes around, it's never tough to remember that baseball really is just a game. He plays the sport with Little League-like enthusiasm even if he lacks the style points to go with it. Playing right field Sunday, he charged on a base hit and gunned a throw home trying to nail a runner. He had so much momentum going forward after the throw, his entire body extended parallel to the ground, he tumbled over and eventually ended up on his rear with his hands resting on his knees as he watched the play at the plate. He knows no speed but full speed. Byrnes is entertainment in the clubhouse as well. He was walking around Sunday morning wearing earphones and singing out loud just to annoy his teammates. And he prefers wearing sunglasses in the clubhouse. "Indoor shades," he explains. ... After gloomy weather over the weekend, it finally felt like spring training Monday with the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. Arizona Diamondbacks fans were out in full force for the game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Because the D-Backs train in Tucson but most of their fans are in the Phoenix area, they draw huge crowds at their away games during spring training. Their fans had little to cheer about in a 5-0 loss. ... A's GM Billy Beane looked like the Pope late Monday afternoon as he stood out on the balcony of his stadium office while adoring fans shouted at him from the ground. Beane tossed a few baseballs their way before disappearing inside.

Starting young

2005-03-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

A's fans had to get their entertainment one way or another during a 17-4 drubbing by the Angels on Sunday. It came in the form of a boy who looked to be about 10, dressed in a green cape with a green mask who walked back and forth along the lower reserved section yelling "Let's go Oakland!!!" He would stop in front of a group of Angels fans and scream the chant right in front of them. Better yet, people were asking to take his picture, so every once in a while he would stop and strike an intimidating pose that would have made Hulk Hogan proud. ... Good thing the kid wasn't an Angels fan. What would he chant? "Let's go Anaheim?" Or "Let's go Los Angeles?" How about "Let's go Los Angeles/Anaheim?" Seeing the Angels in person brought home just how ridiculous the whole "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" deal really is. Anytime your team name takes five words to explain, something has to change.

Lazy Saturday

2005-03-05T13:50:00.000-08:00

A's manager Ken Macha is usually one of the first to arrive in camp. He'll work out at 7 a.m., sometimes earlier. Macha, who is 54, is in great shape. He proved that by playing in some basketball games against baseball writers _ myself not included. They say Macha is fundamentally sound and runs the court very well, keeping up with players much younger than him. On Saturday, Macha was miffed that the game was canceled the night before because not enough players showed up. ... On the field, Barry Zito looked good in his spring debut, retiring all six batters he faced. The perfectionist that he is, Zito wasn't entirely pleased with his outing. ... Just roughly 4,700 on hand at Maryvale Sports Complex to see the A's and Milwaukee Brewers play. Although it rained in the morning, that's a smallish crowd for an exhibition game, particularly on a Saturday when the sun eventually was shining brightly. The Brewers don't draw well here, unless the Chicago Cubs or hometown Arizona Diamondbacks are visiting. ... I'll return to the Valley of the Sun next weekend to resume my blogs. You'll have my replacement, Joe Stiglich, on hand here this week, doing daily blogs.

Game 2

2005-03-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

The A's first exhibition game was played in barely over two hours. Well, the baseball gods have a way of evening things out, and Friday we got a 12-8 game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Game time: three hours, 26 minutes. It felt like four hours and 26 minutes, though. Manager Ken Macha said the day before that pitchers were ahead of the hitters, as always. Guess the hitters caught up in a hurry. While Dan Meyer was knocked around for two innings and Japanese import Keiichi Yabu did not look so hot after working one clean inning, young Huston Street continued to impress. Last year at this time he was a closer for the University of Texas. He could force the issue and win a spot in the bullpen if he keeps this up, particularly with Chad Bradford's back acting up. There's no telling when Bradford will return to the mound. ... I'm heading home Saturday night, but my young and capable backup, Joe Stiglich, will be taking over the A's blog when he's down here.

They're here

2005-03-03T15:27:00.000-08:00

The first pitch from Danny Haren was, appropriately, a strike. The exhibition season had officially begun for the A's. Haren, acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the Mark Mulder trade, allowed two hits in two innings. Joe Blanton allowed a two-run homer to Aramis Ramirez for the Cubs only runs in a 2-1 win. If anyone is familiar with long spring games, the two-hour, eight-minute game was a welcome sight. ... A sign hung below the press box: www.hirambocachica.com. It was put there by a fan who had traveled from Seattle to watch nonroster player Hiram Bocachica play for the A's. Bocachica played for the Seattle Mariners last season. The man was disappointed when manager Ken Macha did not play Bocachica.

Some baseball, some not

2005-03-02T20:08:00.000-08:00

Part II of spring training began today. The A's players and staff moved out of Papago Park and into Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where they'll stay for the duration of spring. This is a little like getting sprung from boot camp, where the A's had spent the better part of two weeks in the quaint setting of Papago. But now they're at Phoenix Muni. I'd never been to the home clubhouse in 12 previous spring trainings since I covered the Giants, and I must say it's a pretty good size clubhouse as far as spring training facilities go. It's bigger than the Giants' clubhouse at Scottsdale Stadium, which can be very crowded when there are 60-something players and a dozen media folks usually waiting around for Barry Bonds to say something controversial. ... The A's had an intrasquad game at the stadium and bench coach Rene Lachemann served as umpire again. He was cracking lines before players came to the plate. Here are some examples the past two days: "Here comes Hiram Bocachica from Puerto Rico. He hit .300 last year _ .150 at Tacoma and .150 at San Juan." ... "Here comes Mark Kotsay, the AL leader in rally killers." I think you had to be there to appreciate Lachemann's humor, because the crowd sure got a kick out of him. The real (exhibition) games begin Thursday. They'll have real umpires on the field, not Lach, and they'll be getting heckled no doubt by someone in the stands.

Crack of the bat

2005-03-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

The first pitch was thrown in a competitive game _ if you consider a 2 1/2-inning intrasquad game competitive. It was a laid back affair at Papago Park, with a small crowd watching two A's teams square off. Shortstop Bobby Crosby looked shaky in the field, making two errors. Prospect Jairo Garcia impressed the A's brass with one inning of work. He struck out a couple of batters on nasty sliders. Pitcher Tyler Johnson also looked good. He's a Rule 5 draft pickup from the St. Louis Cardinals. He must remain on the 25-man roster or be offered back to the Cardinals for half of the $50,000 the A's paid. Sometimes, teams can work out a deal where the player remains with his current team and can be sent to the minors. It's highly unlikely Johnson will make the A's. He's a Barry Zito clone. A lefty Southern Cal kid who throws a big curveball. He also plays the guitar, like Zito. "Zito's an awesome left-hander," Johnson said. "Whatever he says about pitching and the guitar I'll listen to him." ... Another intrasquad game today _ this one at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The first exhibition game is Thursday.

An update

2005-02-28T20:47:00.000-08:00

One reader asked about Jason Winsor. He's not in camp. This is my first year covering the A's and I don't know anything about him. I'm sure he'll report when the minor leaguers are here in a few days. ... I think faithful reader "phaser" wanted more news on small ball. I wrote a story today on that subject. Check our regular website.

Games are nearing

2005-02-28T20:34:00.000-08:00

Today was photo day at A's camp, which might not mean much to you. It's an annual event in spring training. It also means the games are near. Players suit up in their game uniforms in the morning and go from station to station to get photographed. There's probably six or seven stations all of them must visit before they're done. There are a lot of familiar photographers here. Some of them are from newspapers and magazines and others from baseball card companies such as Topps. These are where photos are taken for next year's baseball cards _ or even update sets that come out this summer. Photo day, however, is tough for a reporter. All the players are dressed early and out of the clubhouse and aren't readily available for the pre-practice session. ... A's manager Ken Macha said some of his players got a break today, an early end to their workout. He's rewarding them for their hard work. He also said he can tell they're getting a little restless and it's time for the games to begin. The A's play intrasquad games Tuesday and Wednesday before the real thing _ well, spring training at least _ begins Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. Dan Haren, one of the top young pitchers in camp, will start the game for the A's. He was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Mark Mulder deal. He'll be the team's No. 3 starter in spring training.

Brave old age

2005-02-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

We should all age as gracefully as John Smoltz.
When I entered the Atlanta Braves clubhouse, I was struck by Smoltz's presence. Namely, the fact that he doesn't look any different than he did when he threw bee-bee's at the Minnesota Twins in Game 7 of the World Series.
Same physique, same thin hair, same neatly trimmed beard. And on the mound, that same smooth motion.
He's been with the Braves for all 13 of their division championships, the one constant on a team whose appearance in October has always been constant. For that reason, I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame. He was a better starter than Dennis Eckersley, and wasn't far behind him as a closer. Now, he's back in the rotation, and a couple of strong seasons should seal his entry to Cooperstown.
Bottom line, he should be the guy who is thought of when one thinks about this great Braves dynasty. It's hard to believe it started 13 years ago, especially when you get a glimpse of Smoltz.
His appearance makes it seem like it just began yesterday.

Young guns

2005-02-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

Under the wonderful desert sun the last few days, the A's future seems bright _ at least from a pitching standpoint. You'll notice a top prospect on any field you watch. There's Danny Haren _ acquired in the Mark Mulder trade _ throwing after Barry Zito. There's Dan Meyer _ acquired for Tim Hudson _ on another field, followed by Tyler Johnson. There's also Huston Street, Jairo Garcia and Joe Blanton. I do not profess to be a pitching coach, but these guys seem to have a ton of talent. The A's have stockpiled a bunch of arms, and they could be with them for years to come. Zito was standing behind a cage Sunday to watch Johnson, a Rule 5 draft pick from St. Louis. "Everybody's raving about his arm," manager Ken Macha said. ... To the blog reader who inquired about the second base competition: There's Keith Ginter, Mark Ellis and Marco Scutaro. I'm not quite sure the A's can carry all three. ... I may not be able to answer all questions in the future due to time constraints. Do not take offense. If there's a blog topic you'd like me to discuss, let me know and I'll try to get to it.

Cactus League food

2005-02-26T20:12:00.000-08:00

We're going to veer off baseball today and talk about the many great restaurants in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area. If you've come to spring training, you know baseball isn't the only reason to enjoy the area. There are some famous restaurants here. The local favorite for baseball fans is Don & Charlie's (steak and ribs), where you're very likely to see players, coaches and managers alike. The place, owned by big Giants fan Don Carson, has memorabilia and photos throughout the restaurant. During spring training, it's one of the busiest places in the Valley, so you should call for reservations weeks ahead of time. There's also the Pink Pony, which used to be the hot spot for baseball officials. No more. Occasionally, you'll see some old-timers there. A few others worth checking out: P.F. Changs, Bandera, Havana Cafe, Tuscetti's, Franco's and Oregano's (the last three are Italian). The Tee Pee is a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant, and it's a favorite among writers. There are many, many good Mexican restaurants in the area.

This 'n that

2005-02-25T19:23:00.000-08:00

Friday morning, two Japanese fans were standing alongside a narrow road leading up to Papago Park, the A's spring training home. They each held a homemade sign written in Japanese and obviously intended for Japanese pitcher Keiichi Yabu, who is trying to win a spot in the rotation. They seemed like cheerful people when I walked by. Later, I asked Yabu's translator, Andy Painter, if this was commonplace in Japan. Yabu said it was common for fans of the Hanshin Tigers to stand and wait for players to arrive at the ballpark and show their respects. ... Reliever Chad Bradford walked by general manager Billy Beane on Thursday and told him he had a present for him. He pulled a dog-eared baseball card of Beane (1981 season) from the back pocket of his baseball pants and handed it to Beane, who cracked up. Beane looked young and was sporting a mullet hair style. "That was my Rick Springfield look," Beane said. "You know, 'Jesse's Girl.' " ... Young pitcher Danny Haren, who was acquired in the Mark Mulder trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, looked impressive in his first stint throwing to hitters. Haren seems to have a lively fastball and a tough slider. He's a big dude, at 6-5, 220 pounds, and it looks as if the A's have a future star.

Tuning up

2005-02-25T15:33:00.000-08:00

You spend a lot of time driving when you visit camps in Florida. Unlike in Arizona, when the majority of camps are within an hour of each other, the Grapefruit League offers an opportunity to see just about the entire state.
Which is to say, you get a chance to see a whole lot of nothing, and you spend a lot of time spinning the radio dial.
And you find out the 80's are alive and well.
I've heard more Prince, more Tears for Fears, more Duran Duran and more Huey Lewis than I have since I was in high school (I've seen quite a few people sporting mullets, too). Scary thing is, I find myself enjoying it quite a bit (which doesn't say much for my musical taste).
There's quite a few 80's-themed clubs down here, too. Now, why anybody would choose to relive the music of that decade when they didn't actually live through it the first time is a discussion that could keep plenty of psychologists busy for a long time.
Only in Florida I guess.

First full workout

2005-02-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

A few of you have commented on me bringing up my past experience as a Giants beat writer. In other words, you want me to stop. Not yet, OK? Just give me a little time to make the transition from one beat to the other. Any way, I'd like to point out that if I'm a fan coming to Arizona to watch the local teams, I'd head straight to Papago Park (on the corner of 64th St. and McDowell Road.) Of course, there's no Barry Bonds here. But do you really think you'll get his autograph after his first meet-and-greet Tuesday with fans? Probably not a chance. A's fans have it over Giants fans in terms of the layout and access of both practice facilities. You can pretty much wander around anywhere at Papago. I saw two fans sitting in a dugout (That's a no-no, usually.) Some years ago, we writers were banned from dugout at Indian School Park, the Giants' facility, after a coach who will remain nameless thought I was eavesdropping on a conversation with a pitcher. The coach, who is long gone, didn't realize that I would never do that and have the hearing of an 80-year-old. The Giants have taken away some of the intimacy of spring training by erecting barricades and building cyclone fences around the complex. You can get a good view of field 1 at Indian School Park, but are behind a fence. That's about it. You can get a good view of every field at Papago. You can also walk and mingle with A's players as they head back to the clubhouse, getting autographs. I've seen Barry Zito and many others signing autographs and posing with fans. Zito was also taking pictures of fans. The A's have done it right.

Etherton

2005-02-24T06:30:00.000-08:00

To the blog reader who asked if Seth Etherton was on a major or minor league contract. He's on a major league contract and could win a spot in the rotation if the A's decide to give Joe Blanton and Dan Meyer more seasoning in the minor leagues. As for the Byrnes rumor, I think the A's have plenty of relievers right now.

Fundamentals time

2005-02-23T20:02:00.000-08:00

The A's will hold their first full-squad workout _ weather permitting _ today at their Papago Park facility. (The forecast calls for rain. It was also supposed to rain Wednesday, but it turned out to be a sun-splashed, picture-perfect day in the Valley.) Pitchers will get a chance to throw to hitters for the first time rather than throw to a catcher off the bullpen mound. Manager Ken Macha is doing something different in past years. He's going to have one field designated specifically for bunt plays, hit-and-run and other situational hitting. "I don't think it would hurt the guys to go over there," Macha said. "I think it's going to be beneficial for all the guys." The A's, in recent years, haven't been a bunting group. That's more National League ball. Of course, Macha pointed out catcher Ramon Hernandez's two-out bunt in the 12th inning that beat the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. "Ramon put that bunt down and won the game," Macha said. "You never know."

Sign of Spring

2005-02-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

I've never thrown a baseball 90 miles per hour. I don't stand 6-feet-10. I've never shoved a cameraman out of the way.
But after my first day experiencing spring training in Florida, I now know what it's like to be Randy Johnson.
The Times has sent me here to chronicle some of the comings and goings in Grapefruit League land, and my first stop on the tour was Legends Field, spring home of the Yankees. And I'm happy to say I made it, but only after I drove around in circles for a half hour looking for the place.
You see, it's off one of Tampa's main drags, and right across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers. But unless you know exactly where it is, you'll miss it.
Two reasons for this: 1) the street signs in this particular area of Tampa have lettering that would be more adequate at the bottom of an eye chart. 2) A huge sign hailing "Legends Field" and "New York Yankees, 39 American League Champions, 26 World Series Champions" (I guess they don't do grammar very well in Tampa, either) is also right across the street from Raymond James Stadium. Apparently, this is where some of the Yankees' minor-league teams train, but you'd never know it from its appearance.
Thank goodness for the nice security man who upon seeing me driving around helplessly, said, "You must want Legends Field. This ain't it." Instead, he directed me to a little hole-in-the-wall road --- 1 Steinbrenner Way --- that leads to the actual Legends Field.
I told my story to Johnson, and he just nodded and smiled.
"Not exactly well-marked," he said.
Now, if only I could throw 90 miles per hour.

Sense of normalcy

2005-02-22T19:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not used to covering a team where there are no true superstars, though Gold Glover Eric Chavez and former Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito are stars in their own right. Tuesday, for the first time in many years, felt as if I was simply covering a team, not an individual entity such as Barry Bonds. All of the national baseball writers who descended upon Arizona were in Giants camp preparing for the Barry Bonds press conference. Only one Japanese writer was around to watch Keiichi Yabu, the Japanese pitcher trying to win a sport in the A's rotation. What was left was four Bay Area beat writers who cover the A's and a friendly Sports Illustrated writer doing a story on the breakup of the Big Three. Wow, so this is life away from the Giants and Bonds, two entities I covered for the previous 12 years before moving to the A's this spring! I have to say there's a lot less pressure covering the A's than the Giants. I may touch on that in future blogs. But I couldn't resist my Bonds fix for the spring. Since I'm staying in a condo about five minutes from the Giants' spring training stadium in Scottsdale, I swung over to the facility to witness the circus covering Bonds' first day in camp, and his first public press conference since his BALCO testimony was revealed over the winter. It was a zoo. I counted seven Arizona television station trucks in the Scottsdale Stadium parking lot alone. I'm not going to delve into what Bonds said since this is no longer my domain. You want to read about the A's, right?

Japanese media

2005-02-21T16:45:00.000-08:00

Having seen up close the phenomenon of Japanese media covering Japanese players in 2002 when the Giants signed outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo, I should not have been surprised by the turnout for Keiichi Yabu's first day with the A's. There was a turnout of between 25-30 Japanese media. It every bit rivaled Shinjo's spring training arrival. However, the light-hitting outfielder was a media darling with a Matinee good looks and a wife was once a model and a star in her own right. Yabu is a 36-year-old pitcher with an 84-106 record during his 11 seasons with the Hanshin Tigers. He is not considered the among the elite pitchers who have come from Japan. He's certainly not in Hideo Nomo's class. Yet, media from his country were out in force at the A's Phoenix facility. There were several camera crews, too. And he didn't even throw on the side. The contingent had dwindled Monday when Yabu actually threw, but they were still present. It was good to see a few familiar faces who had covered Shinjo when I was with the Giants. Hopefully they will have more to write about than what Shinjo provided during his poor season with the Giants. Yabu has a shot to win one of two openings in the team's rotation.

First practice

2005-02-20T17:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Valley of the Sun. Well, uh, Valley of the Rain. I can't remember a wetter beginning to spring training in my 12 prior visits to Arizona. Since arriving Friday, we did not see the sun until Sunday afternoon, appropriately during the A's first workout for pitchers and catchers. Perhaps that was an omen, because you simply can't have a gray, rainy day for the annual rite of spring. But local forecasts call for rain through Thursday. The early Sunday inclement weather did not stop fans from flocking to the team's facility, Papago Park. One huge difference between the Giants, the team I covered the previous 12 years, and the A's is the fan intimacy in relation to the practice fields. They're allowed to walk up to each field. Only a rope prevents them from venturing too close to the practice mounds. To me, that's amazing. With the Giants in recent years, that closeness has been blocked by cyclone fences and barricades, security guards and police officers. They've all grown incrementally since 9-11 and the tremendous rise in Barry Bonds' stature _ all legitimate concerns _ but I believe those fans have lost the intimacy that spring training once offered them. That certainly was not the case with the A's, where not a security man was in sight.