Snow on Charleston, baseball in the desert
Snow still salted Mount Charleston on Saturday, a reminder winter has not fully let go of Las Vegas.
Down in Arizona, spring training did not wait.
The Athletics opened their Cactus League schedule Saturday afternoon at Camelback Ranch against the Chicago White Sox, with first pitch set for 12:05 p.m. PT. The game will stream on the iHeartRadio app, per the club.
Kotsay’s Year 5 message: championship standard
Manager Mark Kotsay, entering his fifth season, sounded equal parts amused and serious this week on “The Mark Kotsay Show” at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa.
“I’m freezing,” Kotsay told A’s broadcaster Chris Townsend, as the two joked about Arizona’s sudden cold snap.
Then Kotsay shifted to the point.
“Let’s go win a championship,” he said. Kotsay added the A’s want to measure themselves against “championship level” expectations, with preparation driving confidence.
A lineup full of looks
The A’s posted their Saturday starting lineup in the morning, with Jack Perkins set to start on the mound.
- Denzel Clarke (DH)
- Colby Thomas (LF)
- Max Muncy (3B)
- Austin Wynns (C)
- Darell Hernaiz (SS)
- Brett Harris (1B)
- Junior Perez (CF)
- Henry Bolte (RF)
- Michael Stefanic (2B)
Pitching depth, and a bullpen that found a groove
Kotsay believes the organization is building the kind of pitching inventory winning clubs need.
“Every year you need double-digit guys,” he said, describing the reality of a long season and the importance of depth.
He also praised how the A’s bullpen adapted late last year, when relievers were asked to be ready for more than three outs. Kotsay liked the results, but he also kept it real.
“If it hadn’t been good, then everybody would have said, ‘What the hell are you doing?’” he said.
A clubhouse growing up
Kotsay said the room still has young players, but he sees more maturity now. He pointed to Shea Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom as examples of players who have been together long enough to build real experience, not just potential.
With the A’s in camp and games starting, the season’s first promise is simple.
Even with snow on Charleston, baseball is back.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
