I’d like try and corral all the day’s spring training news into one resource every day. Do a bulleted list of what is going on with a quick little comment here or there.
- Derek Norris who is down 10 lbs from last year has been working on his swing. He also worked with Andrew Carignan and says he looked “really good”. Carignan recovering from Tommy John surgery, will do two side sessions a week for the next five weeks. I think Carignan is someone who should have an eye kept on him despite his being off the 40-man roster. He had trouble finding the zone and I thought his fastball was flat but he has some intrigue.
- Bartolo Colon is in camp and not saying anything, not talking to the media, following his re-signing which follows his suspension that caused him to miss the end of the season and postseason due to a PED violation. I assume we will hear from him at sometime this spring, just doesn’t seem to be something that’ll be addressed day one.
- Bob Melvin has told Hiroyuki Nakajima that he would be the primary shortstop with Jed Lowrie being a “super-utility” player. While I like the idea of Lowrie sort of being like a Ben Zobrist of years past, I thought an open competition would be a good one here and don’t think Nakajima ought to be assured of anything. That said, Mike Gallego worked with Nakajima whose fielding has been criticized and said he had good hands, average footwork and arm but overall was “pleasantly surprised”
- Michael Choice is recovering fine from his fractured hand, Jordan Norberto is doing well though he and Carignan “have restrictions” (unclear what exactly). Choice is one of a few early arrival position players including Daric Barton, Coco Crisp, Brandon Moss, Nakajima, Andy Parrino, Adam Rosales, Eric Sogard, Michael Taylor, Jemile Weeks and Chris Young.
- Michael Ynoa is the only A’s pitcher not in camp due to the chicken pox.
