A Long Last, Athletics Fully Back on Coliseum Turf as Workouts Rev Up
Their battle with COVID-19 intake testing behind them for the moment, the Oakland A’s had their first full team workout starting at 6:41 p.m. Monday evening.
It was one hour, 41 minutes late in getting going, if you go by the A’s plans for the day. But it was closer to 50 hours after the A’s had thought they’d see position players on the field for the first time
A’s general manager David Forst, who was livid about the delays in the testing process that led his team the A's to postpone a Saturday workout, then do the same on Sunday, was less riled once the players got on the field. The A's in addition to Cardinals, Nationals, Astros and Angels had to delay or cancel Monday workouts.
And he’s hoping that this will all be little more than a bad memory in a week or so. The Major League Baseball schedule came out Monday with the A’s due to start their 60-game season in Oakland against the Angels on July 24, so looking forward is the only way the GM sees to proceed.
“Everybody who went through the intake process has had their results sent to us,” Forst said in a video conference call. “I’m looking down at the field at a bunch of position players (working out).”
Forst’s WhatsApp communication to the team was first reported by theathletic.com and USA Today, so he said he didn’t need to really elucidate his feelings over the process, which saw intake tests from Friday sit in San Francisco until Sunday. Those were the tests that landed at 6:41 p.m., when players could be allowed into the Coliseum.
“If possible, I’m as frustrated and pisses as you all (well, probably not as pissed as Matt (Chapman) is), and I assure the rest of the staff is, as well,” Forst wrote to his team, saving particular venom for Major League Baseball and CDT (the company that collects the testing samples).
The general manager wouldn’t say if all of the 42 players on the roster were at the workout; as of Saturday, pitchers Mike Fiers and Jesus Luzardo and not taken the field. Forst wouldn’t say if either man was on the field Monday
For now, Forst is ready to move ahead. He and manager Bob Melvin have had several conversations about the matter.
“I think everybody expects it to return to a normal schedule,” he said Monday night. “I think we’re expecting to test everybody (Tuesday) and that should begin our scheduled every-other-day testing for the duration.
“Bob and I talked last night and again this morning, and it feels incredibly urgent when you’re not out there practicing. My hope is that a week from now, the position players are coming to us saying `Hey, we’re ready when the season starts. They’re over that mental hurdle (of getting on the field). We’re going to have live batting practice as soon as (Tuesday), and we’re going to be intersquading but the end of the week or the weekend.”
That’s one thing, but the Yankees, who have had players in camp since Thursday, had a televised intrasquad game Monday night that, because of time zones, started before the A’s got on the field.
Forst seemed unbothered.
“I think this is all going to move quickly,” he said. “I trust that our guys are going to feel like they’re ready.”
The health protocols agreed to by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association call for players to be tested every other day and receive results within 24 to 48 hours. Without timely an accurate testing, it will be difficult for those in the sport and outside it to have faith that players, staff and employees’ health concerns are being address in the best way possible.
On a separate issue, Forst said he feels the team is close to being able to name an alternate site where the non-roster players will be able to work out. Baseball has mandated that those sites should be within 100 miles of the ballpark, if possible, and the A’s had hoped to make Stockton, the home of their Class-A California League team, their alternate site. However, state regulations regarding treating coronavirus safety have had the team looking for alternate sites for the alternate site. A resolution could be announced in the next couple of days, because the A’s want to start getting those players where they need to be so they can begin working out.
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
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