GAME NOTES Oakland Athletics Baseball Company 510-638-4900 | Athletics.Com | @Athletics
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GAME NOTES Oakland Athletics Baseball Company 510-638-4900 | athletics.com | @athletics OAKLAND ATHLETICS (0-0) VS. HOUSTON ASTROS (0-0) THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021 — OAKLAND COLISEUM — 7:07 PDT RHP CHRIS BASSITT (5-2, 2.29 IN 2020) VS. RHP ZACK GREINKE (3-3, 4.03 IN 2020) NBCSCA — A’S CAST ON IHEART RADIO — A’S RADIO NETWORK (960 AM, 103.7 FM HD2, 1140 AM) — EN ESPAÑOL (KIQI 1010 AM, KATD 990 AM) ABOUT THE A’S: The A’s open their 54th season in Oakland where they have ers from the previous years Opening Day roster was 16 in 2007…four were won 17 American League West titles, four AL Wild Cards, six AL pennants acquired in a trade (Andrus, Garcia, Irvin, Kolarek), two were signed as free and four World Championships…only the Atlanta Braves (20), New York Yan- agents (Moreland, Romo), two were signed as free agents to minor league kees (19) and Los Angeles Dodgers (19) have more division titles than the contracts (Guduan, Lowrie) and one was selected in the Rule 5 draft (Tom). A’s…since the A’s moved to Oakland in 1968, only the Yankees (11), Cardinals (8) and Dodgers (8) have more league championships and only the Yankees TENURE: Of the 26 players on the A’s Opening Day roster, only Mark Canha have more world championships (7)…have a 4349-4004 (.521) record over has played for Oakland in each of the previous six seasons…only five players the previous 53 seasons in Oakland…only four teams have won more games were on each of the previous three Opening Day rosters (Chapman, Olson, over that span (New York Yankees, Boston, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis)… Petit, Pinder, Piscotty)…Matt Olson, who was drafted on June 4, 2012, has the this is the Athletics franchise 121st season in the American League…since longest uninterrupted tenure in the A’s organization…he is followed by Chad 1901, the A’s have 17 AL West titles plus 15 AL pennants and nine World Pinder, who was drafted on June 6, 2013…Jed Lowrie, who was with Houston Championships…only the Yankees (27) and Cardinals (11) have won more in 2015 and New York (NL) in 2019 and 2020, first played for the A’s in 2013… World Championships…the A’s are 9064-9476 (.489) in their previous 120 his 687 games played with Oakland are second most by an A’s player over the seasons…that includes a 3886-4248 record from 1901-54 in Philadelphia previous 10 years (Semien, 773). and 829-1224 from 1955-67 in Kansas City. ROOKIE AND VETERANS: The A’s have two rookies on the Opening Day roster DURING THE SPRING: The A’s posted a winning record for the third consecu- (Garcia, Tom) after opening with five last year…six players have six or more tive spring as they finished 16-10-2…the wins tied with Kansas City, Toronto years of service: Romo (12 years, 97 days), Lowrie (12 years, 111 days), An- and Boston for the most in the majors and matched the most by an A’s team drus (12 years), Moreland (10 years, 67 days), Petit (10 years, 16 days) and over the last six springs (also 2017)…compiled a 4.17 ERA, which was the Diekman (8 years, 50 days). lowest in the Cactus League and fifth lowest in the majors…also had the low- THE YOUNG AND THE OLD: The average age on the A’s Opening Day roster is est opponents batting average (.228), on-base percentage (.312) and OPS 29.92 years, which is the oldest A’s Opening Day roster since 2004 (30.16)… (.714) in the CL and the third lowest slugging percentage (.402)…had the Jesús Luzardo, who is 23 years and 183 days, is the youngest…he is followed third fewest walks (90) and the fourth fewest home runs (27) but finished by Sean Murphy (26 years, 179 days) and Ramón Laureano (26 years, 260 with the third fewest strikeouts (229)…offensively, the A’s led the majors in days)…Sergio Romo is the oldest at 38 years, 29 days…he is followed by Jed on-base percentage (.357), OPS (.833), runs (161), doubles (67) and sacrifice Lowrie (36 years, 349 days), Yusmeiro Petit (36 years, 130 days) and Mitch flies (13)…topped the CL in fewest strikeouts (220), ranked second in batting Moreland (35 years, 207 days). (.267) and extra base hits (107) and fourth in slugging (.476)…were 9-for-11 (81.8%) in stolen base attempts…had the second fewest steals in the CL but THE INJURED LIST: The A’s begin the season with two players (Fiers and the third best percentage…opponents were successful in just 6-of-17 (35.3%) Rosenthal) on the injured list after starting the 2020 season with just one… stolen base attempts, which was the lowest mark in the majors…played all have used the IL three times this year as Frankie Montas began the spring 28 games in Arizona, marking just the second time in Oakland history the A’s on the Covid related IL before he was reinstated March 15…used the IL eight have not played a Spring Training game outside the state of Arizona (1981)… times last year, which was second fewest in the majors to Cleveland (4)… in all other springs, played at least one game in either the Bay Area, Las Ve- used it 18 times in 2019, which tied for second fewest. gas, Palm Springs, New Orleans or Bradenton, Fla. NUMBER CHANGE: Cole Irvin will switch to #19. FOR OPENERS: The A’s have won three of their last four openers and four of 18 DAYS IN FEBRUARY: Of the 26 players on the A’s Opening Day roster, seven the last six…however, are 8-19 dating back to 1994…this marks the 12th con- were added to the A’s organization over an 18-day stretch from Feb. 6 to 23… secutive season the A’s have been the home team on Opening Day, which in- the seven players have a combined total of 67 seasons and 5,298 games in cludes two openers in Japan (2012 and 2019)…according to the Elias Sports the majors…they have 30 years and 164 games of postseason experience… Bureau that will set an American League record for consecutive openers as it began on Feb. 6 when Elvis Andrus and Aramis Garcia were acquired from the home team, breaking the mark of 11 by the A’s, Orioles (1996-2006), Rays Texas for Khris Davis, Jonah Heim and Dane Acker…Jed Lowrie was signed to (2010-20) and Rangers/Senators (1961-71)…the Reds have the longest ac- a minor league contract on Feb. 10 and Adam Kolarek was acquired from the tive streak (31 dating back to 1991) and also hold the Major League, record Dodgers on Feb. 12 with Cody Thomas for Sheldon Neuse and Gus Varland… of 76 (1890-1965)…the A’s will face Houston on Opening Day for the first Oakland then signed free agents Sergio Romo (Feb. 18), Yusmeiro Petit (Feb. time…that leaves Tampa Bay as the only American League team the A’s have 19) and Mitch Moreland (Feb. 23)…additionally, Mike Fiers, who starts the not faced in an opener…since moving to Oakland in 1968, the A’s are 24-29 year on the injured list, was signed on Feb. 16 and Trevor Rosenthal, who is on Opening Day, including 20-14 in Oakland, 4-11 on the road, 0-3 in Tokyo also on the IL, was signed on Feb. 22. and 0-1 in Las Vegas…all-time, the Athletics are 56-64 in openers. A’s vs. ASTROS: The A’s won the season series last year, 7-3…it was their first OPENING DAY STARTING LINEUPS: Six players return from last year’s Opening season series win since going 11-8 in 2014…went 7-1 in Oakland and 0-2 in Day starting lineup (Canha, Chapman, Laureano, Murphy, Olson, Pinder)… Houston…the seven wins at home matched the A’s most against the Astros Matt Olson is scheduled to make his fourth straight start at first base, which (7-3 in 2013)…then lost to the Astros in the ALDS, 3 games to 1…have won ties Jason Giambi and Daric Barton for the second most Opening Day starts 13 of the last 18 games, including 10 of the last 12 in Oakland…are now 44- at first base in Oakland history…only Mark McGwire, with nine, has more… 61 (.419) against Houston over the previous six years after winning each of Matt Chapman is scheduled to make his fourth straight start at third base… their first four season series against the Astros (31-13)…are 75-74 all-time, only Eric Chavez (10), Sal Bando (9) and Carney Lansford (9) have more Open- including 42-35 in Oakland and 33-39 in Houston. ing Day starts at third in Oakland history…Ramón Laureano is scheduled to become the first Athletic to make three straight Opening Day starts in center TODAY’S TIDBITS field since Mark Kotsay from 2004-06…Jed Lowrie is scheduled to make his Elvis Andrus is scheduled to make his 13th consecutive Opening Day start sixth Opening Day start with Oakland, his fourth at second base (2016-18)… at shortstop…will become the 27th shortstop in Major League history only Mark Ellis (8) and Dick Green (6) have more Opening Day starts at sec- with 13 or more Opening Day starts…Jake Diekman walked the first batter ond base in Oakland history…Lowrie is the last Athletic other than Marcus he faced during the spring but then retired each of the final 18 batters he Semien to start at shortstop (2014)…Chris Bassitt will be the A’s 14th dif- faced…Matt Olson had 18 RBI this spring, which were the most by an Ath- ferent starting pitcher over the last 16 years (Zito, Haren, Blanton, Braden, letic since Eric Chavez had 18 in 2006…is tied for fourth in Oakland history Sheets, Cahill, McCarthy, Anderson, Gray twice, Hill, Graveman twice, Fiers, in Opening Day home runs (2) and tied for seventh in RBI (5).