Athletics Instructional League - part 3

Short morning practice lunch at 10:30

We are moving to the Diamondbacks facility to play against a Korean team. The complex is just amazing, 13 field, a series of 10 cages just next to 10 bullpens. A stadium in the middle. Two teams are sharing the complex Diamondbacks and Rockies.

Korean have a pretty good team, pitchers are all throwing around 85 miles per hour.

Jaso comes from the plate and says:

Oakland Athletics - Part 2

Every morning at 6:00 it’s coaches work out

In the club house, you are dressing next to guys like:

• Bob welsh  16 years in the major
• Bret Boone 14 years in the major
• Ryan Christenson 5 years in the major
• A bench of former minor leaguer for some of them they makes it to the big league
• Also, John Jaso, catcher for the big club, is rehabbing here
  
  

Day one at Oakland Athletics’ complex

As soon as you enter it seems like you have always been in. Everybody is very nice speaks with you and seems to be interested by who you are what you do. You receive your equipment and locker so you looks like the rest of the team

We are tree “invited coaches” Lee from Austrelia, David From New Zeeland. First we had to do is introducing ourself. . There are at least 25 coaches in the room it’s something like  coach for 2 players.

Days are composed like this:

• 6:00 Coaching staff workout (if u want)
• 7:30 Coaches meeting
• 8:30 players meeting
• 9:00 warming up then practice all morning
• 12:00 lunch
• 12:30 games home or away

What we did the most is watching and trying to help if needed. You can go wherever you want to. If you ask question they answer without any problem. And if you don’t ask questions they ask you some.

Complex is amazing never seen one field like that in Belgium I would say even in Europe. They have 4 field plus 2 infield….6 indoor hitting cages, 4 outdoor,12 bullpens… Never seen grass like that it seems like synthetic and they are only practicing field. In the club house you have an office, one weight room an area for the therapist. A place to eat outside .