New kelly green jerseys debut
The A’s will have a new alternate home jersey this year — a spiffy, kelly green number that debuted Friday at the team’s Jack London Square offices.
Shortstop Marcus Semien, first baseman Matt Olson and third baseman Matt Chapman modeled the jerseys for media members and A’s staffers. Chapman — who clearly enjoyed the session — declared the new tops a hit, saying “They look as good as they feel, and they’re so comfortable. The white just pops, does it not? I love it.”
“I think Marcus and Matt Olson were thinking, ‘How long is this going to take?’ And Matt Chapman was thinking, ‘Another career path for me!’ ” Manager Bob Melvin said with a laugh.
Chapman countered, “I told him that’s one of my many career choices! Come on! I’ve always got options. I’m upping my stock.”
Semien said he likes the fact that the jerseys say “Oakland” on the front, which is unusual for a home jersey. “I like we have ‘Oakland’ on our chest . ... I think the fans will like that,” he said.
The alternate jerseys, which harken back to Oakland’s kelly green jerseys of the 1970s, will be worn on Fridays at home, but Chapman said he expects they’ll be used more often than that.
Health updates: Andrew Triggs, who is coming back from hip surgery, said he has thrown off the mound three times already and is feeling very good. Triggs, Oakland’s top starter last April, said his preference would be to come back as a starter, but he’d be happy in any role .
Paul Blackburn missed the final six weeks of the season with a deep bone bruise on his right wrist and hand, but he said he’s been fine since mid-October and he has thrown off the mound twice.
Blackburn is penciled in to the No. 3 rotation spot, while Triggs will compete for either the fourth or fifth starter job.
Maxwell’s status: Melvin reiterated that catcher Bruce Maxwell is expected to be available for spring training and the regular season. “Everything I’m being told is we expect him to be there on Day 1, ready to catch,” Melvin said.
Maxwell is facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct after allegedly waving a gun at a food-delivery person in Phoenix last October, but numerous sources familiar with the case expect a plea deal to be reached before his April 10 trial date.