Observations:
Tony Kemp strong in leadoff.
PHOENIX — When manager Bob Melvin listed a few candidates recently to hit atop the A’s order this season, he tossed in Tony Kemp as one option. Kemp is part of a secondbase jumble this spring. Tuesday offered a glimpse at him handling both roles.
Leading off against the Brewers, Kemp singled to open the first inning, stole second base and scored from third on a wild pitch. He handled three groundballs on defense before exiting midgame.
“My game is pretty impactful, I feel,” Kemp said later. “When I’m up at the dish, anything can happen, whether I lay down a bunt, hit a single, steal second, apply pressure to the defense. But no matter what happens … even the guys on the bench are solid on this team and whoever is in that leadoff position is going to do a job.”
Kemp saw his role decrease sharply last year after the A’s acquired second baseman Tommy La Stella. Kemp still appeared in 49 of 60 games and ranked third in onbase percentage (.363) among players who spent all season with the A’s. He finished with more walks (15) than strikeouts (14).
Melvin has cited onbase percentage as a priority for a leadoff hitter. New shortstop Elvis Andrus has experience in the role and Ramón Laureano and Mark Canha are other candidates. Kemp, who — unlike those three — hits lefthanded, batted mostly eighth or ninth for Oakland last season.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Melvin said Tuesday. “But yeah, he does the little things right. He’s got a pretty good idea (when) leading off to do things a little differently, knows if he’s hitting down in the lineup how to play the game. He’s just got a good sense for every situation we put him in.”
Kemp has played outfield and second, and said he’s working this spring “wherever they throw me. … You’ve got to be versatile now and I feel like I can impact the game in any way. With this team, there are so many guys that are impactful to the game, I’m just a small part on a big team.”
Most of the A’s majorleague pitchers are working at the team’s Fitch Park complex, which is closed to media. Melvin said the starting pitchers likely won’t appear in Cactus League games until after a second turn by A’s prospects.
Righthander Parker Dunshee started Tuesday and pitched two scoreless innings in the A’s 21 win over Milwaukee. “This is a good opportunity for me to kind of show who I am,” Dunshee said, “and that’s a guy who is going to give you a chance to win and fill up the (strike) zone.”
Outfield prospect Buddy Reed hit a goahead home run in the seventh inning. In three spring games, Reed has hit two homers and thrown out two runners. “I was just a little disappointed he didn’t throw somebody out today,” Melvin joked. “He’s got to be feeling pretty good about what he’s been doing here.”