A’s play on with heavy hearts
Piscotty’s mother, Gretchen, died Sunday
OAKLAND >> The A’s had things on their mind other than opening a three-game series Monday night with the defending World Series champion Houston Astros.
Upon arrival at the Coliseum, players and coaches who hadn’t already heard through text messages learned that Gretchen Piscotty, the mother of A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty, had died Sunday night.
With that as a somber backdrop, the A’s fell 16-2 to the Astros before a paid attendance of 7,360, the smallest crowd of the season.
Gretchen Piscotty, 55, was diagnosed with the neuromuscular disorder ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) nearly a year ago. The A’s and Astros took the field and removed their caps for a moment of silence before the game along with the fans in attendance.
“There’s real life and then there’s what we do, which is basically the entertainment business,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said before the game. “It’s a real life situation and we all feel bad for him.”
Stephen Piscotty played in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles, going 0-for-3 and
then heading to his family home in Pleasanton. He was at home with is family when his mother passed.
Melvin said he spoke with Piscotty “a little bit last night, and kind of texted back and forth a little bit today. As an organization, certainly the players, we have heavy hearts for him.”
Piscotty wasn’t with the team Monday night. He may be Tuesday, Melvin said, and is expected to take a bereavement leave that could begin when the A’s embark on a 10-game trip to New York, Boston and Toronto following Wednesday’s getaway game against the Astros.
The A’s acquired Piscotty in the off-season in exchange for Yairo Munoz and Max Schrock after hitting .239 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs. With the Cardinals looking to move on, they granted Piscotty’s request to be traded closer to home so he could spend more time with his family given his mother’s illness.
“It says a lot about both organizations,” Piscotty said during spring training. “Baseball is important, but sometimes there are other things that take priority. It’s heartwarming and humbling, and we are all so grateful.”
Melvin acknowledged it’s been a difficult time for the former Amador Valley High and Stanford star, who missed only two of the A’s first 34 games.
“We know what he’s been going through and he’s been going through it for quite awhile now,” Melvin said. “He’s really close to his mom, he was with her last night, and
we’ll probably ending up seeing him (Tuesday), but we all feel bad about what he’s been through and what he’s going through right now.”
Piscotty, understandably, has struggled of late. He is in an 0-for12 streak, was 5-for-25 on the last road trip and his hitting .243 with two home runs and 13 RBIs.
“I don’t know if it’s easier or harder to go through it on an everyday basis,” Melvin said of Piscotty playing at home. “But I know he was happy about coming here. So I think for the most part he wanted to be around and be a part of what was going on at the time, and certainly her last days. Tough situation, but he’s a tough guy, too.”
Gretchen Piscotty is survived by her husband Mike, and sons Stephen, Nick and Austin.
A donation page in memory of Gretchen Piscotty set up by Stephen and the A’s community fund for the ALS Development Institute had already raised more than $27,000 Monday evening with a goal of $100,00. The A’s have committed to matching $50,000.
An early donation of $10,000 from Chicago
Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish, who has never been a teammate of Piscotty’s but posted on Twitter “We are all family:).
Memorial contributions can be made to the ALS Therapy Development Institute via youcaring.com/Piscotty.
• Brett Anderson, in his second start for the A’s, was pounded for 10 hits and nine runs (seven earned) with three walks and no strikeouts.
“Command within the strike zone was terrible,” Anderson said. “Had enough stuff to get to counts where I’d like to be but didn’t have any pitches to finish them off . . . you kind of just wash it and go back and go back to what you know how to do.”
In Anderson’s first start for the A’s against Seattle, he pitched 6 1/3 innings with two earned runs in a no-decision.
“Just different than last game, obviously,” Melvin said “Didin’t look like there was much life on his fastball. Breaking ball wasn’t as good. Chalk it up to one of those games.”
• Houston center fielder George Springer went 6-for-6 including a double on the second pitch of the game and a three-run home run in the second inning.
“Nobody should feel comfortable enough in there to get six hits,” Anderson said. “Tony Gwynn with Billy Hamilton’s speed, they couldn’t get six hits in the game.”
• Third baseman Matt Chapman was pulled after four innings, the first time he’s been off the field this season.
“He’s played every inning of every game,” Melvin said. “He plays as hard as anyone in the league. Just trying to get him some time off.”