‘Beer bath’ follows Kotsay’s 1st victory
Mark Kotsay sat behind a desk in the visiting manager’s office at Citizens Bank Park, the whispers of a celebratory beer shower in the air. A baseball rested on the desk in front of him.
Minutes earlier, A’s reliever Lou Trivino had fired that baseball past the Phillies’ Rhys Hoskins for the final act of the first win in this A’s season. Catcher Austin Allen held the ball in his glove as he went to the mound to meet Trivino. Allen carried it into the line of players shaking hands with Kotsay.
Each greeted Kotsay with a hug as he neared the A’s dugout. Allen preceded his by handing Kotsay the ball. Kotsay gripped it in his left hand, a memento of his first win as a major-league manager.
“It’s awesome, man,” Allen said after Oakland’s 4-1 win Sunday. “We’re competing as hard as we can, we’re trying as hard as we can. And Kots is awesome. He’s like having another player out there just leading the ship. His energy and everything is amazing and we all couldn’t be happier for him to be our manager and to get this first win for him.”
It arrived in this season’s third game, yet was the culmination of a much longer wait. Kotsay, 46, spent eight years after his playing career in frontoffice and coaching roles. He interviewed for managerial openings claimed by other candidates. Opportunity accompanied an A’s overhaul.
The A’s chose Kotsay to succeed Bob Melvin after Kotsay spent six seasons on Melvin’s staff. He inherited instability as free agency and trades rocked the roster in the offseason. Kotsay must guide the group he has.
“He lets us be loose,” second baseman Tony Kemp said. “And he lets us be free in our games and be ourselves. Especially bringing in a lot of these young guys — you have guys every other day making their major-league debut, so we want to make sure these guys are definitely comfortable and not walking on eggshells around the locker room and able to be themselves.
“When Kotsay had his (team) meeting at the beginning of the year, and had his meeting before the first series here, he just said, ‘Play loose, be yourself and have fun.’ ”
Sunday’s taut game did not let a manager sit back and spectate. A series of decisions loomed large — the sixth inning held a glaring one. The A’s seized a 1-0 lead in the top of the inning.
Starter Daulton Jefferies walked Matt Vierling to start the Phillies’ half. With the top of their lineup to follow, Kotsay pulled Jefferies after 48 pitches.
Kotsay later said the A’s thought left-hander Sam Moll “gave us our best matchup and best chance” against lefthanded power hitters Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. Moll struck out both, retiring right-handed-hitting Jean Segura on a lineout in between.
A decision not to play for platoon advantage also worked an inning later. Billy McKinney, a left-handed batter, came up against left-hander Bailey Falter to open the seventh. With Chad Pinder on the bench, the A’s did not pinch-hit for McKinney, who struck a 1-2 curveball for a home run.
Kotsay summoned Domingo Acevedo and Kirby Snead to pitch the seventh and eighth. Each worked an inning Opening Day, when Acevedo allowed one run and Snead gave up two. Both turned in scoreless innings Sunday.
“Today they came out and I think they were a lot more relaxed, a lot more comfortable,” Kotsay said. “I talked about that the first day they got out there, letting them get their feet on the ground. We’re going to get into this and start defining roles, and these guys are going to start earning roles.”
Kemp’s two-run single in the ninth offered a cushion. Kotsay brought in Trivino to close. Trivino allowed Segura’s leadoff homer but finished a three-hit performance by A’s pitching that allowed them to celebrate before boarding a flight to Tampa, Fla.
“There was a little beer bath,” Kotsay said. “Haven’t had one of those since my rookie year. But all in all, I couldn’t be more proud of those guys. They battled and they deserve this day to celebrate and enjoy the win.”
Baseball celebrates firsts. Fewer are feasible the longer one spends in the sport. Kotsay, who crossed off many in a 17-year playing career, met one Sunday, with a ball to remember it by.
“I can tell he’s going to be a great manager,” Kemp said. “There’s no panic in him and he’s still the same loose guy he’s always been before he was manager. I think it’s just the beginning of the year and we’re learning to jell with each other. Sometimes these things take time. It feels good to get the first one out of the way.”