Family ties abound in series against Royals
Baseball connections often run deep. Take, for example, the relationship between the families of Oakland Athletics quality-control coach Mike Aldrete and his former Oakland teammate, pitcher-turned-agent Bobby Witt Sr.
Bobby Witt Jr. just happened to be playing shortstop and batting third for the Royals in the opener of a three-game series on Glenn Burke Pride Night at the Coliseum on Friday.
The elder Witt and Aldrete spent the 1993 and ’94 seasons with the green and gold. Witt Sr. had a 16-year career in the majors. Aldrete’s playing career lasted 10 seasons.
“It’s been a good, long friendship,” Aldrete said in the A’s dugout Friday afternoon.
Bobby Sr. and his wife Laurie are the godparents to Aldrete’s daughter, Nicolette. Meanwhile, Aldrete got an early advisory that Bobby Jr. might be something special.
Aldrete said that when Bobby Jr. was still really young, his father extolled his son’s virtues.
“A lot of dads probably say that,” Aldrete said, “but I think Bobby said it in a way where he wasn’t bragging like, ‘Oh, look at my kid.’ He kind of was wideeyed and just said, ‘I think he’s really good.’ More marveling at it than bragging about it — and as we’ve seen, that’s something to marvel at.”
Bobby Jr., the second overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Colleyville Heritage (Texas) High, is in his first big-league season. He entered Friday batting .246 with eight homers. He was tied for the AL lead in triples with four.
He said he and Aldrete aren’t “super close … but just through the stories that I’ve heard, I almost feel related to him. …
“It’s always cool being able to see guys that your dad played with. It’s almost like they’re your friends as well.”
Bobby Jr. turned 22 on Tuesday. Considering the relationship between the Aldrete and Witt families, Aldrete was asked if he would be pulling for the younger Witt in this series.
“I will tell you this: I am not pulling against Bobby Witt Jr.,” Aldrete said. “But, right about now, we need anything. We need something.”
The A’s entered Friday with the AL’s worst record at 22-43. K.C. was 21-41.
“As a matter fact,” Aldrete added, “I hope I get to a point in a game where I do pull for him because that means we’re way up.”
Briefly: Stephen Piscotty (left calf strain) ran bases Friday and will again Sunday, with the A’s hoping he can start a minorleague rehab assignment Tuesday, manager Mark Kotsay said. … Kotsay reminded reporters his pre-NBA Finals prediction of Warriors in six: “Too bad I didn’t put my money on that.”