Bob Melvin is not happy with the start times for playoff games.
A’s manager Bob Melvin isn’t terribly happy about his team having to play playoff games earlier than usual over the next two days.
Major League Baseball announced Sunday night that the first two games of the American League wild- card series between the A’s and the Chicago White Sox at the Coliseum will start at noon, about an hour earlier than usual for most of Oakland’s day games this season. Game 1 is today and Game 2 is Wednesday.
Answering a question about the various challenges the A’s have faced his season, including a positive coronavirus test, playing in unhealthy air and five doubleheaders, Melvin said, “and we continue to get hurdles.
“I mean, we have 12 o’clock games, which means we’re (coronavirus) testing at 6:30 in the morning and taking batting practice at 9 o’clock. We don’t even do that in spring training. So there continue to be hurdles.
“Our guys are good about understanding that, and they weren’t expecting anything to come easy. But we’re excited about getting through the season and starting the postseason, which everybody was looking forward to.”
The A’s, per a team spokesman, complete coronavirus testing at their hotel before they leave for the ballpark. Per MLB protocol, players are not allowed to arrive at the ballpark until five hours before first pitch, which would be 7 a.m. both today and Wednesday. Players have to be tested before they board a bus for the field.
WITH FREE AGENCY LOOMING, SEMIEN HOPES FOR SERIES TITLE WITH A’S >> Marcus Semien is one of a handful of Athletics making his third straight postseason appearance with Oakland.
Semien, 30, hopes it’s not his last in the final year before he becomes a free agent.
“This is home for me,” he said. “I’ve said it before, I love playing here.”
The A’s open the wild-card round today against the Chicago White Sox, which drafted Semien in 2011.
Semien and the A’s avoided arbitration in January when the parties agreed to a oneyear, $13 million contract. In an agreement made between Major League Baseball and the players’ union, players received about 37% of their 2020 pay.
The deal meant Semien would become a free agent after the season. The shortstop probably is in line for an expensive, long-term extension, which could spell the end of his tenure with the budgetconscious A’s. But he said he is not thinking about next season at the moment.
“Of course you want to know where you’re going to be next year, but the main goal this year for everybody in this clubhouse is to win the World Series,” Semien said. “Anything after that will be handled after that.”
It would mean a lot to Semien, who grew up in the East Bay, to remain near home. Oakland is where he proved he could be an everyday player after making his Major League debut with the White Sox in 2013.
“It’s hard to sit there and say, ‘Oh, I want an extension right now,’ when we’re all focused on winning a World Series,”
Semien said. “We’ll see what happens.”
But Semien noted he has played in Oakland for six years where he has been able to enjoy the comforts of home.
CALIFORNIA DREAMING >> White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (4- 3, 3.48 ERA), a Santa Monica native, has a good history in the state. Giolito, who went winless in his last three starts due mostly to getting just seven runs of support, has never lost in his home state. He’s got a 2- 0 mark, with both wins coming against the Los Angeles Angels. Giolito pitched a nohitter against the Pirates on Aug. 25.
He has gone 1-1 with a 4.15 ER A in two career starts against the A’s. The loss occurred on Aug. 11, 2019, in Chicago, when he served up a two-run home run to Matt Olson and was outpitched by Chris Bassitt in a 2- 0 defeat. Giolito struck out a careerhigh-tying 13 in six innings during that contest.
INJURY UPDATE >> The White Sox worked out in Oakland on Monday afternoon, with all eyes on left fielder Eloy Jimenez, who missed the last three regular- season games because of a sprained right foot.
“So far, so good,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said during the session. “I’m cautiously optimistic I’ll be able to report something positive. DH isn’t out of the question. All options are open. We will make whatever adjustments we need to make.”
WHO NEEDS PLAYOFF WIN MORE? >> This will be the first time the White Sox and the A’s will meet in a playoff series. The White Sox have not won a playoff round since 2005 when they beat the Houston Astros in the World Series. The A’s have not won a playoff round since 2006 when they beat the Minnesota Twins in AL Divisional Series. The White Sox lost nine of their last 12 games. The A’s went 3-5 over the last week of the season. The winner of the series will play either No. 3 Minnesota or No. 6 Houston in the second round at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
COLISEUM COMPLEX WILL BE VOTE CENTER >> Alameda County has designated the Oakland Coliseum and Oakland Arena as a voting center for the upcoming presidential election, the A’s announced.
The Coliseum complex will function as an “accessible voting location” from Oct. 31 through Election Day on Nov. 3 for Alameda County voters, according to a news release issued by the Athletics, the county and the Coliseum Authority that manages the site.
Professional sports teams have offered their arenas and stadiums to facilitate voting during the global health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus.
In-person voting will be available in the Oakland Arena, formerly known as Oracle Arena, starting Oct. 31 — the Saturday before Election Day. According to the release, individuals voting inperson must wear face masks in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Coliseum complex also will offer curbside voting and drive-up drop boxes for those who want to deliver their mail-in ballots to a voting location.