Shortly after Bob Geren told reporters about outfielder Ryan
Sweeney’s improving power, Sweeney made his manager look good.
Sweeney smoked a two-run homer to left-center off Jake Peavy in the
third inning Saturday, the offensive highlight of the Oakland
Athletics’ 8-3 exhibition victory over the Chicago White Sox.
PHOENIX
Shortly after Bob Geren told reporters about outfielder Ryan Sweeney’s improving power, Sweeney made his manager look good.
Sweeney smoked a two-run homer to left-center off Jake Peavy in the third inning Saturday, the offensive highlight of the Oakland Athletics’ 8-3 exhibition victory over the Chicago White Sox.
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Going deep to the opposite field was especially encouraging for Sweeney, who has just 13 career homers in 1,251 career at-bats.
“I’m just trying to be more aggressive in hitters’ counts and drive the ball more,” said Sweeney, who hammered a 3-1 pitch. “Usually I would hit that ball in the gap for a double. I drove that one. I haven’t hit an opposite-field home run in a while.”
Sweeney, still recovering from right knee surgery when camp started, has played in just five exhibitions. He has yet to be cleared to play on consecutive days but said three to five more games should have him ready for the season, which begins April 1.
Sweeney started in center field with Coco Crisp nursing a mild left hamstring injury. Slated for a reserve role, Sweeney might see significant innings as Geren plans to rest Crisp occasionally during the season to keep him fresh.
Geren talked Saturday morning of how Sweeney has shown power in batting practice.
“The better his legs feel, he’s probably going to use them more in his swing.”
Sweeney said he’s hit on something mechanically.
“I’m just trying to keep my hands quiet and my head still,” he said. “I have a shorter stride with my front foot. Sometimes I get too out front. I’m just letting the ball get to me.”
Crisp, who hurt his hamstring Friday while swinging the bat, said he expects he’ll be able to play Sunday.
David DeJesus is slated to start in right. But when Crisp rests and Sweeney plays, Geren said, he’s inclined to put DeJesus in center and Sweeney in right to take advantage of Sweeney’s strong throwing arm.
—Right-hander Trevor Cahill pitched into the seventh inning and limited Chicago to four hits. Cahill, who finished right around the 90-pitch mark, hadn’t gone more than four innings in any of his previous four starts. He considered that a breakthrough, though he felt fatigued toward the end.
“It went a lot better than the other ones,” Cahill said of his start. “It gave me a little bit of confidence.”
He struck out three and walked one.
—Craig Breslow faced five hitters in a minor league intrasquad game and said his hamstring felt fine. He could make his exhibition debut as soon as Tuesday.
Fellow reliever Michael Wuertz’s line looked rough in his second game — he allowed two runs and walked two in one inning against the White Sox. But Wuertz, bothered by shoulder soreness earlier in camp, considered it progress.
“I ramped up the intensity,” he said. “My velocity is really not great in spring training, but I hit 88, 89 (mph). That’s good for me.”
Geren said reliever Joey Devine (biceps soreness) threw off the mound and came out of it OK.
—Designated hitter Hideki Matsui went 1 for 3 with a walk and strikeout and is hitting .158 in 14 games.
The A’s play four straight games in National League parks next week, and Geren said he’s been granted use of the DH against the Dodgers on Monday and Reds on Tuesday. He’s hopeful of the Cubs and Diamondbacks agreeing to the DH the next two days, but if not, Geren said Matsui could see his first action in the outfield.
Geren said previously that he didn’t plan to have Matsui play defense in exhibitions.
—The win moved the A’s to 9-13 with nine Cactus League games left, including Sunday’s split-squad matchups at home against the Diamondbacks and on the road against the Giants.
—Saturday’s game drew 8,091 fans, the A’s third sellout in 13 home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
— Story by Joe Stiglich, Contra Costa Times
