First-year A’s manager Mark Kotsay, who said he’s still getting adjusted to being called “Skip,” has yet been unwilling to skip Elvis Andrus when it comes to his starting lineup.
Andrus, 33, is hitting .273, which may not sound like much except he remained mired in the worst slump of his career in 2021 after joining the A’s to replace the departed and productive Marcus Semien.
That Andrus raised his batting average to .243 took a major surge at the end of the season, given he didn’t break .200 until May 28 a year ago. Andrus drew raves from former manager Bob Melvin about his professionalism, approach and attitude during the slump, but the production was simply not there until May turned to June.
“It’s nice to have Elvis doing what Elvis did at the end of the season,” Kotsay said Thursday before the A’s wrapped up a four-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays. “We had that conversation the first day of spring training. I brought him in and we talked about getting off to a good start. He told me not to worry about it.
“He called me ‘Skip,’ which I’m not a big fan of. He said, ‘OK Skip, I got you.’ But he’s doing a great job. Not only what he’s done on the field but what he’s doing in the clubhouse. It doesn’t go unnoticed. I give him a lot of credit for being a true pro.”
With Jed Lowrie and Steven Vogt, both 37, as part-time players, Andrus is the senior member of the A’s lineup and was starting again Thursday despite having their fourth straight game on artificial surface. The A’s are in in the midst of a 17-game stretch without a day off to start the season, a byproduct of the lockout and decision to get in a full 162 game season.
“Elvis is one to play every day, but we’ll look for an opportunity in Toronto,” Kotsay said.
Andrus’ four doubles were tied for second in the majors going into the game, and he’s tied for fifth in extra-base hits with five. He hit a three-run home run in the first game of the series against the Rays, which the A’s won 13-2.
Andrus began to show signs of life at the plate near the end of a truncated spring training, going 6-for-12 in his last four games.
Adorable moment 🥺
Mark Kotsay gave this young A's fan a baseball and celebrated with a fist bump pic.twitter.com/wngb3zInPM
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) April 13, 2022
A NEW FAN
Kotsay was captured on camera making the day of a young boy before Wednesday’s game against Toronto, giving him a baseball. The exchange picked up some decent traffic on social media.
“It’s just so refreshing to see young kids come to baseball games and the joy they get out of it,” Kotsay said. “The least we can do is hand them a baseball. He stood there for most of the game, like my good luck charm. I hope he’s back today.”
LINEUP VS. TAMPA BAY
Lowrie got a scheduled day off, with Kotsay opting for Sheldon Neuse at first base against left-hander Josh Fleming. Sean Murphy saved his legs on defense and was in in the lineup as designated hitter with Austin Allen as the starting catcher.
2B Tony Kemp
LF Chad Pinder
DH Sean Murphy
1B Sheldon Neuse
RF Billy McKinney
SS Elvis Andrus
3B Kevin Smith
C Austin Allen
CF Christian Pache
P Cole Irvin
