Spring training begins in Arizona for A’s and Giants
THE KCRA SPORTS DESK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVY DEALERS. SPRING TRAINING IS NOW UNDERWAY IN ARIZONA. BOTH THE A’S AND THE GIANTS SWUNG INTO ACTION IN THE CACTUS LEAGUE. KCRA THREE. SPORTS DIRECTOR MICHELLE DAPPER AND SHAWN CUNNINGHAM HAVE MORE. GOOD EVENING FROM PALISADES TAHOE, WHERE IT FEELS LIKE TEN DEGREES OUTSIDE. MEANWHILE, IT’S ALMOST 70 DEGREES AT SPRING TRAINING IN THE DESERT. AND THAT’S WHERE WE FIND KCRA 3’S SHAWN CUNNINGHAM. OF COURSE, ENJOYING THOSE WARMER TEMPERATURES WHILE THE ATHLETICS, THEY HAVE CAMP UNDERWAY AS THEY GEAR UP FOR THEIR FIRST EXHIBITION GAME ON SATURDAY. NICK KURTZ LOOKS TO ADD TO HIS ACCOLADES AFTER WINNING ROOKIE OF THE YEAR LAST SEASON. JACOB WILSON, WHO FINISHED SECOND TO KURTZ FOR THAT AWARD, IS FRESH OFF SIGNING A LUCRATIVE SEVEN YEAR DEAL AND COULD VERY WELL COMPETE FOR A BATTING TITLE AT JUST 23 YEARS OLD. THE EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH AFTER THEIR SECOND HALF SURGE LAST SEASON, AND THEY HOPE TO BUILD OFF THAT SUCCESS. IT DEFINITELY FEELS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR, JUST KIND OF ALL AROUND ENERGY IS DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, I GOT THE ANOTHER YEAR. THE GUYS GETTING CLOSER YOU KNOW JUST COMING TOGETHER. AND OBVIOUSLY A YEAR OF EXPERIENCE IN SACRAMENTO KIND OF KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT THIS YEAR. THIS TEAM LARGELY KIND OF STAYED INTACT. I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA. GREAT IDEA. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE CORE OF THIS TEAM, WE’RE ONLY WE’RE GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR. AND THAT’S THAT’S THE GOAL. JUST KEEP GROWING. KEEP GETTING BETTER. AND THEN ULTIMATELY WORK TOWARDS A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. WE LIKE PLAYING THERE LIKE PLAYING IN FRONT OF THOSE FANS. I’M GLAD THAT WE KIND OF BROUGHT A BASEBALL TO THAT CITY, AND THEY GET TO ENJOY IT FOR A FEW YEARS. WE FEEL LIKE WE KNOW THAT WHAT WE JUST GOT TO GET OFF TO AN EARLY START AND NOT START OFF SLOW. JUST EXCITED TO BE BACK WITH THE GUYS. SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS FOR LIFE ALREADY, SO I’M EXCITED TO GET GOING. AND THANK YOU SHAWN. MEANWHILE, THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS ALSO SWINGING INTO SPRING AND SCOTTSDALE AS FIRST YEAR MANAGER TONY VITELLO GETS TO KNOW HIS SQUAD. AND ONE THING HE WANTS THE PLAYERS TO FOCUS ON WHILE THEY ARE IN THE DESERT IS FUNDAMENTALS AND MECHANICS. YOU KNOW, REPETITIONS ARE MASSIVE AND IT’S DIFFERENT THAN COACHING A FRESHMAN, SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR YEAR, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR POSITION PLAYERS, I FEEL LIKE AND YOU COULD REALLY TAKE AN EXTREME AT THE CATCHING POSITION. IT’S EXPERIENCE BASED SPORT AND IT’S EXPERIENCE BASED CRAFT. SO I JUST THINK STACKING THOSE REPS AND EXPERIENCES HELPS YOU GUYS TRULY SEE WHO DREW IS OR JOHNNY OR WHOEVER IT MIGHT BE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU’RE GOING TO PLAY THE GAME FOR TEN YEARS AND HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS, YOU YOU NEED THAT. AND OF COURSE, WE’LL HAVE REPORTS FROM SHAWN CUNNINGHAM ALL WEEK LONG. HE’S AT THE A’S CAMP ONCE AGAIN TOMORROW, AND THEN THE GIANT
Spring training is underway in Arizona, with both the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants swinging into action in the Cactus League. KCRA 3 Sports Director Michelle Dapper and Sean Cunningham have more on the teams’ preparations.Watch in the video above. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Spring training is underway in Arizona, with both the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants swinging into action in the Cactus League.
KCRA 3 Sports Director Michelle Dapper and Sean Cunningham have more on the teams’ preparations.
Watch in the video above.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel