HOUSTON \u2014 Kurt Suzuki set a tone in his meeting on the morning of the Angels\u2019 first full-squad workout of spring training.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t what he said. It was what he didn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n
The whole thing took about five minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was short and simple and then off you go,\u201d outfielder Jo Adell said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t some long-winded story of greatness, you know what I mean? It was more of \u2018Hey, get what you need to get. I\u2019m here for you guys. We\u2019re all here for you guys. You know what you need to do.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cCan\u2019t complain about that. That\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the Angels prepare to play their first real game under Suzuki on Thursday against the Houston Astros, no one knows exactly how the first-year manager will handle the in-game decisions. So far, his job has been one of creating an atmosphere and a culture that will lead the Angels out of their decade of disappointment.<\/p>\n
While the atmosphere can\u2019t be accurately judged without the backdrop of games that matter, the early verdict is that the players have appreciated the tone set by someone who was one of them not long ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t forgotten how tough this game is or what\u2019s important in a clubhouse to a player,\u201d Suzuki said. \u201cWhen I played, it was communication.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suzuki said the most important thing a manager can do for his players is let them know that he cares about them, beyond what they do between the lines.<\/p>\n
Catcher Logan O\u2019Hoppe feels that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really nice coming to field every day knowing I can walk into his office and talk to him about anything,\u201d O\u2019Hoppe said. \u201cI went in there the other day and he asked me what I had for him, and I was like \u2018I\u2019m just here to shoot it.\u2019 I was just hanging out. It\u2019s been really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hoppe and Suzuki were teammates briefly just a few years ago, with O\u2019Hoppe making his Angels debut just before Suzuki retired, at the end of 2022<\/a>. Center fielder Mike Trout, pitcher Reid Detmers and Adell were on the Angels with Suzuki for extended periods in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a little different,\u201d Trout said of having a manager who was so recently his teammate. \u201cBut I loved Kurt when he was here. It\u2019s been great. We\u2019ve been on the same page with everything. Just overall the whole vibe has been really open and everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Trout said Suzuki still \u201cunderstands everything\u201d about being a player.<\/p>\n One of the ways that\u2019s been evident is the occasional \u201cshow-n-go\u201d day in spring training. Normally, players are all at the facility by 7:30 or 8 a.m. to be on the field around 9:15 for drills and batting practice that run until about 11:30, followed by a game at 1 p.m. On a \u201cshow-n-go\u201d day, players are essentially on their own. They show up whenever they need to show up to be ready for the game.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not uncommon for a day game during the regular season, but it\u2019s rare in spring training. This spring, the Angels did it a few times, which was much appreciated by the players.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just getting off your feet,\u201d Trout said. \u201cWe\u2019re working every day. We\u2019ve got a long season coming up.\u201d<\/p>\n Adell added: \u201cHe understands the workload.\u201d<\/p>\n Suzuki, 42, is just a few years past a career that began after he helped Cal State Fullerton to a national title in 2004. He reached the majors with the Oakland A\u2019s in 2007, and then spent the next 15 years bouncing around the majors, with both the A\u2019s and Washington Nationals bringing him back for second stints<\/a>.<\/p>\n His leadership was one of the reasons he was so popular with the teams that employed him<\/a>, so it was no surprise that Angels general manager Perry Minasian kept him on a special assistant after he retired.<\/p>\n When the Angels were hiring a manager last fall, former Angels star Albert Pujols was the first person publicly connected to the job. Once it became clear that the future Hall of Famer and the Angels couldn\u2019t reach a deal<\/a>, Suzuki was an obvious choice.<\/p>\n Owner Arte Moreno explained this spring that Suzuki got just a one-year deal because Minasian has just one year left on his deal.<\/p>\n Suzuki has said all along that he\u2019s comfortable being in a position to prove himself<\/a>.<\/p>\n He carries himself with the confidence that he\u2019s been prepared for this, even though he\u2019s never managed at any level.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the one thing that I have on my side is that I played this game for a long time, and I\u2019ve got a great staff around me,\u201d Suzuki said.<\/p>\n Pitching coach Mike Maddux is entering his 24th consecutive season as a major league pitching coach<\/a>. Assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott is in his 27th year in baseball. Bullpen coach Dom Chiti has been in the game as a player or coach for 50 years.<\/p>\n Hitting coach Brady Anderson spent 15 years as a major league player and another nine working in the front office<\/a>. Assistant hitting coach John Mabry played 14 years and spent 12 years as a coach<\/a>.<\/p>\n