Chad Pinder hit a towering shot toward Oracle Park’s right-center field brick wall but didn’t take a single second to admire it. The A’s utility man took off running, maybe a little too fast, stumbling on his way to a bases-clearing triple early in Tuesday’s exhibition against the Giants.
It sure looked like a home run on replay, but officials at MLB’s home office didn’t see enough to suggest local umpires put a finger up and wave it in a circular motion.
“I slipped rounding first base, so I couldn’t see where the ball went,” Pinder said after the 6-2 exhibition loss. “{Teammates told me] that it was a home run. It’s all good. On Friday, I’m going to want that one.”
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Pinder will have an opportunity to get one when Opening Day comes around Friday. The L.A. Angels are starting left-hander Andrew Heaney, and Melvin said he’ll put Pinder’s right-handed bat in the lineup at second base. Several will step into that position depending on the matchup, and Pinder is one despite a relative lack of experience compared to others at the position.
He has played almost everywhere but focused on the one unsettled infield spot in the three weeks practice leading up to a 60-game regular season.
“I feel pretty good out there,” Pinder said. “It’s going to be an ongoing process to continue to get ground balls and my work in before the game, but it’s definitely coming along.
“… Second base has been a big focal point during camp,” Pinder said. “I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything in the outfield. I have played a few games out there during camp, and you’re obviously going to get your reads during batting practice. That’s the most important thing and that’s where you get your work. I think that getting out there at second base was the biggest thing for me, and I’m going to continue to do that.”
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Pinder made a nice play there Tuesday night after slipping on some wet grass going away from first base. He recovered well, got to his knee and threw a strike to Matt Olson for the out. Left-handed hitting Tony Kemp also will see time at second. So will Franklin Barreto and Vimael Machin.
Pinder’s training camp performance has made it difficult to keep him out of the lineup despite not having a spot among the starters. The outfield is crowded, with Mark Canha, Ramon Laureano and Stephen Piscotty going from left to right. Pinder can work at any infield spot, but Matt Chapman, Matt Olson and Marcus Semien are contenders to play all 60 games.
Bob Melvin will have to get creative getting Pinder plate appearances if his bat stays as hot as it has been in summer camp. The A’s manager has commented several times that getting Pinder out has been a chore in intrasquad games.
Pinder didn’t make major changes during baseball’s shutdown, instead looking to maintain a consistent swing and approach.
“I focused on my body and staying strong through the quarantine,” Pinder said. “I have been keeping things simple in the cage, not trying to change anything. I just tried to continue what I was doing in spring training and towards the end of last year. I’m trying to go out there, have fun, keep the pressure off myself and just go play baseball.”
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Pinder knows that preseason performance doesn’t mean a thing if it isn’t carried over to games that count. He’ll try to do that when the 2020 campaign starts this week, knowing that production will lead to more playing time even in a starting lineup that’s largely set.
“I feel really good,” Pinder said. “The body’s holding up and the baseball stuff has been going well. But, as we all know, what really matters comes up on Friday. If I carry that over into the season, hopefully that can help the team a little bit.”