Walking in the A's clubhouse was a lot of the same sights and sounds.
Familiar faces greeted one another -- a rarity for the Oakland organization and most teams across the league as each season comes and goes. But it's become something engrained on this team. You don't get attached to the players in green and gold.
They might not be around for too much longer.
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This time, in addition to reunions with teammates, the chemistry gets to continue.
"We all get along great," Marcus Semien told NBC Sports California at the end of January. "That's half the battle."
The other half? Well, the team has that figured out as well.
Heading into the season, for the first time in a long time, the A's have high expectations. After leaving two consecutive 97-win seasons behind them, they have stronger, more specific goals.
Oakland Athletics
Winning the AL West is one of them. Not just to prove they can, but to avoid the dreadful wild-card game that has haunted them in previous years.
A strong starting pitching rotation is part of why there's a success on the horizon.
Young lefties A.J. Puk and Jesús Luzardo are the A's two top prospects with young Sean Murphy right behind them on prospect lists, and behind the plate, to be the more than likely the starting catcher when the season begins.
Veteran Mike Fiers is also part of that starting squad as is Sean Manaea. The world will also get a full season of Frankie Montas who comes off an 80-game PED-related suspension in 2019.
And that core infielder crew, with Matt Chapman and Matt Olson who take care of the corners around Semien, are all part of the strong ingredients that whip up into something special. But it's the off-the-field stuff that is the cherry on top.
"There's been teams that I've been on where guys don't hang out off the field," Semien said. "Or they don't really click in the clubhouse or something."
"Everybody has talent, there's a reason everyone's here, but you have to be able to work together. I think that what we do off the field and going to dinner and hanging out, just spending time with each other to know, 'How's my teammate going to react if he's in a slump?'"
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Last season, Semien didn't get an All-Star selection, but did earn second-team honors on MLB's inaugural All-MLB team when he finished with a .285/.369/.522 line and 33 home runs. He also started in all 162 games, a professional goal of his.
It's difficult to tell what the bigger bonus is on the A's: The talent or the rapport. But it appears Semien, who was voted third in AL MVP voting last season, is confident in both aspects equally.
"You need to know your guys," he said. "That's one thing we do a good job of."