Stephen Piscotty Q&A: What A's outfielder thinks of realignment rumors

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With baseball and the rest of the sports world entirely on pause, it’s offering A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty the opportunity to recover from an oblique injury he suffered during spring training in Arizona, which likely would have forced him to miss the beginning of the season.

The Pleasanton native says he’s proud of California during these times, which has definitely reacted quicker and fared better to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Here’s more from a FaceTime interview with Piscotty on Tuesday:

On the intercostal injury he suffered in February that would have kept him out of Opening Day:
“I’m working through a swing progression right now. With this pause in the game, it really allowed myself to get extra healing time and I’ve tried to take advantage of that. We pushed back some of the ramp-up times, just because it’s pretty clear when we’re going to get started. Obliques, you really are at risk to re-injure them. So we gave it a couple extra weeks before I started swinging and I’m just now working through that progression. I have no pain, and fully confident I’ll be fully healthy whenever this season picks back up.”

On all the rumors and speculation of format changes to accommodate an MLB season:
“There are some crazy ideas out there, but I do believe it’s a crazy time, and it’s quite alright to embrace them. There’s going to be many challenges around keeping players and their families safe. Being quarantined from family for a significant period of time is something that will have to happen, not that I want to do that. But the players I talk to — we want to play, and we’ll do whatever it takes.”

On these experimental times possibly bringing permanent changes to baseball:
“There may be some things that are really be good for the game, long-term. And maybe that gets put in the new CBA, or whatever. There’s a possibility to explore some things in an already odd season. So, let’s try it.”

On his 10-year hobby of playing the guitar, helping him get through these times:
“Especially right now. It’s such a healthy distraction, I think, to just immerse yourself in music. I play all the time during the season. I bring my guitar on the road, it’s a great way for me to wind down during a game.”

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On what’s keeping him busy outside of rehab and staying at home:
“I don’t mind doing yard work, and that sort of thing. I spend quite a bit of time outside mowing the lawn, pulling weeds. We’ve got a little garden and a tiny vineyard that I go out and prune some things. Really not a whole lot, but I try to spend some time outside, in the fresh air.”

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