A’s stick with Marcus Semien at shortstop
Marcus Semien will be back at shortstop Thursday when the A’s open the Cactus League season.
The team didn’t give up on him at the position, despite his major-league-high and Oakland-record 35 errors last season, and Semien’s efforts to improve have won him respect from the coaching staff.
“There isn’t a guy I’ve been around in all my years not only who works as hard as he does but is accountable, doesn’t complain,” manager Bob Melvin said.
There are days he goes back there and Wash does drills and Wash raves about him like you would a quarterback at football practice when the ball never hits the ground.
Left-hander Eric Surkamp will start and pitch one or two innings Thursday.
Richie Martin, the A’s first-round pick in June, is trying to soak up as much as he can during major-league camp, and as a shortstop, he’s keeping an especially close eye on Semien.
Jesse Hahn and Kendall Graveman worked two innings each in the intrasquad game, were both hitting 93-94 mph on the radar gun, and they are scheduled to pitch Monday against Kansas City. ...
Catchers Josh Phegley (shoulder) and Vogt (elbow) had at-bats in the game; Phegley could play Saturday. ...
Former A’s first baseman Daric Barton, an unsigned free agent, stopped by camp.