Elephant Rumblings: Oakland A’s choose San Jose as alternate training camp site

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

One of the lingering loose ends of the Oakland A’s summer appears to finally be tied up. The A’s will hold their 2020 alternate training camp at San Jose Municipal Stadium, now known as Excite Ballpark, reports John Hickey of Sports Illustrated, and confirmed by Bill Moriarity of Athletics Farm.

With no minor league season this year, teams will instead send some of their top reserves and prospects to an off-site camp away from their MLB squad. The A’s had originally planned to house their backups in Stockton, home of their High-A affiliate, the Ports, but decided against it due to rising levels of coronavirus cases in that county.

Word of San Jose as an alternate option arose earlier this week, via a report from Susan Slusser of the S.F. Chronicle. Now it sounds like they’ve settled on that idea.

This isn’t the only issue on which the A’s have been slow to catch up as MLB prepares for its 2020 season. They were also behind in getting their facilities ready and their initial intake testing completed, which cost them a few extra days of Summer Camp training, and star third baseman Matt Chapman expressed frustration toward the organization on the matter, per the team insiders — see the links below for full quotes. Chapman has already built a reputation for vocal leadership, and he once again stepped up to respectfully broach an uncomfortable but important topic and say what’s on his mind.

Slowly but surely, things are coming together. Opening Day is less than two weeks away, so if not too much goes wrong before then, we might get some baseball.

A’s Coverage:

• Hickey: Athletics Settle on San Jose Municipal Stadium for Alternate Players
• Hickey: Looking at the Other Side of the Athletics’ Late Start to MLB Workouts
• Hickey: Athletics Chapman Tries to Put Frustrations Behind Him, Gears Up For a Big 2020
• Slusser: Matt Chapman questions A’s late start to camp, wishes team had been ‘more proactive’ ($)
• Gallegos: For Chapman, ‘every game’ will feel like playoffs
• Coffey: How A’s outfielder Mark Canha schooled himself on public health ($$$)
• Kleinschmidt: Ramón Laureano: Everything to know about A’s do-it-all outfielder
• Green & Bold podcast: Guest is Susan Slusser
• Seamheads podcast: Topic is Jake Diekman’s criticism of MLB
• Hall: Oakland A’s release 2021 schedule
• Hall: AL West 2020 preview: Seattle Mariners are rebuilding
• Hall: AL West 2020 preview: Los Angeles Angels are a true wild card
• Hall: A’s Summer Camp: Mike Fiers cat-tail face masks

MLB News, & Interest:

• Soshnik: Mets sale: At least five bidders include Cohen, Harris, and A-Rod group
• Leitch and Petriello: Picking sleeper teams that might make ‘20 playoffs
• Simon: 10 potential ‘cameos’ that could pay off in 2020
• Clair: Christie Brinkley, Chipper & 1 incredible photo shoot
• Today in Baseball History

Summer Camp video

Enjoy some batting practice from Thursday’s full-squad workout at the Coliseum!

Bonus! Here’s a nice montage from the team

Best of Twitter:

Minor injury news, just to make us feel normal for a moment

Some of the earlier positive coronavirus tests are now being cleared to return to the field

Food for thought

Dingers!

One championship ring to rule them all