Elephant Rumblings: Nick Allen’s bat heating up

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

“They call him Nicky Knocks!”

That’s what Dallas Braden keeps saying about A’s shortstop Nick Allen. I tend to roll my eyes when I hear this, but the way Allen has hit during the A’s current homestand, Braden’s moniker for the diminutive infielder might just stick.

Per Martin Gallegos at MLB.com, Nick’s surge at the plate is coming on the heels of a visit to the office of A’s manager Mark Kotsay. Few specifics were given on exactly what adjustments Allen made after what Kotsay described as a “good conversation ... about everything,” but apparently no changes were made in terms of swing mechanics.

Kotsay hinted that the focus has been on pitch recognition. At any rate, Allen’s recent results at the plate represent a huge improvement: after going 3-for-25 in his first 10 games since being called up from Vegas, Allen entered Tuesday’s game with a .429 average over his past four games.

Then, as if encouraged by Gallegos’ recognition of his improvement, Allen hit his first MLB dinger of 2023 in the third inning of yesterday’s game to tie it up with the Diamondbacks. He wound up with three hits last night and brought his batting average up to .217—it was at .105 entering last Friday’s game, in which Allen also put up three hits.

In the very next frame after his homer, Allen also reminded us that he is an elite defender at shortstop.

With glove and arm skills like that, even if he can hit just a bit, Allen will be a key contributor. But if Nicky knocks, he’ll be an All-Star.

A’s Coverage:

• Toster: Noda grand slam, Ruiz walkoff hit win it for the A’s
• Willis: Mason Miller has ‘mild’ UCL sprain
• Gallegos: Allen surging after conversation with Kotsay
• Gallegos: Noda’s no-look toss conjures memories of brilliant (and wacky!) plays

MLB News & Interest:

• Shea: Giants’ Sean Manaea welcomes move to bullpen: ‘Only got myself to blame’ ($)
• Adams: Orioles Recall Cole Irvin
• Buchanan: MLB prospect intel: Scouts on Henry Davis, Evan Carter and other news and notes ($)
• McDonald: Kumar Rocker To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
• McGrath: Yankees’ Aaron Judge ‘not happy’ about Blue Jays broadcast’s cheating insinuation ($)
• Franco: Domingo German Ejected Following Foreign Substance Check
• Franco: Anibal Sanchez Announces Retirement
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

Roster moves.

Pitcher development notes.

Some handsome hounds at yesterday’s Bark in the Park.

Tropicana plan “very preliminary” per Bally’s.

A handout of some sort working its way through the NV legislature.

Kemp laments the silencing of the right field drums.

OK, Brah.