Marcus Semien

Q&A: 'Starting fresh' at spring training with A's Sean Doolittle

Published Feb. 24, 2016 1:29 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Sean Doolittle is officially in The Best Shape Of His Life.

That's at least what he jokingly told the media after reporting to Oakland Athletics spring training late last week, as passed along to Twitter by MLB.com's Jane Lee: 

Doolittle had a tough 2015 season, both personally (due to nagging injuries) and professionally as the A's free-fall of a season saw them finish 68-94 and in last place for the first time in his career.

With spring training activity ramping up and the A's looking for better fortunes in 2016, Doolittle was game to answer some questions about his expectations for the new season, how to beat spring training doldrums and more. Enjoy the exchange below. 

How do you feel heading into the new season, especially after last year’s difficulties? 

Sean Doolittle: I feel great coming into 2016. After our season ended last year, I took two weeks off and then started my shoulder exercise program. And by the second week of November I was playing catch, so I've had all that time to build up strength in my throwing shoulder. I also spent that time working out with our strength coach, Mike Henriques, and our head minor-league strength coach, Josh Cuffe. 

I have been having fun with the cliche, and I don't know if I'm in the best shape of my life, but I feel really prepared coming into camp. 

Last year, the bullpen had its issues. It has largely been addressed this offseason. What are your thoughts about the new crew?

I really felt for the bullpen last year, it was tough to watch.  

Those guys are some of my best friends and I watched them try anything and everything they could to turn things around -- studying film, spending extra time with the scouting reports, working with Curt Young and Scott Emerson on mechanical work. It was almost like Murphy's Law; it just never came together like we thought it would. 

This year I am really excited about our new additions to the bullpen. (Ryan) Madson, (John) Axford, and (Marc) Rzepczynski are all established veteran guys with major postseason experience and Liam Hendriks was a huge part the Jays' bullpen last year that went all the way to the ALCS. In addition to helping us on the mound, I think their veteran presence and winning experience will help us right the ship. 

How important would you say team chemistry really is? 

I am a huge believer in clubhouse chemistry, although it is somewhat of a "chicken or the egg" conundrum. Which comes first, winning or team chemistry? It's hard to quantify, and of course there are exceptions, but I think good team chemistry is a huge part of winning teams. There are lots of reports about our clubhouse being "toxic" last year, but I think that has more to do with the tough year we were having on the field spilling over into the locker room.

This year, I'm excited to work on that chemistry with the new guys that we have coming in. I think the presence of the veteran relievers combined with the additions on the other side of the ball, like (Jed) Lowrie and (Yonder) Alonso, will really help us move things in the right direction.

Being on the A's, you meet a ton of new teammates every spring. What’s that like?

By now I'm used to it. It seems like every spring training you are learning new teammates' names and faces and jersey numbers, so we've got it down to a science now and it's par for the course for us. We have a very welcoming and laid back clubhouse. We don't get micromanaged, we don't have a ton of rules, so I think it allows the new guys to come in and relax and be themselves a little bit earlier on.  

That helps us get to know them and it helps them get comfortable at the same time. That might be my favorite thing when it comes to seeing the new guys: the looks on their faces when they realize the laid back vibe we have here in Oakland.  

They can exhale and be themselves and I think that helps most guys play up to their full capabilities.  

Any thoughts on MLB installing protective netting at ballparks in time for this season?

The players' union has advocated for more protective netting in the last two collective bargaining agreements, so I'm happy that MLB has taken steps to increase fan safety. I think we have a different perspective than some of the fans because we see how fast these balls are going into the stands, we see these bats tomahawk up above the dugouts, and we know what it feels like to get hit by a ball coming in that fast.  

As stadiums bring fans closer and closer to the action, we have to make sure that they can enjoy the games without being at risk for serious injury. I know some fans are concerned about the visibility and the distraction of watching a game through a net; as a guy who sits in the bullpen and watches a lot of baseball through a fence, I can tell you that after five minutes you don't even notice it. 

Besides, if it was really distracting, why would those people pay premium ticket prices to sit right behind home plate? 

What's your favorite/least favorite part of spring training?  

My favorite part of spring training is the energy and the optimism that comes with starting a new year with a clean slate. After a down year last year, this offseason felt especially long waiting for a chance to turn the page and start fresh. It's great to see your teammates again and I really enjoy meeting and getting to know the new guys.  

Spring training can get a little like Groundhog's Day-ish by the middle of March, and that's probably my least favorite thing. As a relief pitcher who mostly works in one-inning stints, I don't need to be built up or stretched out as much as a starting pitcher would, and it's not like I have to get my body used to playing nine innings like position players do.  

So typically, I feel ready by the middle of March. And after that I feel like I'm wasting my bullets and I'm chomping at the bit to get the season started.  

The AL West will be tough again in 2016. A lot has to be determined before Opening Day, but how do you see the A's faring?

I'm excited to see how we stack up against the rest of our division counterparts. I feel very confident that we'll be very much improved from last year. I've seen some reports of how strong the AL is this year, that you could make a legitimate case for every single team to make the playoffs. 

Our starting pitching was outstanding last year. With Alonso, Lowrie and (Khris) Davis we've added some pop and depth to our lineup. And we have a revamped bullpen. On paper it looks great, and so far in camp I can tell you there is a lot to be excited about. 

Ron Washington already said shortstop Marcus Semien will have a "special" year. He improved a lot as last season wore on, so that'd help the infield a lot if he's able to continue maturing at such a quick rate.

I have so much respect for Marcus Semien. I think our whole team does. Early on last year, he might not have been performing the way he expected himself to. After games the media would ask him about a play that maybe didn't go his way or about an error he was charged with, and he always manned up and took responsibility for it.  

No matter how frustrated he was, he never made excuses and he never let it show. But at 1:30 the next day, he was out on the field taking groundballs with Wash, working on his hands and his footwork.  

The work paid off and he was outstanding defensively for us in the second half last year. For a player to go through something like that, learn from it and handle it the way he did, and come out better for it - that's the stuff that commands respect, that's what leaders are made of.

I'm really excited to see him take that next step this year. 

Hunter Pence recently spoke in a podcast about his love of "nerd" culture and things like Harry Potter and Magic: the Gathering. And you're a well-documented "Star Wars" fanatic. Since the two of you seem to have so much in common, what are the chances you'll wind up having some kind of cool web series once you're both retired?

I would love to do something like that once I catch up to him and get some World Series rings of my own and retire. Ain't no shame in my nerd game, though, that's for sure. It's well documented that I'm a huge "Star Wars" fan, and I play more video games than a 29-year-old probably should.  

My girlfriend Eireann is good friends with Hunter's fiancee, Lexi, and last year we had a "game night" at their apartment and put the highlights on YouTube. Eireann and I lost, so we're hoping for a rematch. 

(Moderate "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" spoiler below, so proceed at your own discretion)

For anybody that might not know, you’re very active with military charities and organizations. Are there any you’d like to plug or that you’re working with right now?

The biggest one that I’ve been working the most with is an organization called Operation Finding Home. It’s an unbelievable organization that is able to provide military veterans and their families a list of brand new, mortgage-free houses. 

They get donations and volunteers from these peoples’ communities and they’re able to build a house that’s maybe wheelchair accessible, or helps them transition out of … these veterans, maybe they’re medically retired or maybe they have PTSD, maybe they’re an amputee. 

So their transition into civilian life might be a little more complicated than other people. For these people to be given a house, a place to live for free because of the work this charity does, it’s incredibly powerful stuff to see these people and how happy they get and how thankful they are. 

It’s a really cool organization to work with, they do a lot of really great things.

Doolittle and Stephen Vogt dicsussing pitcher/catcher things at spring training.  

share

Get more from Marcus Semien Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Marcus Semien

Liam Hendriks

Khris Davis

Hunter Pence

Sean Doolittle

Jed Lowrie

Oakland Athletics

Major League Baseball