OAKLAND – There are 24 players getting ready inside the A’s clubhouse before every game, and then there’s the starting pitcher.
His routine is unique. For four days in a row, he watches the action from the dugout just as any fan would from the stands. Then on every fifth day, a starter suddenly becomes the most important player taking the field for his team. The manner in which he prepares himself in the hours leading up to his start can have a great impact on his performance.
“The personality side on the day you pitch is obviously going to be different than when you’re not pitching,” A’s pitching coach Curt Young said.