OAKLAND — When the A’s opened up their regular season for a two-game series with the Seattle Mariners in Japan last week, something just felt off.
Though the A’s were the designated “home team” for the two matchups, it was anything but a home atmosphere inside the Tokyo Dome. The majority of fans in attendance were there for one reason only — Ichiro. So after losing both games overseas, the A’s got a re-do of sorts with their U.S. version of Opening Day against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday.
The result was more representative of the expectations they have set for themselves coming off a 97-win season.