In 2024, The Athletics OF/DH Brent Rooker had an impressive season.
As Frank Polito wrote on Athletics Nation, “This previous season was clearly the break-out that A’s management and our followers anticipated.” Rooker completed the season tenth in AL MVP voting and gained the AL Silver Slugger for the Designated Hitter, after hitting 39 dwelling runs and driving in 112 runs. (Ben Clemens has offered perception into Rooker’s swing and changes.)
The motion didn’t finish there.
Rooker is coming off an offseason that noticed him present process surgical procedure for a forearm extensor damage along with signing a five-year, $60 million extension with a membership choice for 2030. And all of the whereas, swirling within the background was The Athletics’ transfer to West Sacramento en route (finally) to Las Vegas.
When The Athletics visited Coors Subject final weekend (April 4-6), I had a possibility to ask Rooker a number of questions. He spoke about his early impressions of enjoying in Sacramento, his strategy to hitting, and why he walks as much as a Stevie Nicks tune.
I’ve additionally included questions from Pat Graham (Related Press) and Manny Randhawa (MLB.com).
The transcript has been evenly edited for readability.
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SB Nation: You’ve performed one collection at Sutter Well being Park. I do know it’s a small pattern measurement, however you hit a few dwelling runs there. What’s your preliminary tackle the ballpark, and the way do you assume it should play? Are you going to have, like, a Pacific Coast League form of expertise there this season?
Brent Rooker: No, I believe after these first three video games, it should normalize a little bit bit. These first three video games are fairly windy, particularly the primary two. The primary two had a non-normal wind there, blowing out fairly closely. So I believe it’ll come again to the imply a little bit bit as soon as we get a much bigger pattern measurement and play some extra video games there.
SBN: I’ve learn hypothesis it’s possible you’ll hit as many as 50 dwelling runs this yr.
BR: That’d be nice. We’ll see how that seems. I’m going to do my easiest.
SBN: In the course of the offseason, you had surgical procedure to restore a forearm extensor damage. Now you’re again to DHing. Are you able to speak a little bit bit about that? Charlie Blackman mentioned that for him as a participant, it was difficult to go from enjoying within the outfield to only DHing. Did you must make these sorts of changes?
BR: I’ve spent a whole lot of time at DH all through my total profession, whether or not it’s in school, minor leagues, up by way of any time I spent within the huge leagues. So if there was an adjustment to be made, I made it some time in the past, and I’ve form of gotten used to it at this level. I’ve my routine down. I do know what I love to do. I do know what I have to do to remain locked within the recreation, make sure that I’m able to go every at bat. So it’s not a difficulty at this level.
SBN: One of many belongings you’ve completed as a hitter is change your swing. There have been the massive changes you made in 2023, and also you stored constructing on them in 2024 How do you strategy making these sorts of adjustments on the plate?
BR: I simply do no matter I have to do, each day, recreation to recreation, to compete that evening. Whether or not there’s changes that must be made or tweaks that must be made to my swing or strategy or recreation plan, no matter it’s, I’m not afraid to make delicate adjustments right here and there, to do no matter I really feel is critical to place myself in the most effective place to compete that evening.
Pat Graham: Chase Dollander goes to make his major-league debut tomorrow. Do you research a whole lot of movie on pitchers, and the way do you research pitchers you’ve by no means seen?
BR: I’ll watch some video. I’ll take a look at some motion plots, some warmth maps, issues like that, see if there’s any particular pitcher he jogs my memory of which you can form of examine him to, after which take an analogous strategy to him as you do different guys with that comparable profile. I’ll take a look at the video, take a look at the report similar to I might anyone else, put collectively a recreation plan and go on the market and execute it.
Manny Randhawa: Lots of people take a look at this as a doubtlessly enjoyable crew to look at. Do you guys get a way you’re going to shock lots of people this yr?
BR: We like our crew. We just like the group of men we’ve in right here, each from from a dynamic and chemistry perspective and in addition to an on-field satisfaction perspective. We expect we’re getting higher. We’ve proven flashes throughout these first eight video games of issues that we are able to do very well. We’ve additionally shared areas we have to enhance on, like all younger crew does. So we’re simply going to remain the course, keep centered on the course this yr, do what we are able to to enhance every day and see the place we see the place we stack up on the finish of the yr.
SBN: I’ve a few unrelated questions. You’ve mentioned that Pilates is part of your exercise. How do you incorporate that? Bryce Harper mentioned final yr that it modified his strategy to coaching.
BR: Yeah, I do it a couple of times every week within the off season to complement my regular, extra conventional energy coaching stuff. I believe it retains my physique wholesome. It permits me to work on and practice some issues that perhaps I might miss in a extra conventional weight-room setting. So I’ve used it the final three years, and I prefer it so much.
SBN: You’re strolling out this yr to Stevie Nicks’ “Fringe of Seventeen.” It’s uncommon for baseball gamers to stroll out to feminine musicians. How did you arrive at Nicks as your walk-up music?
BR: I just like the tune. I used all of it of final yr, and it labored. And I’m one who tends to essentially take pleasure in a robust feminine vocalist, so I form of landed on that naturally. And it labored for me final yr, so I simply stored it rolling.
SBN: In order that brings up one thing you mentioned in a latest interview — that “Frozen” has develop into a giant a part of your life along with your daughters. Any probability we’re going to listen to any “Frozen” music?
BR: I doubt it — not except Blair [his daughter] begins to choose my songs for me, wherein case you in all probability would. However I’ll in all probability persist with the one I’ve bought for now.
SBN: You’re a giant social media particular person. What do you take pleasure in about that?
BR: I like the chance to bridge the hole between participant and fan a little bit bit, to work together, to humanize your self a little bit, to only give perspective on issues that you could be not have the chance to in any other case when you didn’t make the most of that medium. I’m undoubtedly extra lively within the off season than I’m in-season for a number of causes. However, it’s one thing I take pleasure in, and I’ll in all probability proceed to do.
SBN: What’s the most effective submit or video you’ve dropped, the one you’re proudest of?
BR: Um, I don’t know. I made some feedback throughout the playoffs final yr that did fairly properly, and other people appear to take pleasure in, so I like doing that form of stuff.
SBN: Which feeds do you look to for inspiration?
BR: Different athletes, I believe Max Homa does a great job on social media. I believe Michael Kim, one other golfer, does a fairly good job as properly. These guys do a great job of bringing humor, but additionally bringing some fairly in-depth insights, some issues followers would possibly discover fascinating. So I like these guys.
SBN: Final one from me. You’ve taken up chess. Does it have something to do along with your final title, “Rook?”
BR: Yeah, it might be. I’m not excellent, however we bought a whole lot of guys in right here who play, so we’ve bought some good competitions and good video games going. Solely considered one of us is definitely good. Noah Murdoch is sweet. Everyone else is form of common or middling, and we’re all making an attempt to get higher, so it’s enjoyable.
