Mark Kotsay details key player injuries, mistakes in Athletics' loss to Royals
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay speaks to reporters following the team's 6-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium.
Mark Kotsay details key player injuries, mistakes in Athletics' loss to Royals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
So we're just gonna start with the unfortunate news about, you know, Jacob Wilson pregame.
When did you guys learn that he's probably gonna require, you know, a stint on the IL?
I mean, obviously we've, we've tried to, give Jacob enough time for the shoulder to, to respond, to get a little bit more, you know, movement and be able to do some baseball activity.
Unfortunately, to this morning, there was really no change in, in, in how he's felt since Sunday.
So, you know, we're gonna put Jacob on the IL.
He's gonna go back to Sacramento to see a doctor.
You know, it's, at this point, probably not great news, in terms of, Jacob's ability to finish the season.
Yeah.
It seems like this has been an issue he's kind of been dealing with since May.
I mean, what does it say about kind of the, the toughness of him to, you know, battle through that until, until- Yeah, I mean, he's definitely been playing with his shoulder.
Yeah.
Since he came back off the IL, we knew that, you know, the shoulder, if he had to make another play, which he did in Boston, that it may, it may come back and- Mm-hmm and be an issue.
So, you know, for him, I'm sure it's disappointing, to not be able to continue, and finish the season.
So, we'll wait obviously for the results.
But at this point, yeah, I mean, he showed the grit that we needed to see in, in trying to finish the season.
Yeah.
I mean, it's no secret.
I mean, he's not the only one on the, on the injured list right now, but, but what does it say about the opportunities that, you know, some of these other, you know, position players are getting right now?
Yeah, I mean, Aleka Williams has got a, a ton of opportunity.
Darryl Hernai's is here now and getting some opportunity.
Max Muncy's back with us.
You know, so those are three guys that, because of Jacob's issue, obviously are gonna see more playing time.
You know, we have to bring someone now that, you know, will help as well.
So a lot of opportunity here with, the amount of guys that we have, either on the IL or done for the season, which I think at this point, if Jacob is, it'll be five of the nine in the starting opening day lineup.
And then back to today on, on Gage.
What, what'd you see from him, and how were the Royals able to, you know, take advantage of his mistakes?
Those were just what you said.
There were mistakes.
He didn't have his best command today.
He didn't have a great feel for the change up.
I think he was just pulling off the baseball.
Not being able to locate that pitch really hurt him.
Especially, you know, when you need some soft contact outs and be able to keep hitters off balance.
He had to use the slider, which got hit a little bit, but the fastball command was really the issue, I think.
And, and when you don't have that, it's, it's tough to navigate.
It seemed like their, bats against Dobnak, I mean, were all over him, but just couldn't get the runs across.
We had as many opportunities as they did today.
They, they left 10 on, we left 10 on.
We just couldn't get the two-out hit really early in the game.
He seemed to execute pitches in that situation.
We had a chance obviously to, play with a lead or at least get back in a game, and we just couldn't get the hit.
I know you want to concentrate on the guys you put in the lineup, but what are the effects of losing a guy like Jacob?
Yeah, no, we felt the effects obviously for the season.
We lost our leader and captain and, and rook, early in June, which impacted, you know, not just on the field, but I think off the field.
So, and you know, it seems to be a, a kind of domino effect with the rest of the group.
So, there's guys in there though that are stepping up.
I'm really impressed with, Zach Gelof, the way he's, you know, come back off the IL and the production we're getting out of him and the leadership as well.
What did you think about, you know, today's outing?
Just terrible.
Yeah, not, not really anything good.
So really, frustrated, really disappointed in myself.
And yeah, that's kind of how it's been going.
So not, not very good.
Got some pitches in the zone, maybe not the best execution with the change up.
Is that what you felt like was the biggest mistakes today?
Just poor, poor execution all around, honestly.
Fastballs, middle of the plate, especially when I'm ahead.
Uncompetitive misses with, with everything really.
So yeah, you know, trying to learn from these outings and, and take one foot in front of the next.
But, you know, I feel like I keep stepping backwards, so just, you know, failing, failing everybody right now.
Yeah.
But what, what do you feel like you can, you can learn from that moving forward?
I mean, to try not to let the, you know, negativity, you know, build up.
Ugh.
I mean, I don't know, to be honest.
It's, it's hard to, to learn from that obviously, like throwing bad pitches, for, for the hitters, like middle, middle pitches and, of course they're gonna do damage with that stuff.
So it's just really making sure that I'm, I'm focused on, on what I'm throwing and, and where I'm throwing it.
And just really getting better at that.
There was some unfortunate news pre-game that Jacob Wilson's probably gonna miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
Just, it seems like this team just can't escape the injury bug right now.
I mean, how is that compounding, you know, on you guys in the clubhouse?
Is that kind of weighing on you, on them?
Yeah.
I mean, it's really tough blow.
He's a great player, but, you know, personally at this point in the year, I'm, I'm just trying to give the team the best chance every time I pitch.
I don't have a lot of starts left and so, you know, I've really tried to turn it around, but I just keep getting punched in the mouth and, I think that's really good for me.
But at this point I need to, I need to be better for the team.
And you know, with, with Jacob gone, that's, that's a really tough blow.
But, you know, we're just gonna keep going.
Would you not put any extra pressure on yourself knowing the way that things have been going with the club lately?
I mean, I, I put a lot of pressure on myself in general, to, to go out and perform.
I, I think of myself very highly and, with how I've been performing, at least competitively, it's just, it's really poor.
You know, I'm, I'm pitching timidly.
My, my execution's terrible.
So there's just not a whole lot of positives.
Do you think it's fixable, or do you think it's mechanical or- Yeah.
Is it- It's, of course it's fixable.
You know, I'm gonna, I'm gonna do everything I can to, work on everything that I think I need to work on.
And so yeah, I think for me, just really focusing every single day, and trying to make some adjustments here.
