A year after being 'the last guy,' Rooker an example in A's camp

MESA, Ariz. – Before kicking off the first day of full-squad workouts, A’s manager Mark Kotsay gathered all 68 players who are participating in big league camp on Monday morning for a team meeting.

The message Kotsay pushed was one of opportunity. All 68 players, regardless of past performance or service time, have a chance to impact the Major League club. To reinforce that message, Kotsay presented the inspirational tale of Brent Rooker.

Around this time last year, Rooker joined the A’s as an offseason waiver claim and entered camp near the bottom of the outfield depth chart. Through a strong spring performance, he catapulted himself onto the big league radar, landing an Opening Day roster spot just a couple of days before the start of the season. Six months later, Rooker finished the year as an All-Star who belted 30 home runs with an .817 OPS in 137 games.

For young players or non-roster invites who are on the fringes of a spot, Rooker’s storybook 2023 campaign serves as a golden example of how quickly one’s career can change its fortunes.

“To be part of that message from [Kotsay] meant a lot,” Rooker said. “That’s where I was last year. I was the last guy on the team and didn’t really know where I stood until the very last minute. I just came in and competed hard, played well and was able to earn a spot. Sometimes all you need is a chance. I’m excited to see who has that same path this year.”

Spring Training has quite a different feel for Rooker this year. While bouncing around a few different clubs in previous years, this has usually been the time when he has to gear up to battle for a roster spot.

Now, for the first time in his career, the 29-year-old designated hitter/left fielder has an established middle-of-the-order spot after finishing last season as Oakland’s top hitter.

“He’s in a good spot,” Kotsay said of Rooker. “He got to train this offseason free of that anxiety about making a team. I think that’s going to be helpful for him. … The impact he can have being able to hit the ball out of the ballpark is a big part of his success, and we’re hopeful that continues going forward.”

Rooker’s standing with the club might be different this time around, but the mentality remains the same as it always has.

“I still feel like I’m coming out here having to compete every day,” Rooker said. “I’ve got to go earn at-bats and continue to build on what I did. I’m nowhere near the point where I feel comfortable or complacent in any way. I’ve got to come out here continuing to improve to earn the opportunity to have another good year.”

Not much changed in Rooker’s offseason training routine. He hit the weight room four days a week, while mixing in a Pilates workout every Wednesday, which he said helped strengthen his core and will benefit him throughout the season.

As far as goals, Rooker has never been huge on getting too specific about what he’s looking to do. Reaching 30 homers last season was never something he thought about until he hit his 25th midway through September.

“I just want to continue to improve,” Rooker said. “I was able to look back at last year and, when the season ended in October, I was confident that I was a better hitter than I was when the season started in April. I want to do the same thing again. End the year feeling like I’m a better player. If I’m able to do that, the production and numbers should follow.”

Cactus League plans

The A’s expect right-handers Joey Estes and Joe Boyle to both pitch in Saturday’s Cactus League opener against the Rockies. Those two are part of a larger group of young pitchers in camp who could be vying for likely just one open spot in the starting rotation, as Paul Blackburn, JP Sears, Alex Wood and Ross Stripling are viewed as rotation locks if they can remain healthy through camp.