A's notes: Crisp's eye issue is Cowgill's opportunity

NEW YORK -- The A's will be opening their series with the Yankees without Coco Crisp. He is still out of the lineup with complications from pink eye in both of his eyes. This will be the fourth game Crisp has missed with the eye infection. "He's still not ready to play yet," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "Every day we are encouraged more so and more so, but today is not that day." Melvin said he doesn't think Crisp will be available to pinch hit or pinch run in Friday's game. Collin Cowgill will be given one of the biggest opportunities of his young career to bat leadoff for a team in contention in Yankee Stadium. "Every time you see New York on the schedule you are excited to come here," Cowgill said. "Sometimes the lights are a little bit brighter but other than that it's the same game."PHOTO GALLERY: A's-Yankees -- What to watch for
Cowgill is a logical choice to bat first because he is 3 for 3 in his career against Sabathia. "I faced him at our place already and he's a guy that will come at you no matter who you are," Cowgill added. "He's probably the only true leadoff hitter we have against the lefty today," Melvin said of Cowgill. "It's his turn to shine today." Another guy that is excited for the opportunity to play in New York for the first time is Adam Rosales. He will be starting at second base and batting ninth in the lineup. Rosales is 3 for 8 with two RBI in his career against Sabathia. "His velocity is solid, all of his breaking pitches are good," Rosales said. "You just have to be really selective and make sure you get your pitch against him." Sabathia is 3-0 in his last five starts against the A's, but is 0-3 in his last four starts. Now might be a good time for Oakland to do battle with the big lefty from Vallejo.
The A's had an interesting flight to New York with a bunch of guys dressed like collegiate wrestlers for rookie dress-up day. With all the young players on the squad it presented an interesting challenge for the team's veteran leadership."There's so many of them that the guys were talking about how difficult it was to individualize the outfits," Melvin said. "There was something like 17 guys in outfits so it was pretty comical." When pressed, Melvin said that Cespedes looked the most like a wrestler with his muscular physique. Rookie dress up-day is a tradition in baseball and Melvin admitted that when he was a rookie he had to dress up in platform shoes and 70s gear.
The spandex-laden flight to the Big Apple is yet another example of how loose this clubhouse is, even with playoff pressure and the excess media swarming around the team. NBC is here doing a special feature show on this three-game series against the Yankees which will air Thursday, at 6 p.m. on the NBC Sports Network.
A.J. Griffin and Jerry Blevins both took the time to visit the MLB.com Fan Cave earlier this afternoon and hit the streets in downtown New York to teach pedestrians how to do "The Bernie." They both said they had a fun time doing it and marveled at the facilities MLB has put together to host the interactive hub that is the Fan Cave.As a first-timer to New Yankee Stadium myself, it has been fun to watch the young players lay eyes on the ballpark for the first time. They seem pretty amazed. It is quite a sight to behold."We're just getting out here right now but this is a special place to play baseball," Melvin said.
Jordan Norberto is sock throwing but has yet to play catch as he tries to make a comeback from left shoulder tendonitis. Eric Sogard has been doing some baseball activity but at this point it isn't likely he makes it back to the team this year.