Let’s just say it: Baseball is going to be weird this season.
The A’s have been one of the teams to introduce cardboard cutouts of fans at their home park, but it’s something pitcher Sean Manaea has embraced.
“It’s awesome,” Manaea told reporters on Sunday.
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Manaea wants to see the entire Coliseum filled up with them -- a sentiment to the AL Wild Card record sell-out crowd last season.
Despite the fans not being fully “present,” it won’t be quiet at the games either. MLB will be piping crowd noise through speakers across the game, and the A’s have been experimenting with using music during those outings.
Manaea, despite some of the changes, doesn’t view any of these as a distraction and isn't worried that his typical pregame routines will be altered. He plans to do what he usually does, implementing the stationary bike. He especially looks forward to facing other hitters as well.
Manaea got the nod to be the starter on Monday against the Giants in one of two exhibition games. He is glad he doesn’t have to continue pitching to the A’s, and for good reason.
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“There’s a couple of guys that just have tagged me pretty hard, so I don’t want to talk about that,” Manaea said.
Manaea specifically named Chad Pinder as one guy who has been offensively productive during summer camp.
“It’s honestly a lot of fun facing these guys, because you don’t usually get to do that, and really, in a game setting it’s just like live BP’s so actually having guys behind me," Manaea said. "The guys are mashing balls so that’s a really good sign.”
And when he does pitch, Manaea will not be wearing a mask. Originally, Manaea said he looked forward to sporting one while on the mound but changed his mind.
“The mask itself, it’s kind of hard breathing,” Manaea said. “I kind of took that into account, but it’s a little difficult -- maybe sometime I would try it, right now just going to let it be.”
However, his confidence won’t be masked.
“I feel like I'm in a really good spot,” Manaea said.
During the first spring training in Arizona, Manaea was working on his slider to utilize and add to his pitching repertoire, a pitch he looks forward to having this season.
“It’s going to be huge," Manaea said. "Obviously having two good pitches is good, but having three that you can use whenever is even better.”
[RELATED: Manaea 'has no respect' for Astros players in cheating scandal]
While Monday is just an exhibition game, Manaea said he doesn’t look to go deep into the game as it’s more of a pitch count limit as opposed to innings, but hopes he can get six under his belt.
The A’s will begin their 60-game season on Friday at home as they host the Los Angeles Angels. Oakland will play 13 of its first 17 games at home.
“We could use that to our advantage,” Manaea said.