When Sergio Romo signed with the Athletics in the offseason, putting on the green and gold was “trippy” for him. Since then, however, he’s made his presence felt on the team, whether he’s in the bullpen, or being his “what you see, is what you get” self in the clubhouse.
The A’s relievers form a unique group, and with Romo’s experience and veteran status, he’s able to offer advice, but in the only way he could present it. By showing.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that we have the most in-depth conversations all the time,” Romo told NBC Sports California on Friday. “I mean, I’ve sat down with [Daulton] Jefferies, I’ve sat with Grant Holmes … It’s not that we sit down and we have conversations every day, we’re like so in-depth with our details or our mindset or concepts, theories, whatnot, but it’s more so the consistency in which we do what we do.”
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Jefferies got to watch firsthand as Romo made a “start” during spring training, which was exciting for the young pitcher, especially someone who had been working on his slider during the spring, a pitch Romo had been able to credit for his long, illustrious career.
Romo presents himself as “ta-da,” what you see, is what you get, he said.
“You understand that it brings a certain value,” Romo said. “For me, I feel it’s more I lead by that example. Every day you kind of have an idea of what’s going to come your way. I’m like, ‘There it is,’ and then if it comes within that conversation or not, but it’s more so leading by example.”
Romo said fellow veteran reliever Yusmeiro Petit is the perfect example of that with his routine.
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“We all have routines that have allowed us, that we’ve learned, to keep us fresh or keep us available and being able to withstand the long season and not only the rigorous marathon that it is of the regular season, but to also have a competitive September to play in October,” Romo said.
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It’s the self-knowledge that Romo has learned over his life, and his 14-year MLB career.
“With our routines, with the way we definitely present our value with the consistency, I feel, we do our job on and off the field, it kind of speaks for itself in the services so I’m thankful for the conversations that I have with these young guys and these guys that they feel that I can do to their, you know, positivity.”