MESA, Ariz. — In Eric Thames’ thoughts, it hasn’t been that lengthy since he was starring at Bellarmine or getting drafted out of Pepperdine.
However when he began his spring exercises at minor league camp, it hit him — laborious.
“I used to be speaking with the entire youth, the prospects down there, and it’s loopy — like, a few of these guys are 18. I’m like, ‘Man, you’re 18!’” Thames mentioned.
Now 35, Thames is with the A’s as a non-roster invitee on a minor league deal, making an attempt to make the massive league membership within the space the place he grew up — and doubtlessly serving to the A’s substitute All-Star Matt Olson at first base.
It’s all par for the course for the participant with certainly one of baseball’s most unusual paths, nonetheless getting the possibility to play the sport he loves.
“I really feel like I’m so blessed and so fortunate to be on this alternative and the state of affairs now at my age,” Thames mentioned.
Born in Santa Clara, Thames performed for longtime Bellarmine coach Gary Cunningham as a shortstop and made All-WCAL twice. After stops at two area people schools — Cabrillo and West Valley — Thames went to Pepperdine and earned WCC MVP honors with a stellar senior season, however a torn quadriceps noticed him fall within the MLB draft to the seventh spherical.
Within the 14 years since, Thames has performed professionally in 5 nations — Canada, the U.S., Venezuela for winter ball, South Korea and Japan — and is on his ninth group. He turned a sensation in Korea after dominating for the NC Dinos, profitable the league MVP in 2015 by batting .381 with 47 homers and following it up with 40 homers in 2016. That earned him an MLB return with Milwaukee in 2017 when he began red-hot by hitting 11 homers in April. He returned to Asia in 2021 when he performed in Japan, although his time there was reduce brief by an Achilles tear.
Now recovered and wholesome, A’s supervisor Mark Kotsay is happy to see Thames after receiving good phrase on him from Brewers supervisor Craig Counsell.
“Craig was very complimentary, and he had an incredible 12 months there and Milwaukee,” Kotsay mentioned. “We hope that Eric can come from his harm final 12 months that he sustained together with his Achilles and be wholesome sufficient to get on the market and play first base and go compete for a job.”
And it’s a job that’s huge open after the A’s traded Olson to the Braves through the first week of massive league camp. Whereas Thames wasn’t anticipating the transfer to occur when he signed with the A’s, he is aware of the possibility is now there.
“I got here into camp saying I’ll do what they will to make this workforce — whether or not it’s first baseman, or backup first baseman or as a DH, I don’t know, however I’m simply gonna make this workforce and I’m gonna do what I can to assist these guys win,” Thames mentioned. “So clearly, when that commerce occurred, it was like, ‘Oh, OK.’ I’m not gonna be completely happy and, like, dancing or one thing like that. I nonetheless need to earn the job, earn my place on the workforce. However it does present a chance for lots of men right here.”
One other a type of guys vying for the job has native ties, too. Dalton Kelly grew up in Redding and incessantly drove right down to go to A’s and Giants video games. After a powerful season with the Rays’ Triple-A workforce in 2021, Kelly signed with Oakland as a minor league free agent ready to be taught from Olson.
“One of many causes I signed right here was to have the ability to be taught from him, as a result of I feel he’s the most effective within the sport proper now, if not one of the best,” Kelly mentioned about Olson. “I bought to observe him take floor balls for sooner or later, wasn’t on the sphere with him when he took BP after which he was gone the subsequent day. So yeah, that was a bummer for me, as a result of that was one of many huge causes I signed right here. However there’s good in that, too. There’s alternative.”
However Kelly has incessantly been figuring out at first base with Thames, and he’s been completely happy to shadow the veteran throughout Hohokam.
“Wherever he’s at, I’m there — if he’s within the health club, I’m studying from him. If he’s within the cage, I’m hitting with him. He’s my catch associate, we’re taking floor balls collectively,” Kelly mentioned of Thames. “I prefer to be taught from guys that do it, do it properly and have performed it for a very long time. [Thames] is the subsequent man in for me that I get to observe — hitting routine, within the health club. Clearly, he’s an enormous robust dude that is aware of learn how to maintain his physique, so I’m simply making an attempt to find out how he eats, how he lifts, sleeps, restoration, something.”
Kotsay sees the worth in that from Thames, too: “Expertise is all the time beneficial. Eric is a definition of a real professional. He goes about his enterprise the appropriate means. And that’s a bonus, from our standpoint, so far as veteran and management.”
Bellarmine has a protracted and proud historical past of manufacturing professional ballplayers, with notables like Pat Burrell, Kevin Frandsen and Mark Canha. Thames expressed some unhappiness that he received’t share the A’s clubhouse with Canha, who signed with the Mets this offseason after seven seasons in inexperienced and gold, however Canha relayed nothing however good issues.
“He actually talked about how nice the workforce was when it comes to camaraderie,” Thames mentioned. “I simply love the way it’s like a small group right here. And it’s superior to be again. To have the ability to play in entrance of my household and buddies, and to have an excellent probability to make this workforce and assist these guys win.”