MESA, Ariz. – The biggest crowd of the A’s spring happened in the waning minutes of the day Friday when 6-foot-7 rookie left-hander A.J. Puk stepped in to throw against some of the A’s regulars.
Players, coaches and members of the front office all were on Field 1 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex as Puk stepped in to throw about two dozen pitches.
And he put on a show.
“He looked real good to me,” shortstop Marcus Semien said. “He’s got a good fastball, a nice changeup and slider. Some real good movement.”
Semien was particularly impressed by some fastballs that Puk, taken with the sixth pick in the draft out of Florida last June, got up in the zone.