MESA, Ariz. -- The message was simple and succinct: "Here," A's manager Bob Melvin told his pitchers on Wednesday morning, "everybody gets an opportunity."
A whopping 34 pitchers are in A's camp this year -- accounting for roughly half of the 70 players expected in attendance by the time full-squad workouts begin Sunday -- and Melvin and Co. have every reason to keep eyes on each one of the pitchers.
Recent history suggests the A's will call on the majority of them at some point during the season. Last year, a horde of injuries forced the A's to use 27 pitchers, tying the 1915 Philadelphia A's and 1955 Kansas City A's for second most in A's history.