Casey McGehee’s move to Giants a homecoming of sorts

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Casey McGehee has been everywhere on the baseball map.

He played high school ball near Santa Cruz, California, played collegiately at Fresno State and then began a tour that took him to Chicago (Cubs), Milwaukee (Brewers), Pittsburgh (Pirates), New York (Yankees), Japan (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles) and Miami (Marlins).


Now he is back in his old stomping grounds, or close to them, after being traded from Miami to the San Francisco Giants and he said it “just feels right.”

“I don’t know how else to put it,” McGehee said Friday. “I have loved everywhere I’ve been and have learned a lot, but there’s something about coming back to the area where you grew up.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/casey-mcgehees-move-to-giants-a-homecoming-of-sorts/2015/02/27/e23a1d6c-bed7-11e4-9dfb-03366e719af8_story.html#

A’s top Giants; big days for Craig Gentry, Marcus Semien

Mesa, Ariz. - Back in Hohokam Stadium for the first time in 37 years, the A’s celebrated their return by knocking World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner around and showing off their neat non-roster switch pitcher, Pat Venditte. Plus, new shortstop Marcus Semien, from Berkeley and Cal, had three hits, including two homers in Oakland’s 9-4 victory over the Giants.

One of the most important happenings of the day for the A’s, though, went a little under the radar: Craig Gentry, back healthy, had hits in each of his first two at-bats, stole a base and scored two runs.

Gentry was sidelined by a back injury last spring, his first with the A’s, then he broke his hand in July. A concussion in early September ended his season.

“It feels great,” he said of getting into Oakland’s first spring game. 'It’s tough to come to a new team and be injured, to develop that camaraderie, it’s tough when you’re not out there. It’s really nice to go out there and be in games.”

http://www.sfgate.com/athletics/article/A-s-top-Giants-big-days-for-Craig-Gentry-6113086.php

Yay! Spring Training is BACK!