Wolff addresses A's full squad off the bat

Wolff addresses A's full squad off the bat

• Worth noting

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PHOENIX -- It's not uncommon for A's managing partner Lew Wolff to make his way around spring camp every so often each year. But Saturday marked the first time he chose to speak to the players using such a backdrop.

Wolff was invited by manager Bob Melvin to take part in the morning's introductory meetings, as the club prepared to embark on its first full-squad workouts of the spring.

"I don't have a voice, so I didn't say much," Wolff said. "I said, 'I like winning.'"

Though the A's downplayed his presence, several players noted its significance.

"It was different," catcher Josh Donaldson said. "I've been here [four] camps, and I've never seen him come in here and talk to the team. I think, to me, that shows he's excited about our team and the future our guys have."

Wolff has stood at the center of much criticism in recent years, as the team awaits a decision from Major League baseball on a potential move to San Jose. The very possibility of such a move influenced the club to utilize this offseason as a time to restructure, which led to the departures of three All-Stars -- Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey -- in exchange for 10 prospects.

"I like the trades we made, even though I miss some of the players," Wolff said. "I think [general manager] Billy [Beane] and his guys have put together a pretty solid team, and we've had a couple people surprise people. Every year, I say the same thing. But I think this team has a good probability of surprising people.

"I think half the guys in there were thinking, 'Who is that old guy?' But it was nice to do it. I enjoyed it. There was a whole lot of discussion going on that I appreciated listening to. It was hugely professional."

"I don't think he was really shedding light on anything we weren't aware of, in terms of where people have picked us to finish and what people expect, or the lack of expectations," said pitcher Dallas Braden. "He just reiterated to us that what we do have here in-house is obviously a product of himself and the front office's effort to put us in a positive position."

Meanwhile, Melvin kept his message rather brief, too, reminding his players -- a total of 59 are in camp -- how important first impressions can be.

"There are a lot of firsts over the course of a season -- and none bigger than this one," said Melvin. "Once everybody gets together and hears your message and gets out on the field -- especially with as many new guys and younger guys as we have -- first impressions, I think, go a long way."

Worth noting

� Several A's players and coaches said they will "absolutely" be rooting for "Moneyball" during Sunday's 84th annual Academy Awards. The film, which stars Brad Pitt playing the role of general manager Billy Beane in the tale of a small-market team using statistical analysis to find undervalued players, was nominated for six Oscars.

"We're certainly all pulling for Billy," Melvin said. "It was a good movie, and it relates to not just baseball but life in general. So there's a wide audience that I think it appeals to."

Beane is slated to attend the Oscars with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles.

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