Hello! Welcome to another edition of the A’s beat newsletter. TORONTO -- Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers has emerged as one of the top power-hitting backstops in Major League Baseball over the past few years. But he is not the only member of the Langeliers family showing off their skills on the diamond. Shea’s sister, Alexa, has taken the national stage this week by helping lead Texas Tech to its first-ever Women’s College World Series victory in program history. Alexa transferred to Texas Tech last summer to continue playing for head coach Gerry Glasco, who coached her over her previous three seasons at Louisiana Lafayette. After making the All-Louisiana First Team and All-Sun Belt Second Team in 2024, Alexa has continued her success as the starting second baseman for the Red Raiders this season, hitting .329 with eight home runs, six doubles, nine stolen bases and 40 RBIs in 59 games. Following Thursday’s series opener against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, Shea got back to the team hotel and immediately flipped the channel on his TV to ESPN2 to watch his sister advance further in the winner’s bracket with a 1-0 win over Ole Miss. |
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“I was able to catch the sixth and seventh inning,” said Shea. "I wish I could be around to go watch more of her games. But I’m so proud of her. It’s been fun to watch that whole Texas Tech team.” As Alexa’s older brother by about five years, Shea, 27, had a natural influence on her journey into softball. Of course, they are both the children of their father, Steve, a die-hard Mets fan who named his son after Shea Stadium, the home of the Mets before they moved to Citi Field. “She used to come along with me to watch all my baseball tournaments growing up,” Shea said, adding that Alexa is the more athletic of the two. “I guess that’s where it all began for her.” The quest for a national championship continues for Alexa, as No. 12-seeded Texas Tech is set for a showdown with No. 9 UCLA on Saturday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. That game begins at 7 p.m. ET, which gives Shea an opportunity to catch the entire game this time around. “I’ll be watching,” Shea said with a smile. |
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What U.S. city did the A's call home for just 13 seasons between 1955 and 1967? A. Seattle B. Kansas City C. San Diego D. Houston |
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“It’s at the top, really. The experience I had, when you look at the impact of the years, I was 18 and 19 in a College World Series environment that was electric. With a group of guys, just to grow with that group and mature through those experiences at the highest collegiate level, I think that really advanced my opportunity to have a professional career and understand what it took to go compete at that type of competition. This is a fun time of year for me.” -- A’s manager Mark Kotsay reflects on his memories of the 1995 College World Series, which saw him clinch the title by recording the final five outs for Cal State Fullerton in a year in which he earned the Golden Spikes Award as the top college baseball player in the country |
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BLEDAY MAKING ADJUSTMENTS AT TRIPLE-A |
The decision to option JJ Bleday to Triple-A Las Vegas last week was not an easy one considering how impactful he was in a breakout 2024 campaign, but after struggling with a .204 batting average and .656 OPS through 47 games, the A’s felt it was best for him to get a “reset” at the Minor League level. So far, Bleday is finding early success. Entering Friday night, Bleday was 6-for-14 (.429) with a homer and a double in three games for Las Vegas. “JJ and I had a good talk,” Kotsay said. “His statement to me was that there were a lot of voices telling him different things. That happens. As a young player, you start to go through failure and everyone wants to help, and you listen to everyone. I think JJ is in a better place right now. We’ve made some adjustments that he believes in and is confident in doing, and there’s one voice, and that’s JJ’s. “My thoughts about JJ are he’s going to go to Triple-A and have this reset, from mindset to just the confidence that he’s going to get back to the player that he showed us he is. I believe in that.” |
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