Logan Webb ‘excited' for return to childhood roots in Giants-Athletics series originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
PHOENIX — At some point this weekend, as he’s getting his arm ready to face the Athletics, Logan Webb will think back to his own childhood.
Two decades ago, he was the young kid sitting on the berm beyond the outfield wall at what is now Sutter Health Park. Logan and his brother Chase would lean against the bullpen rail and throw balls down to prospects, hoping to capture the signature of the next A’s ace or closer.
These days, that energetic kid is known for becoming the ace of his hometown team. That will never be more true than on Saturday, when Webb pitches in a ballpark that is 30 minutes from his childhood home in Rocklin.
There is a lot of curiosity within the Giants clubhouse about what this weekend’s trip to Sacramento will feel like. But for Webb, there is only excitement. He went to so many games when Sacramento was home to the A’s Triple-A affiliate that he figured his family had season tickets.
“I got to go watch guys like Bobby Crosby and Jack Cust and Chris Carter — I mean, I could keep going and going,” he said Thursday, smiling. “It was cool for me to see those guys, and when I got drafted by the Giants, that was one of those things I looked forward to, was playing for the River Cats.”
Sacramento has traditionally been Giants territory and Rocklin was the same even before Webb’s emergence, but he grew up as an A’s fan because he spent so much time cheering for their Triple-A affiliate. He became a two-sport star at Rocklin High and got selected in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. A year later, the River Cats became a Giants affiliate.
It was fortuitous, but Webb has actually pitched at the ballpark just once. He threw seven dominant innings in his Triple-A debut in 2019 and the Giants sent him to the big leagues five days later. He has been back just once, for a rehab start that took place in Las Vegas.
“I remember that one Triple-A game in Sacramento was probably one of the more nervous ones for me because I had so many people there,” he said. “I’m just excited for that same feeling to happen again. I’m sure there’s going to be a million people there saying hi and it’s going to be really cool for my family to be there.”
Most of the Webbs still live in Rocklin, and a large group will be at all three games, along with dozens of others Webb grew up with. Some of his closest friends plan to attend games all weekend, and if he looks around on Friday night in the series opener, he’ll probably see teachers, coaches and neighbors dotting the stands.
“The grass area is going to be packed,” he said. “I’m excited to see it. Hopefully it almost feels like a home game.”
The Giants expect a ton of orange and black, but little else will feel similar to Oracle Park. For the A’s, there has been no escaping the fact that they are spending this season in a minor league ballpark. Luis Severino, their big offseason addition, made national news last month when he complained about the park and said publicly that it’s simply not big league caliber.
The Giants have several players on their current roster who have spent time with the River Cats this season, and they have few complaints. Their experience has actually been better this year because of the modest upgrades made when the A’s announced they would use Sacramento as a layover.
“They’ve done a much better job of upkeeping the whole facility,” said right-hander Mason Black, who arrived in the big leagues Wednesday. “The field is as good as it ever has been. That’s been a positive. It seems like the fans are a little more into it this year.”
While Sutter Health Park still looks like a minor league ballpark in just about every way, the Giants’ biggest challenges might be behind the scenes. Asked about the series, manager Bob Melvin said he figures it’ll be particularly tough on pinch-hitters who are used to having a cage in just about every clubhouse or right behind the dugout. The players who have experienced Sutter Health Park this season in Triple-A have also grumbled a bit about the new batter’s eye.
“There’s still some unknowns,” Melvin said. “When we were there (for an exhibition game) the ball wasn’t traveling that well. Now it’s going to be 90 degrees and it’s probably going to travel a little bit more.”
The weather should be relatively mild for Sacramento in July, but it’s still a minor league ballpark, and there have been some very high-scoring A’s games this year. Severino, who will face Webb, has a 3.04 ERA on the road but a 6.79 mark at home.
“I’m interested to see how it all works with a big league game — it’s a minor league stadium, so we’ll see,” Webb said. “But I really am excited to go back home and play there. I’ve seen all the stuff from guys complaining about it, and I get it. I understand that, but for me, it’s a little sentimental because it is my home. I’m excited to be going there.”
