Danny Valencia likes 'different' atmosphere with A's so far

Danny Valencia has only been a member of the Oakland Athletics for a few days, but he's already appreciating the vibe of his new teammates.

Having been picked up by Oakland on a waiver claim from the Toronto Blue Jays earlier in the week, Valencia started in his first game for his new club on Wednesday. 

As he told Trevor Hass of MLB.com, his initial reaction to being DFA'd by Toronto came as a shock: "Never saw that coming." Despite the shock, he's acclimating well to his new organization.  

Valencia, primarily a third baseman/outfielder type, is open to playing wherever Bob Melvin might want to use him, though second base doesn't seem to be his preference. As he told Hass, "I feel all right over there. I wouldn't say that would be a position I'd want to play on a regular basis. I'm a bigger guy -- I'm not as fast as your typical middle infielder -- but if you needed me to hold the position down for a day or two I think I could do it."

Arriving at O.co Coliseum prior to Tuesday night's game with the Baltimore Orioles, Valencia also told Hass of the warm reception given to him by his new teammates: "The guys are great. It seems like a good, fun clubhouse. It's a little bit different in here, but it's definitely going to be a good experience."

In Valencia, the A's hope to have another versatile option for the infield and at the plate, where he excels against left-handed pitching.


(foxsports.com)