AP file photo: This is a 2017 photo of third baseman Trevor Plouffe of the Oakland Athletics baseball team poses for a portrait. This image reflects the Athletics active roster as of Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

by Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO–The San Francisco Giants will be starting pitcher Johnny Cueto for Thursday night’s game who was effective for the Giants last season and the Giants will have as strict count 50-70 pitches and they’ll take him out of the game and the Oakland A’s will be countering with Sean Manaea whose in his second season with the club. Manaea came in a little erratic last year. He got a little bit better as he got on and he has a very bright future with the A’s as long as he stays healthy.

Trevor Plouffe is the A’s third baseman and is a veteran who played with the Minnesota Twins and is considered a clubhouse leader and is swinging decent bat. He was brought on board for better clubhouse cohesiveness that the A’s didn’t have that last year. The A’s had their rumblings between Billy Butler (whose now with the Yankees) and Danny Valencia (now with the Seattle Mariners) they both got into it last season in a knockdown drag out in the A’s clubhouse over a shoe salesman and the A’s are trying to change the work environment around.

Jerry gives you more insight on the A’s podcast below and each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com