ST. LOUIS (Sept 1) \u2014 When the rosters expanded Monday, the Athletics<\/a> added Max Schuemann<\/a><\/strong> as their 14th position player and right-handed reliever Scott McGough<\/strong><\/a> as the 14th pitcher. This is McGough\u2019s first trip back to the majors since the Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a> optioned him to Triple-A on June 1. For McGough, returning to the majors is \u201cincredible.\u201d He added, \u201cThis is where you want to be. This is why you play the game. I\u2019m super pumped to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n Manager Mark Kotsay<\/a><\/strong> said prior to Monday\u2019s game, an 11\u20133 victory over the Cardinals<\/a>, that he would have \u201cno worry about bringing him in in a big situation.\u201d Kotsay, who met McGough that morning, added, \u201cHe\u2019s been here, he\u2019s done it, he\u2019s a professional.\u201d<\/p>\n Kotsay wasn\u2019t kidding. McGough has pitched in the minors, Mexico, Japan, and the majors since being drafted out of the University of Oregon. He has been in the minor league systems of the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a>, Miami Marlins<\/a>, Baltimore Orioles<\/a>, and Colorado Rockies<\/a> in addition to the Diamondbacks and Athletics. McGough was part of the Hanley Ramirez<\/a><\/strong> trade in 2012 and was on the 2023 National League champion Diamondbacks, though he did not get to pitch in the postseason due to injury.<\/p>\n Due to his experience, the 35-year-old McGough has had the role of the sage while on the relief corps of both the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators and now the Athletics, especially given the number of young, inexperienced relievers. \u201cThat\u2019s really what I see now, me gravitating towards the younger guys,\u201d McGough said after the Athletics took batting practice. \u201cI was just talking to a few of them about their last couple of outings. (Mason) Barnett\u2019s first start, stuff like that. Talking about the jitters and the things coaches will say after. What\u2019s good, what\u2019s not good. All about the routines, staying in your routine. Doing the things that made you really good to get to this point, and don\u2019t change much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t change much\u201d was advice a star pitcher gave to McGough while he was in the farm system for the Dodgers. In fact, McGough called it some of the best he ever received from said star. That pitcher? The most recent member of the 3000 Strikeout Club<\/a>, future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw<\/a><\/strong>. Kershaw spoke to a group of up-and-comers in the Dodgers system. McGough remembered Kershaw telling them, \u201cYou guys are here for a reason. Listen to the coaches, but something made you get here. Stick with it. Fine-tune the details and stick with it.\u201d<\/p>\n McGough didn\u2019t only take lessons from Kershaw and the other Dodgers. He grew as a pitcher everywhere he went because he worked with and around so many different personalities. And his teammates everywhere loved him. This reporter can attest to how much McGough\u2019s Diamondbacks teammates loved him, and the same is true with McGough\u2019s Athletics teammates. As he arrived in the clubhouse at Busch Stadium, the pitchers who pitched with him in Las Vegas were all thrilled to see him \u2014 McGough received hug after hug.<\/p>\n Relief units tend to be close-knit due to the amount of time they spend around each other. But while with the Diamondbacks on their path to the World Series, McGough said they had a \u201cmagical run\u201d due to them being exceptionally close. \u201cEveryone was feeding off each other, and sometimes that\u2019s not always the case with every team. So I always try to \u2014 whether it\u2019s in Triple-A or the big leagues, whatever team I\u2019m with \u2014 bring guys together and build that camaraderie, because that translates on the field to outs and wins.\u201d<\/p>\n The Diamondbacks fell to the Texas Rangers<\/a> in five games in the 2023 World Series. One of those losses<\/a> \u2014 Game One \u2014 was a gut-punch<\/a>. The Rangers tied the game on a two-run Corey Seager<\/a><\/strong> home run in the bottom of the ninth off closer Paul Sewald<\/a><\/strong> and won on an Adolis Garcia<\/a><\/strong> homer in the eleventh off Miguel Castro<\/a><\/strong>. Seeing the way Sewald dealt with the loss \u201con the biggest stage\u201d spoke to McGough. \u201cI was very impressed with (Paul),\u201d he recalled. \u201cBut that\u2019s his mature approach to the game. I took some things away from that, because we always want to do well. When you don\u2019t, you\u2019re upset about it, but it\u2019s how fast you can turn it over to the next page. So I took that from that Game One experience, being there and seeing it.\u201d<\/p>\n Though his time in Arizona did not end in the greatest manner, Scott McGough appreciates everything the Diamondbacks did for him. \u201c(General manager) Mike Hazen is an awesome guy,\u201d he smiled. \u201cWe had a great relationship. He was very honest with me. In this game, that\u2019s all you can ask for as a player \u2014 that your bosses are honest with you. He never lied to me. Always shot me straight.\u201d McGough said he\u2019ll always be grateful for Hazen\u2019s honesty as well as everything he learned with the Diamondbacks and the good he got to do there with the team.<\/p>\n More than one team contacted McGough to come join them after his release by the Diamondbacks, something that felt good to him during a time a lot of people wouldn\u2019t feel very good. McGough said it was \u201ccool\u201d to see people still wanted him and that he got to pick which team he would join. What attracted him to the Athletics was something fans might not initially expect. \u201cI knew I was going to Triple-A,\u201d he confessed. \u201cI knew Vegas was a good team \u2014 I faced them earlier in the year, when I was in Reno. Knew some of their coaching staff from before. I had the bullpen coach back in the (Arizona) Fall League. So I felt it was a good spot and the best fit for me.\u201d<\/p>\n McGough said that getting called up Monday confirmed that he had made the right decision. And he\u2019s eager to contribute. \u201cI\u2019m excited to help the team any way I can.\u201d<\/p>\nScott McGough the Sage<\/h3>\n
Gleaning Lessons from Everywhere<\/h3>\n
Recovering from a Disheartening Loss<\/h4>\n
Moving to a New Organization<\/h3>\n
Main Photo:<\/h4>\n