Young A’s benefit from Washington’s tutelage

SEATTLE — A’s shortstop Marcus Semien had 35 errors in 656 chances in 2015. This year, he has three errors in 212 chances. His fielding percentage of .986 ranks third among American League shortstops so far in 2016.

Tyler Ladendorf is a 28-year-old who’s trying to stick with the A’s as a player who can be trusted in the outfield and infield. He’s a fixture in early infield work and has been diligent in preparation for any chance at playing time he can get.

One thing both A’s have in common is Ron Washington, the tireless former Texas Rangers manager who has come back to the A’s as a third-base coach and is widely respected as one of the true gurus of infield instruction in the Major Leagues.

“When you have somebody [where] you work with a Marcus Semien in the fashion that [he does] and the younger guys see that, and they saw it in Spring Training, too, he was like the Pied Piper,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Washington.

“He was having to do it in shifts. He’d have guys in the morning, he’d have guys in the afternoon later, so they all know that if they get involved in this, they’re going to be better for it. It’s just a matter of getting everybody the proper amount of time and making sure we don’t work Wash too hard where he can’t do his job. But he’s one of the great teachers, if not the best teacher, as far as infield play, …

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