Oakland Athletics Player Music Overview

Starting off a recurring weekly featured heading into the upcoming baseball season. Over the course of the next few weeks beginning with Spring Training, we're going to take a look at some teams around the league and see what the players individual music tastes are like, allowing us to get a sense of what their personalities are like both on and off the field.

Today, we start off and take a look at a team that personifies character and individuality, the Oakland Athletics. The team won the AL West last year for the 2nd year in a row, but lost in the 1st round of the playoffs again to the Detroit Tigers and are looking to have a strong finish and a long and fruitful run deep into the postseason. I've always been a deep admirer of the A's and their ability to finish strong in the regular season and get into the playoffs despite having one of the smallest payrolls in the league, they totally evoke the qualities of a model franchise and one that I have a great deal of respect and admiration for year in and year out. Here is a rundown of some of the players and their individual walk up songs:

AJ Griffin:  Wolfgang Gartner - Illmerica

The starting pitcher has some high energy house music ready for him to put on full blast when charges out to the mound. It's very different than the usual genres of some of the players from other teams who traditionally choose something like rock, pop, country, hip-hop, but AJ is in a class all his own and he delivers with this funky number here.

Brandon Moss:  Eric Church - Homeboy

The former Red Sox pays homage to his Southern roots with some country music courtesy of Eric Church. While the music may be a little offbeat in the clubhouse, the whole team chemistry of the A's is built upon being a little different and doing things against the grain from what others expect you to be like. And this song totally reflects the elements that he calls home.

Coco Crisp: Kid Ink - Badass

Another former Sox player bringing up the rear with some hip-hop style to add to the mix. The slick fielding center fielder is a hot commodity over in the Bay Area these days with his massive fro and free wheeling personality turning heads and attracting legions of devotees in the process as well. What better way to express his personality than this nugget right here.

Derek Norris: Soundgarden - Outshined

The highly skilled backstop has some classic grunge rock courtesy of Soundgarden to help him unwind when he goes up to the plate. A strong choice for a walk up song, the high energy riffs will make opposing pitcher shake in their shoes a little bit and could give Norris an advantage as a ball comes right down in the heart of the plate.

Eric Sogard: Guns N Roses - Welcome to The Jungle

Nerd power! The strong fielding second baseman has a very popular song choice for his walk up song in Guns N' Roses. The only player in MLB to wear glasses, this player has captured the attention of fans alike with his unique style and sensibility making fans create signs showing support for this optically enhanced player.

Jarrod Parker: Red - Breathe Into Me

The young starting pitcher has some Christian music influenced in his walk-up song that gives him an advantage when facing opposing hitters. A newcomer on the scene, Parker has greatly increased his presence as a front line starter and while he had a bit of a slow start last season, he is ready to catch on and move straight ahead with this blazing track.

Josh Reddick: Ryback (Jim Johnston WWE) - Meat On The Table

Another former Red Sox player brings his unique and flashing sensibilities (and an awesome beard to boot) with this wrestling theme used by Jim Johnston of the WWE. While his presence here in Boston is greatly missed, the right fielder is building quite the following in Oakland that has inspired fans to create signs featuring championship belts proclaiming him, "The Champ", and he certainly is with this song choice.

Ryan Cook: Breaking Benjamin - So Cold

This oldie but goodie from Breaking Benjamin is Ryan Cook's song choice that gives him an intense edge and something to look forward to when he steps out on the mound. Usually pitchers depend on an intense and uptempo song to get them into the mood right before first pitch, and this song does the trick and keeps his mind focused on the task at hand.

Sean Doolittle: Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls

This classic track from Metallica gives Doolittle an intense and glaring edge that towers over opposing hitters when faced with the difficult challenge of facing Doolittle on the mound. Saving games is an important task, and Doolittle does his job of bridging the gap between the latter innings and giving his team a chance to go home with a well deserved victory all through the power of this song.

Yoenis Cespedes: Clyde Carson - Slow Down (Yoenis Cespedes Remix)

This song from the Bay Area native gives the latest Cuban sensation a chance to prove his worth and test his strength among some of the top talent throughout baseball. A tough out at any point, Yoenis takes his time in finding the pitch he wants, and making the pitcher pay dearly for his sorry mistake that will later be buried somewhere deep in the stands for fans to fight over later.

Keep an eye out for more MLB team music rundowns each week throughout spring training heading into the beginning of the regular season on March 31st. And, I just want to give a special shoutout to Benjamin Christensen, a diehard A's fan year in and year out who is also an accomplished writer himself for his site called Hats and Tats where he writes about his extensive and ever growing collection of hats from MLB teams and minor league affiliates. You can view it right over here and if you ever have the opportunity to meet him in person, ask if you can tug his majestic and ever growing beard!