This morning on All In Before 10, we’re coming to you live with boots-on-the-ground insight straight from spring training. Aaron Cameron joins the show from the complex, giving us a real-time feel for what’s happening inside A’s camp — not box score noise, not Twitter clips, but actual baseball eyes. We’re diving into the energy around the roster, the tempo of workouts, the competition battles that matter, and the names quietly separating themselves before most fans have had their morning coffee. Spring numbers can lie. Body language doesn’t.

And then we get to the kids everyone’s buzzing about. Rookie sensation Jamie Arnold is already forcing conversations he wasn’t supposed to enter this early, and Leo De Vries looks like he’s been playing this game five years longer than his birth certificate suggests. We break down what’s real, what’s sustainable, and what it means for the A’s trajectory in 2026. Is this just March hype — or are we watching the foundation being poured in real time? Aaron tells us what the cameras don’t show.

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Nick Kurtz signing an extension right now wouldn’t just be smart — it would be strategic survival. With reports from Jon Heyman suggesting early salary cap proposals in the $260–280 million range and a mandatory payroll floor of $140–160 million, baseball’s financial system could be headed for its biggest shakeup in decades. That kind of structural change doesn’t happen quietly. It leads to friction. And friction leads to lockouts. If Kurtz signs before the season, he locks in guaranteed security before a potential 2027 labor war reshapes contract rules, spending limits, and free-agent leverage.

This isn’t all sunshine and champagne. A cap and floor system would force teams to operate inside hard spending lanes — no more open-ended growth at the top, no more bottom-tier austerity at the bottom. That means star players could see ceilings placed on earning power. It also means negotiations will get ugly. A long work stoppage in 2027 isn’t fear-mongering — it’s the logical end point when billionaires and players fight over a shrinking slice of certainty. Extending Kurtz now protects both sides from the storm. Waiting could mean stepping into the middle of it.

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Nick Kurtz isn’t just a hot topic — he’s the conversation. On this episode of Where Stats Meet Instinct, Sam breaks down the reported contract extension talks between Kurtz and the A’s and explains why this isn’t just another routine negotiation. After a rookie season that included a .290 average, 36 home runs, a 1.002 OPS, and a 173 OPS+, Kurtz didn’t just arrive — he detonated. We dig into how he did it, why the swing-and-miss numbers don’t tell the full story, and why hitters like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani prove that elite production can coexist with whiffs — as long as the damage is loud enough when contact happens.

Then we zoom out. What would a massive long-term deal actually mean for the A’s? Is this just another extension, or is this the franchise planting a flag and saying, “We have our superstar”? Sam also tackles the lineup debate — leadoff, second, or third — and breaks down the math behind each spot in plain English. More at-bats late in games vs. more RBI chances early. The trade-offs are real. The panic is not. Bottom line: if the A’s lock this guy up, it’s the kind of moment that changes the direction of an organization.

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There’s a difference between being modern and being reckless. Today’s show rips into the lineup logic that has fans pulling their hair out before breakfast. When your high on-base guys — the ones who actually get on base consistently — aren’t hitting in front of your run producers, you’re voluntarily driving with the parking brake on. This isn’t complicated. Baseball isn’t some abstract math puzzle. There are hitters who get on. There are hitters who drive runners in. And then there are guys who currently do neither. The order should reflect that reality.

Instead, we’re watching a worst-case scenario lineup structure that leaves traffic jams on the bases when the wrong bats are up and empty bases when the thunder comes to the plate. The leadoff solo homer trend might be fashionable, but fashion doesn’t win games — sequencing does. On today’s All In Before 10, we break down why batting order design is basic probability, why ignoring OBP at the top wastes your middle-of-the-order power, and why this debate shouldn’t even exist in the first place. Simple math. Simple fix. Stop being cute.

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The A’s have dropped four straight in Cactus League play and have been outscored 33–4. That’s not a typo. Thirty-three to four. Yes, it’s February. Yes, veterans are working on timing, pitchers are experimenting with grips, and half the lineup won’t even be in Triple-A when the real games start. But let’s be honest — watching your team score four runs in four games is like ordering a steak and getting a napkin. It’s technically food, but it’s not satisfying.

In today’s live morning show, we break down what actually matters and what absolutely does not. Are pitchers just stretching their arms out? Are hitters seeing live velocity for the first time in months? Or is there something underneath these ugly box scores worth paying attention to? We separate noise from signal, explain why spring numbers can fool you, and lay out what fans should really be watching over the next two weeks.

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The journey to making it to the MLB is a long and arduous one, filled with twists and turns that can make or break a player's career. On the Las Vegas A's podcast, we delve into the brutal truth about what it takes to succeed in the major leagues. From the Lansing Lugnuts to the Las Vegas Aviators, we explore the A's minor league system and the prospects that are making waves. Our daily baseball podcast, All In Before 10, is your go-to source for A's news today, analysis, and discussion. We also keep you updated on the latest A's stadium update and Las Vegas baseball stadium news, as well as A's relocation news and A's front office moves. As a leading MLB podcast, we bring you baseball talk show style discussion and debate, covering everything from A's history to the latest MLB news. Tune in to our A's morning show, pregame show, and postgame show for in-depth coverage of the team. Whether you're a die-hard A's fan or just a lover of the game, our Vegas sports podcast has something for everyone. Join us as we dive into the world of MLB and the A's, and discover the brutal truth about making it to the top.

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Sam launches the first episode of Where Stats Meet Instinct by laying out the entire mission statement: baseball makes the most sense when you use both the numbers and what your eyes are screaming at you. Stats are the pencil sketch—clean, helpful, and sometimes painfully boring by themselves. The scouting side is the color—feel, intent, deception, confidence, and the little details that never show up in a spreadsheet but decide games anyway. With a background as a college player and seven-year college coach/recruiting coordinator, Sam’s here to blend both into one clear picture for A’s fans who want more than “he’s got good stuff” or “his ERA says he’s fine.”\

Then he gets straight to the big question: how does the A’s rotation climb from 27th in team ERA to something like 15th–18th, which he argues is enough to be a real contender late in the season. The veterans—Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, and Aaron Civale—aren’t the rocket ship. They’re the seatbelt. They provide innings and keep the floor from collapsing. The real jump comes from the upside arms: Luis Morales (frontline ingredients but likely growing pains), Jacob Lopez (strikeouts + weak contact, funky look, real results if healthy), and the “break glass in case of awesome” group: JT Ginn (nasty vs righties, disaster vs lefties), Perkins (starter tools, bullpen reality), Hoglund (fit questions in Sacramento), and Gage Jump—the one Sam flat-out predicts could be starting a playoff game if things click. Basically: the A’s don’t need perfection—just two young arms leveling up while the vets keep the ship afloat.

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In this spring analysis, we take a closer look at JT Ginn's performance and assess his chances of securing a rotation spot. With his impressive pitching analysis, Ginn has shown ace potential, but can he lock down a spot before it's too late? Our expert analysis dives into his strengths and weaknesses, and what he needs to do to prove himself as a top starter. As we head into the new season, Ginn's ability to deliver under pressure will be crucial in determining his role in the team. Will he be able to rise to the challenge and solidify his position, or will he find himself on the outside looking in? Tune in to find out as we break down JT Ginn's chances of locking down a rotation spot and realizing his ace potential.

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