PHOENIX – A’s outfielder Coco Crisp frequently can be seen  around the Oakland clubhouse wearing something that looks like one of those horseshoe-shaped pillows designed for use on an airplane.

It’s not quite what it looks like, though. It’s a neck warmer.

Asked about it Saturday before the game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium against the Rockies, Crisp said it’s just something he likes and has nothing to do with the neck injury currently slowing him.

The switch hitter has some minor neck stiffness, sat out Thursday’s game and came out of Sunday’s game after one at-bat because manager Bob Melvin didn’t want him to have to swing right-handed because that exacerbated the discomfort Crisp was feeling.

In his first two at-bats Saturday he was able to bat lefty against right-handed pitching and came up with a single to right in the first inning and an infield chopper to second base that went for a hit in the third.

Melvin said he would wait and see how Crisp felt as the game went on if a left-handed pitcher was going to force the veteran outfielder to bat from the right side.