For Eric Sogard, just about every day is a great day.

It is another day to play baseball.

Sogard, a graduate of Phoenix Thunderbird, is making a bid for a utility infield spot for the Oakland Athletics at their camp at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. He started at third base against Kansas City on Tuesday.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing here in Phoenix,’’ said Sogard, who also played collegiately at Arizona State.

“I grew up going to spring training games at Diablo Stadium (Tempe), watching Griffey (Ken Griffey Jr.) and A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) at Peoria, and watching ASU.

The best thing about training in Phoenix, he said, “is that I get to sleep in my own bed (he still lives near the area where he grew up).’’

Friends and family can come to watch him play, procuring tickets, maybe a few friends he didn’t even know he had.

He graduated from Thunderbird in 2004 and after his junior year at ASU, was drafted in the second round by the San Diego Padres in 2007.

Sogard has a lot of fond memories from his prep baseball days.

He said Thunderbird finished third in the state in his junior year and had a strong team when he was a senior.

Sogard wears glasses and has a clear vision of where he wants to be. Oakland has a large group of infielders, so earning spot on the Opening Day roster will be difficult. He could possibly wind up with another club.

“I’m just out here trying to fine-tune my skills, do whatever they want me to do,’’ said Sogard, 26, who has played in 68 career major-league games.

“I also want to make sure I stay healthy. They have me moving around (the infield), but I don’t mind that. It doesn’t matter where they put me, just so I have a chance to play.’’

After all, it’s another great day. It’s baseball.