The Oakland Athletics are no more. One of baseball’s classic franchises officially bid the city and Coliseum farewell following Thursday’s 3-2 win versus the Texas Rangers. The perpetual anger and heartbreak that fans have been feeling since John Fisher opted to leave Oakland behind was momentarily displaced, or at least overshadowed, by the desire to soak up every fleeting moment in the 58-year-old stadium.
Manager Mark Kotsay will be traveling with the A’s in 2025, unlike many Oakland residents who will probably be deterred from making the drive to Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park, but he is still showing his heartfelt appreciation to the community.
“To the staff who dedicated their lives to the Oakland A’s, especially those who aren’t coming with us, I am forever grateful and will never forget you,” Kotsay said to the crowd after the bittersweet victory, via Bally Sports Southwest. “And to all of you, on behalf of my staff, myself, this team, all the past players and coaches, everyone who’s worn the green and gold, there are no better fans than you guys. Thank you all for loving the game of baseball. Thank you for your lifelong support of the Oakland A’s.”
The Athletics left everything on the field in 2024
The skipper also made sure to publicly credit his club, which has actually exceeded expectations in 2024 despite the impending move and all the outside chatter surrounding it. The Athletics (69-90) have a chance to win more than 20 games than they did last season, providing the city with some solace and hope before they transition to their new and likely temporary home in 2025…