SEATTLE — When the Oakland Athletics bought to the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday, a lot of them tried their finest to gradual the day down.
They needed to soak all of it in earlier than the tip lastly got here. Whether or not hitting within the cage, hanging out within the clubhouse, or taking the sphere for batting apply, the A’s did what they may to revel within the expertise of the crew’s remaining recreation in Oakland earlier than it begins its stint in Sacramento subsequent season.
With a 12:37 p.m. begin, adopted by a flight to Seattle, there wasn’t time to linger on the park till the lights went out. However the crew made the very best of the brief time that they’d on the Coliseum, the place the A’s have known as house since 1968.
“I don’t think anyone really had any experience with the exact feeling or the exact emotions or the exact vibes that kind of surrounded the day and the game and everything else,” outfielder Brent Rooker stated. “It went by quick, but I think we all did our best to kind of slow down and then kind of soak it all up and cherish those last few memories you can make at that stadium.”
For some, the day could have concerned one remaining journey to the highest of Mount Davis, one final go to with a favourite usher, or a remaining sizzling canine from a favourite concession stand. However for the A’s, most of Thursday was centered on dwelling within the second.
“I think the bigger part was just kind of going about your daily routine in a more mindful way, right?” Rooker stated. “Instead of just kind of going through the motions and checking out the boxes that we do every day, maybe do the same type thing, go through your same routine, but stop for a second at each at each step and kind of take in a little bit more just to make sure those memories and that experience are kind of ingrained into your mind moving forward.”
The sport went about in addition to the A’s might’ve hoped, as Mason Miller closed out a 3-2 win over Texas, with the ultimate out approaching a groundout to 3rd baseman Max Schuemann. Afterward, supervisor Mark Kotsay paid tribute to the followers with an emotional speech that thanked Oakland followers for his or her a few years of assist.
“It was an amazing day, very powerful, impactful, emotional,” Kotsay stated. “You know, I’ve shared thoughts with a lot of people, and I think the consistent thing was, it was probably the most impactful and meaningful win of my career so far.”
Kotsay, who spent 4 seasons as an A’s participant earlier than taking the supervisor’s job in 2022, took a while to mirror and say his goodbyes to the Coliseum on Tuesday evening. When he arrived on the ballpark the following morning, he placed on his uniform immediately, which gave him time to go go to with a number of the crew’s most loyal followers, who had come out to indicate their assist one final time.
“There were fans lined up at the player parking lot, wanting the autographs at 8 a.m.,” Kotsay stated. “I took it all in yesterday, I was able to do that. I might have lacked a little game preparation, but that was really to me, second-hand for game 159, or whatnot. So the day was slowed down in a lot of ways, but once it started, it felt like it went really quick.”
Oakland Athletics’ Jacob Wilson (5) and his teammates acknowledge followers after the A’s performed the final house recreation on the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. The Oakland Athletics received 3-2 in opposition to the Texas Rangers. The A’s will transfer to Sacramento subsequent season. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
For rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson, Thursday was a day he described as “crazy, hectic, and emotional.” Although his massive league profession is barely two months previous, the Coliseum will all the time maintain a particular place because the ballpark the place he made his massive league debut this previous July.
Earlier than leaving the sphere, Wilson made certain to seize some dust from the shortstop place, as a memento from the place the place he first stepped onto an enormous league diamond, and the place so many memorable baseball moments have occurred over the previous 57 years.
“Obviously (Kotsay) gave his speech and the salute to the fans is always a memory that you’ll cherish,” Wilson stated. “Just be able to have, and just look back on that you got to play in that stadium, you know, there’s just so much history there. So it was pretty awesome to soak it in.”
As soon as the post-game goodbyes have been completed and the followers departed for his or her lives with out a hometown ballclub, the A’s left the Coliseum for the ultimate time to catch their flight to Seattle. Because the airplane took off, Wilson says, the A’s bought one remaining probability to bid farewell to their longtime house.
“As we were taking off, you look down and see it still decorated with all the Athletics stuff,” Wilson stated. “You never know, that you probably won’t see that again. So, it’s a pretty emotional day. But obviously I was just very blessed to be there and be a part of it.”
It was a day full of robust goodbyes, however one which received’t ever be forgotten by those that have been there.
“The day itself will always go down for me as a highlight of my career, probably the highlight of my career,” Kotsay stated.
