Kotsay still processing emotions as A’s begin final Oakland homestand originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
OAKLAND — The Athletics started their final homestand as Oakland residents on Friday, and things just felt different. Of course, Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees are in town, which naturally causes a commotion. But the presence of the American League’s top contender is secondary.
Oakland and its fans are losing their MLB team in a matter of days. Emotions are high as the A’s 57-year stay at the Coliseum drags to a hard-to-swallow end. Players, supporters and employees of the longtime East Bay franchise collectively must figure out what’s next as Sacramento and Las Vegas soon add to their respective professional sports portfolios.
Through all the change, though, there remains one constant: baseball. Six games remain to be played in Oakland, including Friday’s dance with New York, and A’s manager Mark Kotsay is trying his best to keep his club adhering to a routine agenda.
“To be honest, I’m really focused on the Yankees in this series and baseball,” Kotsay said before Friday’s game. “We kind of expressed to the group that this isn’t new for us in terms of the amount of distractions we’re going to experience over the next six games at home. I’m thankful there’s a day off between these two series to break the distractions up.
“I do know that when we talk about it, this group’s been able to really focus on what’s important, which is baseball. And that’s the objective this weekend: to focus on continuing to play good baseball. And at the end of the series, it [will] show how well this weekend went.”
Kotsay is trying to focus on the game he’s paid to navigate; it is harder than it sounds.
Sure, distractions aren’t new for the A’s. They formally put the Las Vegas relocation into motion last summer and the organization’s three-year stay at West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park was finalized on April 4.
But the cries and support from A’s fans are hard for Kotsay to tune out. He remembers when 27,000 loyalists filled the Coliseum on June 13, 2023, in a reverse boycott to show owner John Fisher and the rest of Oakland’s brass that the A’s still have support. Kotsay also recognizes their dedication as the current season dies a slow death.
Oakland’s last manager only can do so much. On the field, Kotsay has led the 67-86 A’s to a 30-25 record since the 2024 MLB All-Star break. But off of it, he can’t do anything about…