OAKLAND — There was no shortage of questions on how the Athletics' farewell to the Oakland Coliseum would unfold. But amid the uncertainty, there was one guarantee: Fans would show up for his or her team one last time Thursday afternoon.
“It was surreal. “It was by far the best crowd I’ve ever played in front of in my life,” said right fielder Lawrence Butler, who played 87 games on the Coliseum. “That was probably the coolest game I’ve ever played in the big leagues.”
JT Ginn, who began the Oakland finale and recorded the primary win of his profession with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers, said: “It was unbelievable.”
“It kind of hit me when I first got there and did the first few warmups,” Ginn said. “It was incredible looking around and trying to take it all in. They were loud the whole game. It’s special to see this place so full.”
For designated hitter Brent Rooker, the magic of Oakland baseball could be felt on even the emptiest days and nights.
“One of the things that makes Oakland so unique is the ability that we have to develop — and the willingness of fans — to build personal relationships with the people who come to these games,” said Rooker, who played for the Twins and Royals before joining the A's two seasons ago. “I don’t think that’s the case in all places. The attendance figures are the identical as in recent times, but I even have already said that the individuals who come to those games come to each game.
“You see her. You build these relationships with them. You ask about your family. You ask about your children. It means a lot for us as players to get the recognition and for them to see us as more than just players.”
Manager Mark Kotsay, who has also hung out here as a player and coach, is well versed in the quantity the Coliseum can reach and the electrical atmosphere. For a lot of his players, nonetheless, an announced attendance of 46,889 is a totally latest experience – one which he believes his players have handled well.
“I'm not sure if this is the biggest crowd we've ever played in front of, but they certainly showed their maturity,” Kotsay said.
Now this maturation process should be accomplished in Sacramento.
The move to the California capital would have affected the senior team's fan base no matter how well or poorly they played, however the timing is especially cruel considering how the foundations of this team are formed.
“As far as the future goes, no matter where we play, the guys in this room, if you look at what the squad is going to look like next year, it's probably going to be very similar,” Rooker said. “A lot of guys will be coming back and that’s exciting for us. We love each other in here. We love playing together and look forward to continuing to build on what we’ve built here.”
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