OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland Athletics manager Mark Coetzee walked into his office Tuesday night after a walk-off win over the Texas Rangers, tore his lineup sheet in half and tried to throw it in the trash, only to find it completely destroyed. A panic began.
“I immediately had a thought: ‘What if this was our last win at the Coliseum as a club?’ So it’s still sitting in my office, torn in half. In the trash. I didn’t even get in,” Coetzee said. So it’s something you don’t think about, but I have to be careful now. ”
A’s players, fans and employees all share the same sentiment ahead of the final baseball game against the Texas Rangers scheduled for Thursday afternoon (3:37 p.m. ET) at the Oakland Coliseum. There is.
It appears fans have already begun sneaking wrenches and tools into the Oakland Coliseum and stealing seats as personal keepsakes, as seen on video as a group of fans proudly thrust chunks of seats high into the air. This is also proven.
San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, who played the first five years of his career with the Athletics, picked up a third base bag on his way out of the ballpark last month.
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Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien, who played shortstop in the Athletics organization, said he plans to scoop dirt in the infield.
So what are the A’s going to grab, steal, or steal on their way out of town?
“We’ve been talking and thinking about what we would choose as a memento or memento,” Athletics veteran relief pitcher TJ McFarland told USA TODAY Sports. “I think everyone wants to get their pitching rubber off the mound, or at least out of the bullpen.”
All-Star closer Mason Miller said: Having the opportunity to go back to where it all started is a little heavy. That’s the closest thing fans can get to understanding what they’re going through. ”
While everyone in the Athletics clubhouse tried to come up with something different besides taking home the nameplates above their lockers, they pointed to the top right field corner of the stadium atop Mount Davis. There, Dave Stewart’s retired number covers an entire section. .
Someone suggested that Stewart should take a tarp home.
“Come on, dude,” Stewart said. “What am I going to do with that? Cover my house with it? People will think I’m tarping my house for termites.”
Tyler Nevin picks up some dirt from the batter’s box before leaving the stadium and says it’s a cool gift to himself to preserve the memory.
Why not a urinal?
“Oh, I don’t think you can sneak a urinal out of here,” Nevin said. “You just have to put up with the dirt.”
Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler tries to remove one of the Athletics logos on the wall in the tunnel on his way to the field.
“I know a lot of people are grabbing mud,” Butler says. “But I don’t want it. I’d just lose it. A sign would be cool too. I’d have a lot of memories about it.”
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson said it would be a full circle to grab dirt from the site and bring it back to his home in Arizona.
“If I could do it from the same spot where I first stepped on the field as a major leaguer, that would be pretty special. That’s the only thing I look for,” he said.
Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers has said she wants to dig up home plate and protect it forever, but if Athletics team officials stop her, well, she’ll have no choice but to settle for the dirt behind her bat.
“It would be really nice to have a home base, if they let us,” Langeliers said. “If not, you’re going to have to settle for a clay jar. Whatever it is, I know it’s going to be emotional. There’s a lot of feelings and emotions going on right now.”
“I can’t help but think about the great Hall of Famers and the World Series that were played here, because I know there were so many historic moments.”
A’s players say while the souvenirs and memorabilia are certainly nice, the memories of playing in the Coliseum will last forever.
The Athletics will open the parking lot at 8 a.m. Thursday, and an estimated 46,000 fans are expected to fill the stadium. This will be the largest home crowd the current A’s players have ever seen.
According to TickPick, the average ticket price of $121 is the highest price ever for an A’s home game and 146% higher than the average purchase price for an A’s game this season.
“I think the players are excited to play in front of a sold-out house,” Coetzee said. “I think the biggest crowd we’ve played in the last three seasons was a reverse boycott crowd, 33,000 people. It’s going to be a special day. I don’t think the fans want to leave the stadium.
“This is an opportunity for the fans to come and see this one last time and finally embrace it and share their family and their history and what it means.”
The A-Team are taking precautions to prepare for the large crowds and waves of emotion. 500 security personnel, including 200 police officers, will be on hand to prevent enthusiasts from trying to get their hands on souvenirs.
“We don’t expect anything to go wrong,” Nevin said. “Like most end-of-seasons, we just say goodbye to the fans and wave and give them a little send-off, but obviously this one is a little more important.
“The team really understands what this team means to the city.”
Kozzei believes fans will express their grief peacefully, rather than storming the field or throwing things to show their anger. The Athletics are handing out miniature replicas of the Coliseum to 25,000 fans, but they are only handed out as they leave the stadium after the seventh inning, curbing the idea of prizes being thrown onto the field while also encouraging fans to leave before the finals. This will encourage you to do so. pitch.
Coetzee, who played for the Athletics from 2004 to 2007, won’t be taking the microphone to address fans after the game. But speaking or not, the team vows to admit spectators.
“I think the anger has subsided,” Koetzei said. “We’re going to honor our fan base. I think in terms of speaking to the crowd, our game is really going to represent saying goodbye. So we’re going to make it easier for them with our words. I don’t think you can.
“In fact, I think this recognition is our final farewell.”
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