Ex-Athletics manager Bob Melvin saddened by Las Vegas ballpark agreement
Former A's manager Melvin saddened by Las Vegas agreement originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
San Diego Padres skipper Bob Melvin is a Bay Area native who spent 11 MLB seasons as the Athletics’ manager, posting a 853-764 record from 2011 to 2021, so he understands the current situation in Oakland.
Despite seeing this day coming, Wednesday’s announcement from the A’s that they have signed a binding purchase agreement for a potential major league ballpark site in Las Vegas still hit Melvin hard emotionally.
“It’s sad,” Melvin told reporters on Thursday. “It was probably coming. The development at Howard Terminal was probably a long shot, even though both the city and the team tried hard with it.
“For someone who grew up in the area, who was with the A’s for a long time, it’s sad that it’s finally going to happen. But you could almost see this one coming for the last six months to a year.”
Melvin isn’t the only one with a connection to the A’s sharing their disappointment over the news. NBC Sports California game analyst and former Oakland starting pitcher Dallas Braden, a Stockton native, was heartbroken while addressing the fan base.
“Thank you for loving the game unconditionally,” Braden said to A’s fans on his “Baseball is Dead” podcast. “Thank you for allowing the game to take a part of your soul and never give it back. That’s what makes a day like today really hurt.
“Something I’ve learned through tragedy, loss, and even triumph is the road traveled to those inevitable destinations is paved with memories filled with love and joy and tears of all kinds. From the arrival in 1968, to our triplets in ’72, ’73 and ’74. The unforgettable season in ’89.
“There have been countless iconic moments that you have all shared together, and that we all have been lucky enough to experience together at the ballpark over the years. And I wanted you folks to know how much I love and appreciate you.”
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Melvin and the Padres will visit the Oakland Coliseum late in the 2023 MLB season for a three-game series from Sept. 15-17, so likely expect the former A’s skipper to discuss the matter more when he’s in the city.
