The Oakland Coliseum used to be a great place to see a game. But now it’s “a dump” – and that’s coming from super fan Tyler Bleszinski.
Tyler, a former colleague of mine, bleeds green and gold. He founded and now writes for Athletics Nation, one of the best sports blogs anywhere. If you want to know what’s really going on behind the scenes in Oakland, check out:
But like many A’s fans, Tyler admits the Coliseum “needs to be replaced sooner rather than later,” he told me in an interview. “I’ve been to about eight or so other stadiums and all of them were much nicer,” he added.
So what’s wrong with the Coliseum? Well, as chronicled in Baseball Between Us, “you can start with ‘Mt. Davis’, built in 1996 as a (mocking) tribute to Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, who insisted on converting a decent baseball park into a football mausoleum, replete with 10,000 nosebleed seats so high above the clouds that Raiders fans must use powerful binoculars to see the action.
By converting the Coliseum to a multi-purpose (football) stadium to accommodate his rowdy Raiders, Davis ripped out the baseball bleachers overlooking the scenic Oakland hills. In so doing, he eliminated any semblance of baseball ambience, creating instead a freaky football circus tent-like atmosphere, repleate with an ugly green tarp that covers the entire deck – to hide the fact that virutally no one is there to watch.”
The Athletics want to move, but the question is where?
“San Jose,” Tyler told me. “It seems impossible right now, but I think it has to happen there or the team moves out of state or could possibly even get contracted.”
But do the A’s have a future in Sacramento, as some have speculated? “Outside of the River Cats, no,” Tyler stated. “I don’t see the A’s ever moving there. I’ve talked to the A’s owner Lew Wolff about Sacramento and he ever even once seemed to seriously consider it.”
It’s too bad since Sacramento has such great weather for baseball, along with a solid fan base. So for now the A’s are a team without a real home field advantage, as Bay Area fans favor the San Francisco Giants – home of AT&T Park, my personal favorite. I love the food, the fans, the view of the Bay and don’t forget the Yogi Berra wall of quotes in left field. But I digress here – what about that arsenal of young arms on the Athletics?
If the Oakland offense weren’t so bad, Tyler says, “the A’s could potentially have three twenty-game winners in Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Brett Anderson. And Dallas Braden and Brandon McCarthy are very capable of winning plenty of games as well, he noted. “I’d put this staff up against any starting staff in baseball as long as they weren’t supported by the A’s offense,” Tyler stated.
On this point, I have to disagree. I’d much rather have the four Philly Phenoms in my starting rotation. I’ll take Halladay, Oswalt, Lee and Hamels over any other starting four in baseball.
Turns out Tyler likes the Phillies too when it comes to post season success. As for the American League, well the Indians are hot, but Tyler says, “if I had to guess right now, I’d say the Red Sox will ultimately put themselves right there. I don’t see anyone beating the Phillies this year though. I think pitching always wins and they seem like they have the best.”
So how far with the A’s go this year? Well the Athletics Nation blogger sees them as contenders in the AL West. “The Rangers offense will keep them in it. The A’s and Angels pitching will keep them around and the Mariners, well, I’m still a little confused how they can win any game that Felix hernandez doesn’t start.”
Be sure to check out Tyler’s blog for the very best coverage inside the Oakland A’s.
And you can read more about all 30 Major League ballparks – plus a few no longer around – in Baseball Between Us, when it comes out next March.
