Rangers manager Bochy can hardly believe A's move

Rangers manager Bochy finds A's move 'hard to believe' – originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

OAKLAND – Among those saddened by the Athletics’ decision to leave their longtime home in the East Bay is Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy.

The former Giants captain, who led the Orange and Black to three World Series titles in five years, is in town with the Rangers to play the final three MLB games at the Oakland Coliseum.

Bochy spoke to reporters at length about some of the experiences and memories he has had at the Coliseum over the years.

“It's fun to play here, the atmosphere, the fans. I've always enjoyed my time here. It's hard to believe that this will be the last series,” Bochy said as he sat in the visitors' dugout before Tuesday's game. “I'm glad I'm here. I'm excited.”

Before joining the Rangers in 2023, Bochy only visited the Coliseum occasionally while coaching the San Diego Padres and Giants. During his time with San Francisco, he and the Giants traveled to Oakland each year for the Bay Bridge Series, which regularly drew large crowds from both sides of the bay.

During these trips, Bochy learned to appreciate both the Coliseum and the A's fans.

“It's one of the best playing fields in baseball,” Bochy said. “The guys love playing on this field. It's always looked good. It's got a long history, there have been great teams here, winning teams.”

“The last day will be a weird thought: 'This is it. This is the last game played in the Coliseum with all the history.'”

Bochy talked about the atmosphere at the Coliseum and heaped praise on the A's fans.

“I feel for the fans,” Bochy said. “There are a lot of diehard Oakland fans. Believe me, I've had to hear it from them over the years. They're passionate. These fans have always been passionate about their team. They've had a lot of success here. It's fun to play here.”

Thursday's game — the last scheduled MLB game to be played here after 56 seasons — will be memorable for many reasons. It's already sold out, the first the A's will have this season, and there will be plenty of emotion rippling through the crowd.

Officials are hoping for a smoother outcome than the NFL Raiders' last game at the Coliseum in 2019. In the final seconds, garbage and food scraps were thrown onto the field and some players had to be escorted off the field by security personnel.

The Rangers held a meeting with their players early Tuesday to inform them of possible scenarios for Thursday's final.

“I was just talking about what they need to be prepared for with all the fans coming here,” Bochy said. “Just make it clear to them, 'Hey, if something happens, you need to be smart about it. Don't try to interfere with anything.' All those little things.”

“I'm sure there will be a lot of excited fans here. I can't tell you what's going to happen. I don't know. I don't think anyone knows, but we've prepared them for every scenario of how to handle things.”

Although the Coliseum has a well-deserved reputation for its shortcomings, the crowds made it a pleasant place to play, even for the visiting team's players and managers.

“It's a different stadium and that's why I liked it,” Bochy said. “I like it. I love the look of the stadium. I had a lot of fun here.”