Managing a baseball team is hard enough. Managing a team that doesn’t know where home is? That’s a whole new level of chaos. Yet, Mark Kotsay isn’t complaining—he’s adapting. The Oakland Athletics have already closed the chapter in Oakland and transitioned to Sacramento. They are preparing for their final landing in Las Vegas. However, for Kotsay, there is no time for distractions.
Instead of lingering on the instability, the manager is laser-focused on one thing, winning. With stars navigating uncertainty, Mark Kotsay is establishing the tone. Can the A’s manager turn turbulence into triumph? Or will the road to Vegas be rockier than assumed?
Mark Kotsay is not just managing a team in transition—he is guiding it through uncharted territory. But if there is one thing his career proves, it is that he thrives amid transformation. From his playing days to his coaching period, the Golden Spikes Award winner has been adaptable. Across 17 MLB seasons, the star played for seven teams. Throughout the period he adjusted to distinctive rosters, ballparks, and coaching environments.
His capability to provide stability amid uncertainty makes the veteran an ideal figure to guide the A’s relocation. “I think maybe I could become the first manager in the history of the game to have managed in three different cities in three years“, Kotsay said to Foul Territory. This confidence comes from the experience-on and off the field.
“Our focus is on each day and how we prepare to win games.”
A’s manager Mark Kotsay discusses managing around a complex situation with the added stress of on-field expectations. pic.twitter.com/wfOLcFEbDF
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 14, 2025
Kotsay’s philosophy highlights his leadership qualities. “Our focus is on each day and how we prepare to win games“, he said. That short-term mindset is exactly what the A’s need. Off-field drama is unavoidable, but the message inside the clubhouse remains clear—control what you can and adjust to what you can’t. And if history is any indication, Mark Kotsay has already proven he can steer the ship through the storm
The highs and lows of team relocation
Team relocations don’t follow a universal script. Some teams reinvent themselves into powerhouses, while others fade into irrelevance. The Athletics now stand at this crossroads.
The Texas Rangers provide a relocation success story. The Washington Senators, the Rangers, moved to Arlington in 1972. While early issues existed, the team invested in their new market and established a loyal fan base. By the 1990s, the Rangers became a consistent playoff contender. In 2023, under Bruce Bochy, the team reached the pinnacle—winning their first-ever World Series title. This move was not just related to geography; it was related to establishing an identity that resonated with fans. If the Athletics think to thrive in Vegas, they will need to adopt this blueprint—engaging the local community, establishing a competitive roster and ensuring their relocation is more than just a new mailing address.
Contrast that with the Seattle Pilots, who relocated to Milwaukee in 1970 after just one season. Their move was poorly planned, rushed, and guided to the creation of the Milwaukee Brewers. They suffered from low attendance, financial instability and leadership disarray. Such issues feel eerily familiar to the A’s situation. The pilot’s failure highlighted one thing: a move alone does not fix internal dysfunction. If the Athletics carry their Oakland-period issue into Sacramento and Vegas without structural transformation, the team risks becoming another failed relocation case, instead of the next Rangers.
The message is clear—relocation is only as successful as the plan behind it. The team has a choice, either adopt the Rangers’ approach of investment and long-period aim or stumble down the Pilots’ path of instability and irrelevance. What do you think of the Athletics fans? Which road will they take?
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