Jun 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics right fielder Josh Reddick (16) celebrates with Oakland pitcher Nate Freiman (7) after the game against the Seattle Mariners at O.co Coliseum. Oakland won 10-2. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

While the O.co Coliseum has been a topic of conversation recently in light of the rude comments made by Jon Heyman, this incident has to be perhaps the most embarrassing in the history of the facility.  It’s not particularly surprising that opposing teams don’t enjoy coming to Oakland to play the A’s when you consider the difference between most other team’s posh homes and the Coliseum, but this adds a new element of dread in the minds of opposing players.  Of course this effects the members of the Athletics as well, but this could conceivably give them some sort of psychological advantage over visiting teams.  But I’m not here to try and convince you that raw sewage spilling out from the shower drains is good for anyone.

We’ve all known for the last 10 years or so that the Athletics were in desperate need of a new ballpark, and I’m not about to delve into the quagmire that is the stadium issue.  But we’ve all sat here in the dark for years now, wondering about this blue ribbon committee that supposedly is going to decide the Athletics fate, waiting for Bud Selig to use his power to force a decision, and wishing Lew Wolff would fight for the Athletics.  None of that has happened, and chances are it won’t be happening any time soon.

It seems unlikely, but it’s possible that this incident could finally bring serious attention to the issue because this time it is adversely affecting the players.  Bud Selig has the power to invoke his will in the best interest of the game, and thus far has shown no interest whatsoever in utilizing that power.  If the MLB Players Union gets enough complaints from members of both the Athletics and the Mariners, perhaps pressure from the MLBPA would move the needle more than anyone else has been able to.  It is the players after all that are the most important to the success of any franchise, and if they aren’t happy, nobody is happy.

The O.co Coliseum is no palace, today’s incident did not let us in on any kind of secret about that.  We all know it’s not a glamorous place to play, it doesn’t attract fringe fans who seek more than baseball at a baseball game, for most of us though baseball is all we seek.  That is still where the Coliseum continues to excel, the fans are energetic, rambunctious, and extraordinarily passionate; and create an atmosphere that instills fear in the hearts of opposing players.  That energy may be lost if the A’s move to a fancy new ballpark at some point, but the reality remains that the long term health of the A’s depends on a new facility.  It may not be a reality many A’s fans want to acknowledge, but this incident is a harsh reminder of just how rundown the O.co Coliseum really is.

Pictured here, the first of two games that were unfortunately played at the O.co Coliseum between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

He received countless tweets back, as you would expect when you have almost 223,000 followers.  Some of those tweets though came from members of the Oakland Athletics, who saw fit to not only stand up for themselves, but for their home, and for all of the fans who occupy it.  We all know that the stadium is an issue, and we’re all tired of hearing about the battle over territorial rights with the San Francisco Giants that has trapped the A’s at the O.co Coliseum.  But it is the only home the Oakland Athletics have known since moving from Kansas City in 1968, and for all its flaws, we love it.  We being the fans and the players of course.

Sean Doolittle had perhaps the tweets of the night on the subject, first saying ” I can see why you don’t like it. We have a strict No High Horse policy at O.Co…” at Heyman, then he added today “All I know is (when full) the O.co is one of the best atmospheres in MLB. Outdated? Yes. But fans make up for it & we love it.” and the crown jewel of them all, “also your Sistine Chapel that is ATandT Park forgot the bullpens when they built the stadium so there’s that.”  As if Sean Doolittle already wasn’t popular with the fans, this cements his status near the top the fan favorite power rankings.  Not to be forgotten, Josh Reddick, Jarrod Parker, A.J. Griffin and Brett Anderson also made efforts to stand up for the Coliseum.

Heyman attempted to back track his statements a bit today, trying to cool the flames of fury by insisting he wasn’t insulting the fans, which is true but also demonstrates he simply does not get it.  While he did not directly insult the fans, his condescending attitude towards the Athletics and the Coliseum says everything that needs to be said.  He views the Athletics as an inferior organization, and if he doesn’t then he has a funny way of showing that.  His East Coast, New York, elitist attitude is simply offensive and statements like this are an injustice to baseball writers across the country both amateur and professional.

He was asked to appear on 95.7 The Game with the Rise Guys this morning, but shockingly declined.  He knows he upset a lot of people around here, but he doesn’t have the courage to face the music.

How obnoxious was Jon Heyman’s statement? Even the ultra hated C.J. Wilson came to the defense of the Coliseum!  Makes it a little harder to hate Wilson at the moment, but I’m sure we’ll all come to our senses at some point.

Sure AT&T Park is fancy, features nice views of the bay, has amenities that will not be found in Oakland, but it lacks all of the fire and passion that the O.co Coliseum has.  It will never capture the energy that O.co does, it was noticeable last year during the playoffs, and it has been noticeable this week during the Bay Bridge Series.  O.co is a tough place to play when the stadium is packed.

So Jon Heyman can now join Angel Hernandez, Buster Posey, Jesus Montero, Alex Rodriguez, and many others in the pantheon of people who should think twice about entering the O.co Coliseum.  Not that Heyman would want to in the first place. For #shame.

Billy Beane's decision to stay with the A's through 2019 shines some light on the whole San Jose situation. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Every Friday, Swingin’ A’s will make a prediction about the A’s 2012 season with the help of our “crystal ball.” The series, appropriately titled “Crystal Ball Fridays,” will continue through the week before Opening Night. Enjoy. This week, we ask our Crystal Ball whether or not the A’s will (eventually) get permission to build a new stadium in San Jose. 

The A’s enter camp with a series of pressing questions, but perhaps none are more pressing than Oakland’s current stadium situation. All sorts of questions surround the A’s bid to relocate to San Jose, but for nearly three years now those questions have gone unanswered.

Ownership has waited around patiently but MLB and Bud Selig haven’t taken much action in helping the Athletics acquire a new and more viable ballpark. Lew Wolff and Billy Beane, though, continue to wait for an answer. In the meantime, though, they continue to tear apart their already down and out franchise as if they’re expecting a fresh new start in San Jose.

This optimism is nothing new, as Beane said last September that he expected a decision regarding the A’s move “soon.” Well, fast forward five months or so and the green-and-gold are still without an answer. “Soon” hasn’t come “soon” enough, I guess.

The A’s continue to operate, though, as if they’re rebuilding toward a fresh new start in San Jose. Oakland shipped off three crucial members of their team in various trades this offseason and they have reminded their ever-dwindling fan base that they have no intention of trying to win this year and possibly not even in the next few years.

They are stockpiling on young talent, though. In the Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and Andrew Bailey trades, the A’s came away with a few young players and managed to improve their once dried up farm-system.

Now the A’s have given off some very subtle tips that seem to suggest that they believe a new stadium is within their reach. Rumors have suggested that the A’s would receive some sort of answer by this month. USAToday.com’s Bob Nightengale suggested via twitter that MLB would grant the A’s permission to move to San Jose by February.

Well, Crystal Ball, where’s that stadium announcement?

The outlook on this whole situation is a bit cloudy. Those pesky San Francisco Giants are not loosening their tight grip on their “territorial” rights in San Jose. The largest city in the Bay Area is, according to the Giants’ camp, is off limits. The A’s, Lew Wolff, and Billy Beane have no business showing their mugs in San Jose say the Giants.

The A’s have also had opposition from a group called “Stand for San Jose,” and face many more obstacles everyday in the quest for a new stadium.

Still, the A’s somehow manage to remain calm, cool, and collected on the whole matter. They’ve been quietly remodeling their franchise in the hopes of unwrapping a new, shiny stadium in San Jose. The ownership has extended Billy Beane through the 2019 season and why would they do that?

More importantly, why would Beane agree to stay in the apparent wasteland that has become O.co Coliseum? Well, if you stop and think about it, Beane’s decision to stay with the A’s may shed some light on the whole San Jose debate. Beane is probably confident in his team’s chances at relocating to the south bay, which would help explain why he’s choosing to stay with the organization through 2019.

A new stadium would allow the A’s, or so they say, to open up their wallets a little more and in turn, give them greater opportunities to sign high-profiled free agents.

Bud Selig’s blue-ribbon committee, though, needs to pick up the pace before any increase in payroll flexibility takes place. The A’s have done everything right in terms of trying to get a new stadium, but will likely have to wait a little while longer before they get their approval for a new ballpark.

By 2015, the A’s should be debuting in their new home in San Jose, much to the Giants’ dismay. More importantly, things will look even more peachy if Beane stays on course with his newest rebuilding phase. 2015 could be “the” year that the San Jose Athletics compete for the American League West crown.

Now, will you announce your decision already, Bud?

What do you think? Will the A’s get permission to move to San Jose, or will they be doomed to stay in Oakland forever? Sound off below!

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