Scott Boras made it known he's not a fan of the Oakland Athletics' move to Las Vegas. Calling out owner John Fisher, the renowned agent let his thoughts be heard during an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle.
“Sports are personal,” said Boras. “I think John’s taking a direction in this that is one where he’s put his personal tone on this. The reflection of that and the marketplaces — you have players not knowing who their fans are. They’re not certain where they’re going to be at any time.”
Among the multitude of players Boras represents, four are currently with the A's: Paul Blackburn, Shea Langeliers, Zack Gelof, and JJ Bleday. With the A's lease contract at the Oakland Coliseum set to expire after the upcoming season and their new ballpark in Las Vegas scheduled for completion in 2028, Boras worries that the team may not have a home during the years in between.
He didn't spare the other owners as well, highlighting how unanimous voting allowed the relocation to take place.
“Remember, the commissioner’s office on down, every owner approved this,” Boras said. “This is what Major League Baseball is doing to one of its franchises. We’ve made one of the great major-league franchises an outlier. I’m not sure why they did it this way. I don’t understand it. I think it hurts the game.”
Along with a lack of structure on the overall move, the A's are plagued by other issues. Ending the season with a forgettable 50-112 record, the A's became the eighth team in the MLB’s 121-year-old Modern Era to have 112 or more losses. Last April, the team allowed 229 runs, the most any team has given up in a month since the St. Louis Browns with 232 in 1950. Additionally, the A's have the lowest payroll this year at $42,425,000.
It's safe to say Scott Boras' concern for the Athletics is understandable, with the franchise sitting at rock bottom. Only time will tell when the dark days finally start to dwindle. So far, there seems to be no sign of it.
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