Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler doesn’t seem to be enjoying the A’s tenure in Sacramento.
In an interview with baseball media personality Chris Rose, Butler admitted he misses playing in the Oakland Coliseum while also throwing subtle shade at the A’s current facilities in Sacramento.
“I miss the Coliseum though, man,” Butler said. “Especially playing in Sacramento. I mean the Coliseum just makes you feel like, big league.”
Butler was not bothered by the lack of fan attendance in the A’s last few games in Oakland, and said the vibe was “great.”
“Big locker room, you know, just a big league field.”
Butler played games in the Oakland Coliseum in 2023 and 2024 before the A’s moved to Sacramento ahead of this season, a temporary stop before they plan to permanently relocate to Las Vegas.
Will Butler Feel The Same When The A’s Move To Las Vegas?
It’s clear through his comments that Butler’s main issue with the move away from Oakland at this point has been having minor league facilities at his home field in Sacramento.
Will he have the same sentiment when the A’s (theoretically) move to a brand new stadium in Las Vegas?
He might. The Coliseum was a stadium with a lot of history and a uniquely passionate fanbase that many, many people loved. It’s possible that Butler will realize he misses the Coliseum not just because of its superior facilities to Sutter Health Park, but because he enjoyed the culture.
If Butler does still feel that way, and expresses as much, that would be an incredibly brave thing to do and would be incredibly meaningful to Oakland A’s fans.
But even if he does feel that way, A’s fans will likely never hear about it because Butler would almost certainly get in trouble with the A’s organization if he said something like that.
Maybe Chris Rose is the kind of person who Butler is comfortable enough to open up around. He should immediately interview Butler if the A’s move to Vegas and see what he says.
What Could Have Been…Butler In The Coliseum
Lawrence Butler feels like the kind of player whose playing style and personality would have fit right in in the Oakland Coliseum.
The stats aren’t eye popping. In his two seasons in Oakland, Butler was only a slightly better hitter (.252 average) at the Coliseum than on the road (.248). He also had significantly more home runs on the road than at home.
But something about a speedy, five-tool player like Butler playing in the shadow of Rickey Henderson just felt right.
Trading card company Topps knew this. In 2024, they released an iconic card with Butler extending for a great catch, right in front of the Rickey Henderson Field logo on the Oakland Coliseum outfield wall.
Butler is loud, flashy, personable, entertaining, and clearly pretty unfiltered. Exactly what Rickey Henderson was like what fans who showed up to the Coliseum thought themselves to be as well.
He would have been a perfect fit to play in the Coliseum for a decade. Not that the cheap A’s organization would have kept him that long, but. A guy can dream.
A’s fans, what do Lawrence Butler’s comments about the Coliseum mean to you?