Former Athletics manager Bob Melvin is one of many players and coaches around MLB who would be disappointed to see the A's leave Oakland.
Melvin, who managed the A's for 11 seasons before accepting the Padres managerial job prior to the 2022 season, spoke to reporters prior to San Diego's game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night about Oakland's potential relocation to Las Vegas.
"It's sad. Anybody who grew up here does not look forward to that happening," Melvin said. "I don't know that anything is 100 percent sure yet, but obviously for a lot of people here they've followed the A's and it's a storied franchise with a rich history. A lot of winning, some of the great players in all of baseball played there.
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"It would be sad. So we'll see where it goes from here, it looks like it's getting some traction in Vegas, but you never know until the last minute. I think a lot of people are holding out hope that maybe it doesn't happen."
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo recently signed Senate Bill 1 into law which provides $380 million in public funding for the A's $1.5 billion ballpark project, a big step toward relocation. The A's now will apply for relocation, which will be voted on by the league's 30 owners before any move is made official.
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In addition to Melvin, another former A's manager, Art Howe, recently discussed the team's potential move.
"I really feel for the fans cause they deserve a team," Howe told KNBR last Thursday. "They're just wonderful fans."
The A's and the city of Oakland always will hold a special place in the hearts of Melvin and so many others.
