The Red Sox recently visited the Oakland Coliseum, and manager Alex Cora had some positive words to say about the stadium. However, this trip could potentially be the Red Sox’s final one to the Coliseum, as the Athletics are considering a move to Las Vegas, with their lease set to expire after the 2024 season. There’s speculation that they might play in Sacramento or Salt Lake before finding a permanent new home.

Despite the uncertain future of the stadium, Cora expressed his admiration, calling it a ‘beautiful stadium’ with one of the best fields in the big leagues. He emphasized the importance of not taking such venues for granted, acknowledging the unique experience of playing in one of only 30 major league stadiums in the world.

While Cora appreciates the stadium, he admitted to not having many good memories as a player there. He recalled facing Barry Zito in 1998 or 1999, describing it as ‘not fun.’ However, he also reminisced about the playoff atmosphere and the transformative impact the Athletics had on baseball, particularly in areas such as pitching, defense, offense, and sabermetrics.

Reflecting on his early experiences with the Athletics, Cora mentioned playing against their Double-A affiliate in 1996. He recalled being introduced to concepts like on-base percentage and working the count, acknowledging the team’s influence on his understanding of the game. Additionally, he acknowledged the impact of great players like Frank Thomas and Eric Karros who finished their careers at the Coliseum.