José Canseco Talks About A's Constant Roster Churn Hurting the Fan Experience

Jason Burke | Aug 21, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics former outfielder Jose Canseco sits in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

When José Canseco got the call that said he was selected as a member of the Oakland A's 2024 Hall of Fame class, he thought it was a joke. So much so that he didn't tell anyone until it was announced because he just couldn't believe it. He thought that there was no way that he actually deserved to be included, and honored at the Oakland Coliseum.

Canseco was just 21 years old when he debuted for the A's in 1985, and views his first big-league manager, Tony La Russa, as a second father. "He was like a father to all of the players. Incredible manager, always came prepared. [He] was obsessed with winning. He had the job of managing so many different characters, so many different attitudes, and he had the job of getting our chemistry to work on and off the field." It was La Russa that would introduce Canseco on Saturday.

The former A's slugger was very nervous, and very excited when speaking with the media before his official induction, and even said that we could expect some tears, which he ultimately fought back during his speech. Being at the Coliseum for the last time was emotional for him, as it has been to numerous fans over the course of the 2024 season.

Some of his favorite memories of playing at the Coliseum were the Rookie of the Year that he won in 1986, the American League MVP in 1988, and just being a part of that team that went to three straight World Series, ultimately beating the San Francisco Giants in 1989.

"In '92 I was traded, played the rest of my career on four or five teams, and came back in '97 with Oakland, still always had a soft spot for the Oakland A's. I always said that if in any way shape or form my uniform was going to be retired, it was going to be with the Oakland A's."

When José Canseco says that he has a soft spot for Oakland and the A's, you can feel it.

Canseco was also asked about his thoughts on the A's potential relocation to Las Vegas. "I think it's mixed emotions for everybody. I think maybe the A's have worn out their welcome here. I mean, you go from having an organization where you're winning, winning, winning, and then all your players are traded off, and the fans kind get a bad taste in their mouth, or lose that winning attitude. Then you have three or four horrific seasons, back to back to back, and then you're trying to rebuild.

"But are you trying to rebuild? Or you just trying to create a selling point for other players? It was like buying a stock when it's low, selling it when it's high, and not letting it develop. So I think the organization would [make those moves], I think the fans realize this, it was run strictly like a business. It really was. It wasn't about the fans, it wasn't about putting together a winning product. It was about making money.

"And it looks like now it's time to make move. It's time to go somewhere else and get a new start."

Canseco wasn't the only former player that was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday to express this sentiment either. Former catcher Terry Steinbach, another piece of that 1989 World Series-winning A's club, also provided a slightly spicy take when asked about the play of current A's backstop Shea Langeliers.

"Looks like he has a good nucleus [of tools] back there. I hope they keep him. It's promising to see him back there."

As for the move itself, Steinbach said, "I don't know if it's good or bad [business-wise], but we're gonna miss it. We spent our whole career here. Our families grew up here."