A look at baseball's grand cathedrals

As the start of the 2024 MLB season comes into view, Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is confident his team is going to surprise a lot of people. In speaking to MLB.com's Martín Gallegos at spring training, the young outfielder described his intense preparation this offseason and his expectations for the team in 2024. “I think our whole team is slept on,” Butler said.

It's still unclear if this will be the A's final season in Oakland, but whether the A's leave after 2024 or not, the passionate fan base will kick off this season their own way Saturday at Jack London Square. The Oakland 68s and Last Dive Bar fan groups will be hosting Fans Fest, a five-hour block party with live music, food trucks, beer stands, vendors, politicians, athletes and celebrities coming together to celebrate sports in Oakland. Just don't mention the A's, who will soon begin what is likely to be their last season in the Bay Area after 57 years in Oakland. “This isn't an anti-A's fest,” said Brian Johansen, founder of Last Dive Bar fan group.

It appears that the Oakland Athletics might be leaning toward staying in California a few more seasons before the team's much-anticipated move to Las Vegas, based on multiple news reports over the past week. The San Francisco Chronicle reported last week that the team had engaged in talks with Oakland over a possible lease extension at the team's current home, the Oakland Coliseum. It's forced the team to view multiple stadium options for a temporary home for the 2025-27 seasons, including in Utah.

■Team's 2025 home games could be in Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco or Las Vegas. ■Athletics hope to rise following a brutal 112-loss season. MESA, Ariz. — Catcher Shea Langeliers made a little space to set down a cup of coffee in his locker, then gingerly turned around, careful not to disturb the belongings of teammates JJ Bleday and Max Schuemann that were all crammed into a corner of Oakland's spring training clubhouse.

Catcher Shea Langeliers made a little space to set down a cup of coffee in his locker, then gingerly turned around, careful not to disturb the belongings of teammates JJ Bleday and Max Schuemann that were all crammed into a corner of Oakland's spring training clubhouse. Playing for the Athletics over the past few decades rarely has been glamorous — at least by MLB standards. In 2024, it could also be downright weird. The Athletics — set to move to Las Vegas sometime around 2028 — are facing a lame-duck season at the Oakland Coliseum, which hosted some of the smallest crowds in recent MLB history in 2023.

Playing for the Athletics over the past few decades rarely has been glamorous — at least by MLB standards. In 2024, it could also be downright weird. The Athletics — set to move to Las Vegas sometime around 2028 — are facing a lame-duck season at the Oakland Coliseum, which hosted some of the smallest crowds in recent MLB history in 2023. The A's have met with Oakland city officials about extending the club's lease beyond 2024, but nothing is certain at the moment.

Commercial content 21+. Oddsmakers are anticipating a miserable year for the Oakland A's. After losing an MLB -worst 112 games in 2023, Vegas bookies are pegging the team for a historically low 56.5 wins ( Caesars Sportsbook ) this season. That number is the lowest preseason win total for any team since at least 1990, according to Sports Odds History . The A's are just the fifth team since then to have a preseason over/under below 60, joining the 2021 Pirates, 2019 Orioles, 2013 Astros, and 1993 Marlins – all four teams lost at least 98 games in their respective seasons. Sportsbook projections for this season are a full ten wins fewer than any other season for Oakland since 1990, succeeding the

Oakland A's broadcasting history was made for the second time in the last week when Chris Caray, the great-grandson of legendary announcer Harry Caray, was hired as a play-by-play announcer for their games on NBC Sports California. The 24-year-old Caray, who joins pioneering A's play-by-play announcer Jenny Cavnar on television broadcasts, becomes the fourth generation of his family to work as an MLB broadcaster.

Oakland A's broadcasting history was made for the second time in the last week when Chris Caray, the great-grandson of legendary announcer Harry Caray, was hired as a play-by-play announcer for their games on NBC Sports California. The 24-year-old Caray, who joins pioneering A's play-by-play announcer Jenny Cavnar on television broadcasts, becomes the fourth generation of his family to work as an MLB broadcaster.

The Oakland Coliseum is one of MLB's oldest venues, and it has gone quite a while without a much-needed makeover. NBC Sports California's Brodie Brazil recently sat down with Mark Anderson of MLB Cathedrals to discuss baseball's "Last Dive Bar." In Anderson's opinion, the former multipurpose stadium was a model for its kind before the upper deck known as Mount Davis was added in 1996.

Catcher Shea Langeliers made a little space to set down a cup of coffee in his locker, then gingerly turned around, careful not to disturb the belongings of teammates JJ Bleday and Max Schuemann that were all crammed into a corner of Oakland's spring training clubhouse. Playing for the Athletics over the past few decades rarely has been glamorous — at least by MLB standards. In 2024, it could also be downright weird. The Athletics — set to move to Las Vegas sometime around 2028 — are facing a lame-duck season at the Oakland Coliseum, which hosted some of the smallest crowds in recent MLB history in 2023.

Chris Caray has been hired as a play-by-play announcer for Oakland Athletics games on NBC Sports California, becoming the fourth generation of his family to work as an MLB broadcaster. Caray's father, Chip, is the TV play-by-play voice for the St. Louis Cardinals. Chris Caray's grandfather, Skip, called games for the Atlanta Braves for 32 years.

Chris Caray has been hired as a play-by-play announcer for Oakland Athletics games on NBC Sports California, becoming the fourth generation of his family to work as an MLB broadcaster. Caray's father, Chip, is the TV play-by-play voice for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Catcher Shea Langeliers made a little space to set down a cup of coffee in his locker, then gingerly turned around, careful not to disturb the belongings of teammates JJ Bleday and Max Schuemann that were all crammed into a corner of Oakland's spring training clubhouse. Playing for the Athletics over the past few decades rarely has been glamorous — at least by MLB standards. The Athletics — set to move to Las Vegas sometime around 2028 — are facing a lame-duck season at the Oakland Coliseum, which hosted some of the smallest crowds in recent MLB history in 2023.

NBC Sports California announced Tuesday that fourth-generation play-by-play announce Chris Caray has joined the A's broadcast team ahead of the 2024 MLB season.

On Monday, players from within the Oakland Athletics organization hit in the batting cages, stretched together and went through fielding drills — all signaling the first day of full-team spring training. “I think everyone here misses TK,” catcher Shea Langeliers said.

On Monday, players from within the Oakland Athletics organization hit in the batting cages, stretched together and went through fielding drills — all signaling the first day of full-team spring training. “I think everyone here misses TK,” catcher Shea Langeliers said.

The Oakland A's are building for the future and part of their foundation is an abundance of young catchers who will see more development with the addition of some experienced pitchers. Catchers Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers are entering their first and second full seasons in MLB, respectively. The A's acquired Langeliers in 2022 as a prospect in the deal that sent superstar first baseman Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves, so there are high expectations for him to be a leader on the team even though he is only 26. “It's kind of like I've been here for a little bit, but I'm still a young guy,” Langeliers said.

One day after Oakland A's president Dave Kaval had a positive meeting with Oakland and Alameda County officials about extending the A's lease at the Coliseum until 2028, Sacramento emerged as the front-runner to host the A's from 2025-27. According to a report in The Athletic on Friday, the A's are eyeing Sutter Health Park, the 14,000-capacity Triple-A home of the San Francisco Giants, to host them until their ballpark in Las Vegas is ready in 2028.