Oakland Athletics: What John Fisher may be saying

Oakland Athletics owner John J. Fisher has become a lightning rod of controversy due to his decision to stop paying his players. Those actions could speak louder than words.

We’re all in this together – those words have been a rallying cry during the current pandemic, reminding everyone that while they may be separated, we are still one. It is a sentiment that could seemingly be echoed by the Oakland Athletics, a part of their #RootedInOakland motto from 2019, a shot at the Raiders who were about to leave the city behind for Las Vegas.

Instead, A’s owner John J. Fisher has turned his back on his players, his workers, and even the city of Oakland. Minor league players will no longer be paid after June 1. Lower level workers, including all minor league coaches other than Webster Garrison, are being furloughed while others will take pay cuts. The A’s are refusing to pay their rent on the Coliseum, although that could be justified given the condition of the building.

With those moves, the A’s ownership is contradicting the team’s message from last season. Instead of being a family, words that Fisher used in his e-mail to explain the rationale behind these moves, he is saying that it is everyone for themselves. As long as his bottom line does not take too significant of a hit, what does it matter?

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Speaking of the bottom line, let us not forget that the A’s were in the midst of attempting to build a new stadium when the pandemic hit. There are been progress towards that dream becoming a reality, but the pandemic has changed everything. Depending on how long it takes for everything to return to normal, that progress could be lost.

Even if that is not the case, any goodwill the franchise had in the region is now gone. The voters will remember that the A’s refused to pay their employees, most of whom likely live in the area. Those minor league players are trying to survive on nothing until next year.

But hey, Fisher has his assets and bottom line to protect. That could also extend to the desired new stadium, where he may request more from the city of Oakland and the taxpayers. The A’s ownership has already cried poverty as justification for all of their moves thus far, so what is to stop them from doing so again? And if another city has a better offer? So much for being Rooted in Oakland.

Actions do speak louder than words. In the case of Oakland Athletics owner John J. Fisher, that is definitely the case.