The Oakland A’s are gearing up for a transfer to Sin Metropolis, not too long ago posting concerning the subsequent step of their enterprise on social media. The workforce revealed renderings of what their stadium in Las Vegas may appear like.
Outfielder Brent Rooker was caught within the crosshairs of criticism of these hypothetic photographs, by no fault of his personal. It led to a hilarious on-line interplay as he took the strays in stride.
It’s not information to see the group transferring ahead with its future as a transfer out of Oakland has been on the desk for a while. Regardless of fan blowback, the transition appears to be inevitable.
To attempt to produce a little bit of on-line hype about that subsequent step, the A’s launched renderings of a possible Las Vegas stadium design. The dismay of followers opposing the transfer was apparently loud sufficient for the social media workforce to show the replies off on that put up.
Along with @BIG_Architects and @HNTBCorp, we now have unveiled the design for our new ballpark undertaking in Las Vegas on the Tropicana web site. BIG will function the design lead and HNTB because the sports activities/hospitality designer and architect of file.
Photos by Negativ pic.twitter.com/mvpiCBXD54
— Oakland A’s (@Athletics) March 5, 2024
The funniest critique had nothing to do with the venue in any respect, although.
As an alternative, it took purpose on the roster – extra particularly, Brent Rooker.
Rooker, getting into his second season with the franchise, caught a brutal stray as social media accounts ripped his manufacturing on the plate.
In an try and make the stadium renderings as practical as attainable, the artists created a visible to point out the place the scoreboard can be situated, with a hypothetical lineup graphic posted inside.
As an alternative of making a sensible gameday setting, many believed this element did the other.
This render is totally unrealistic. I like Brent Rooker, however there’s no means he profiles as a .303 hitter. pic.twitter.com/0FA3VN1u3C
— Silly Baseball (@FoolishBB) March 5, 2024
The picture confirmed Rooker hitting fourth within the order with a .303 batting common. Whereas he did belt 30 house runs for Oakland final season, his profession output falls effectively wanting that mark at .230.
That features a .246 common final 12 months.
Rooker laughed the criticisms off with a reply on his X feed.
“Simply out right here making an attempt to take pleasure in my off day however as an alternative I’m catching strays based mostly on an artist’s drawing of my hypothetical batting common a number of years down the highway.”
The proper response.
Rooker and the A’s are within the midst of spring coaching as they gear up for the 2024 marketing campaign. We’ll see if he can inch nearer to that .303 common and show his doubters fallacious.