Rob Manfred is a jerk

 Not to put too fine a point on it or anything.

Yes, Rob Manfred, commissioner of Major League Baseball and tool of the owners, is a jerk, because like the Oakland A's misbegotten owner he, too, felt it necessary to kick a man while he's down. He, too, thought it was cute to bash Oakland and Oakland's fans with his snide answer to a question about the latter's "reverse boycott" this week.

He thought it was great, ol' Rob did, because the attendance that night was "almost an average Major League Baseball crowd in the facility for one night."

In other words: You guys don't draw flies most other nights, and that's why you're losing your baseball team. Also your public officials never made a serious effort to keep the team in Oakland.

This is exactly what the Misbegotten Owner, John Fisher, has been saying, which makes Manfred the puppet we always knew he was. It's also a truckload of hooey, because the city of Oakland DID make an effort, and, anyway, why do you think the A's needed a new facility to begin with?

It's because Fisher, the principal tenant, deliberately let the old place fall apart. It's a big part of why the other tenant, the Raiders, are now in Las Vegas themselves. They got tired of Fisher letting the facility rot.

And, oh, yeah: Perhaps someone should tell Mr. Snide the reason fans have stopped coming to the games is not just because the ballpark is crap, but because the ballclub is, too. Maybe if Fisher weren't such a cheap bastard, the A's would not be a de facto Triple A team playing (as of this morning) .264 baseball.

Name me any other team anywhere that would draw if the owner was putting such a garbage product on the field. If  you’re already 24-and-a-half games out of first on June 17, you're not going to get fans flocking to the ballpark. Especially to watch a lame-duck team whose foot is already out the door.

But, sure, Commissioner, trash a whole fan base and city as a parting gift. Real classy there, bud.

Although, great job following the script Fisher laid out for you.