It has been a tumultuous season for the Athletics.
They currently boast the worst record in Major League Baseball and have regularly been mentioned in rumors about a potential relocation to Las Vegas.
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While the outlook in the present is bleak, outfielder Lawrence Butler is motivated to change the narrative surrounding the team moving forward.
With a talented group of young players waiting in the wings, Butler and the next wave of A's prospects have coined themselves "The New Oakland."
Butler recently sat down with NBC Sports California's Brodie Brazil, where he defined the meaning of the "New Oakland" nickname and why it could be the rallying cry that helps build a sustainable winning culture.
"Nowadays, especially with this tough season, it's kind of hard to be an Oakland fan," said Butler. "I just want to turn the stigma around of what everybody thinks of us, and how we are. I just want to get us back on the winning side, teams and fans having a little bit more respect for us. That's kind of what the 'New Oakland' thing is.
Oakland Athletics
"Just turning the whole tide around, bringing up some new guys. We got a great pitching staff, [Mark] Kotsay is a great coach, we got a great coaching staff. We're kind of just trying to change the whole narrative on Oakland."
Butler acknowledged that it can be challenging to tune out the noise given the distractions surrounding the A's this season. However, that doesn't deter him from his pursuit of flipping the narrative about this baseball team.
"The lights and cameras are always on, everybody knows who you are, people are going to say things. I kind of ignore them, but I still want people to have respect for this ball club."
When asked if he was comfortable being a leader in this group of young prospects, Butler quickly pointed out that it is a group effort that transcends any individual player.
"I think we all can be a leader. If we all just come out here, work hard, play hard, grind hard, do what we are supposed to do in the clubhouse, on and off the field, then everybody will follow suit. If we all just come together as one, just keep grinding, it will eventually fall in our favor."
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The A's future remains uncertain for several reasons. However, Butler and the "New Oakland" offer a glimmer of hope that could build the foundation of something special for years to come.