This Mason Miller Quote Flew Under the Radar, But Hits A's Hard

With this entrance being one of the hot topics of Opening Weekend, Miller was once again back on Foul Territory to discuss how he landed on that song. He was also asked if the change in music still gave him the internal reaction he needed to go out and pitch the ninth inning.

"I don't think it really matters to me. You know where I played a couple of years ago. I don't need those to get the juices flowin', but they do help. I mean, playing at Petco is one of a kind. Sick experience. They love the ninth inning. They love save situations. And it's the first one of the year, so I was excited to get out there."

When he arrived in the big leagues, he was warming up to Billy Squire's "The Stroke," which is a terrific oldie, but isn't nearly as heavy as his new song from Korn, or Nickelback's "Burn it to the Ground."

Just a playful jab for A's fans

When the A's were in Oakland, none of the fans believed that the Coliseum was the best looking ballpark in baseball. It was a favorite for a number of fans, because of the history that came with the park, and the memories that had been made there, but it was never the "best."

It was also common for the national media to dismiss the Coliseum as a dump, which would get A's fans to stand up for what they considered their dump. A's fans could make fun of the Coliseum, because that was their home ballpark. It's a familial jest.

That's what this latest comment from Miller feels like. He pitched there, and he knew what the deal was. He also saw what it could be to pitch there when the place was packed.

What he is really saying here is that he hasn't always had the crowd like he does now in San Diego, and so he's figured out ways to psych himself up to go pitch the ninth in the past. Hence the crowd at Petco being helpful, but not mandatory for Miller to go out and do his job.

This is something that Jeffrey Springs talked to us about at the end of the 2025 season as something that a number of their pitchers had to figure out how to overcome earlier in the year—their first in Sacramento.

While this wasn't meant as a knock on A's fans for not filling up the Coliseum, it could be seen as a jab towards the higher powers of the club that have put the green and gold in those situations to begin with. Of course, it could also just be a joke without any deeper meaning, too.

Suffice it to say, playing in one of the best ballparks in MLB is inarguably a better experience than playing at either of the A's previous homes.

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