Athletics manager Mark Kotsay dropped a bombshell after a Spring Training loss to the Kansas City Royals. “MLB needs to ban or rein in those Royals fans and their bikini-clad cheerleaders,” he fumed. “Their rowdy nonsense kills the game’s vibe.” Royals pitching coach Brett Strom shot back with a blistering reply, turning a quiet camp night into a full-on feud.
Kotsay’s gripe came after a 7-4 defeat on March 19 at Hohokam Stadium. Royals fans—some decked out as self-styled “bikini cheerleaders” in blue and gold swimsuits—packed the stands, chanting, waving signs, and tossing beach balls. “It’s a circus, not baseball,” Kotsay said.
“They’re screaming over pitches—my guys can’t focus.” The Royals, at 11-8 this spring (web ID: 13), rode Bobby Witt Jr.’s two-run homer to victory, but Kotsay blamed the crowd. “It’s disruptive—MLB should step in.”
The “cheerleaders” aren’t official—like the Royals KCrew (web ID: 3)—but a fan posse hyping the team’s 2024 playoff run (86-76). Social media lit up post-game. “Kotsay’s a whiner—our fans rock!” one Royals backer posted on X. An A’s fan griped, “They’re obnoxious—ban them.” Kotsay, in his fourth year with Oakland (web ID: 10), wants rules like New York’s 2005 $25,000 fine for rowdy spectators (web ID: 4). “Baseball’s about focus, not this,” he insisted.
Brett Strom, Royals pitching coach, didn’t mince words. “Mark’s crying over fans having fun—maybe coach better,” he snapped at 1:30 AM PDT. “Our people bring energy—his team’s just flat. Tell him to fix his 50-112 mess from ‘24 instead of pointing fingers.” Strom’s barb stings—Oakland’s 2024 flop contrasts Kansas City’s surge. With Michael Wacha dealing against the A’s, Strom leaned in: “They lost because we’re better, not bikinis.”
Fan reactions split hard. “Strom’s right—Kotsay’s a sore loser,” a Royals supporter tweeted. An A’s diehard countered, “Those fans are trashy—ruin the sport.” MLB’s got precedent—hazing bans in 2016 nixed cheerleader costumes for players (web ID: 1), and Yankees fans got barred for touching Mookie Betts in 2024 (web ID: 6). But banning fans is trickier—Kauffman Stadium’s known for enthusiasm, not chaos (web ID: 13).
Opening Day looms—March 27, A’s vs. Rangers, Royals vs. Orioles (web ID: 7). This spat’s a preview of tempers flaring. Kotsay’s call might nudge MLB to eye crowd rules, but Strom’s defiance backs Royals fans’ fire. “They’re our edge,” he grinned. Will bikinis sway the season, or is Kotsay’s plea a swing and a miss? Spring just got hotter.
