All-Purpose MLB Thread! (2019-2021)

Status
Not open for further replies.

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
Can someone explain to me how the Giants are somehow in first place? I think they are still hitting around .200 as a team.
Homeruns and elite pitching. :) That's pretty much the Oakland A's model, and I think they have an even worse team batting avg than the Giants and are also in first place in the AL West despite having a negative run differential a month into the season. Baseball is weird. You don't need to get a lot of hits, you just need them to count and hitting it over the fence makes sure they count.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
Watching Kris Davis noodle arm a routine throw to gift the Giants a win makes me feel not so bad about dumping him.
 
Last edited:

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
It was inevitable. The team wants to spend $1 billion in private financing to build a stadium right next to downtown Oakland/Jack London Square with a ferry terminal, a gondola over the railroad tracks, and a public garden space around the upper deck and the City Council still hasn't approved the project. I don't see what the A's can do at this point if the city of Oakland has no interest in this proposal. They're not going to just prop up a porta-stadium in the coliseum parking lot. But hey, our Governor just found a spare $75 billion in the state budget, maybe he wants to chip in?
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
Watching Kris Davis noodle arm a routine through to gift the Giants a win makes me feel not so bad about dumping him.
Texas put KD in the outfield?? No wonder that team is always in last place.

EDIT: Oh, I just realized it was probably in SF so there would be no DH. I guess that's fair. I remember some of those interleague games back when he was still the A's most reliable power hitter and you just have to cover your eyes if the ball gets hit to him in left field. I probably miss the idea of Khrush more than I miss the player he is now. He'll always be one of my all-time favorites though. I love his weird no-stride swing that somehow produces massive opposite field homeruns and his salute when rounding third base.
 
Last edited:

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
It was inevitable. The team wants to spend $1 billion in private financing to build a stadium right next to downtown Oakland/Jack London Square with a ferry terminal, a gondola over the railroad tracks, and a public garden space around the upper deck and the City Council still hasn't approved the project. I don't see what the A's can do at this point if the city of Oakland has no interest in this proposal. They're not going to just prop up a porta-stadium in the coliseum parking lot. But hey, our Governor just found a spare $75 billion in the state budget, maybe he wants to chip in?
Any chance Sacramento would be viable? There seems to be a lot of development space at the railyards, and the "short" move would probably allow the A's to keep an RSN deal in the Bay - plus it would be close enough that in addition to Sacramento fans in-stadium, Bay Area based fans could easily come out a few times a year (I mean, I've probably averaged 2-3 A's games a year over the past decade, and I'm not even a nominal A's fan).

I can't tell from just this, but it sounds like the team wants to do this with private financing, so unless there's a big public component that isn't being mentioned, I can't see a downside for Sac, if the A's were interested in coming.
 
Any chance Sacramento would be viable? There seems to be a lot of development space at the railyards, and the "short" move would probably allow the A's to keep an RSN deal in the Bay - plus it would be close enough that in addition to Sacramento fans in-stadium, Bay Area based fans could easily come out a few times a year (I mean, I've probably averaged 2-3 A's games a year over the past decade, and I'm not even a nominal A's fan).

I can't tell from just this, but it sounds like the team wants to do this with private financing, so unless there's a big public component that isn't being mentioned, I can't see a downside for Sac, if the A's were interested in coming.
From what I gather, the A's apparently are asking the city for $860 million in "infrastructure improvements." That sounds like a big public component to me, although the infrastructure needs certainly would be different in a different city.

https://ballparkdigest.com/2021/04/26/oakland-as-time-to-move-forward-with-new-ballpark/
https://newballpark.org/2021/04/24/why-not-ask-for-the-moon-you-might-get-it/
 
Can someone explain to me how the Giants are somehow in first place? I think they are still hitting around .200 as a team.
Because my Dodgers are too busy clinging to flawed analytics and swinging for the fences every single AB. And they’ve had some key injuries, but that’s no excuse considering how deep they are.

They were fortunate to win during the shortened covid season, as they had suffered from a lot of the same problems during past postseasons. Biggest problem is failing to manufacture runs — because they refuse to change. But you aren’t gonna hit 3,4,5 HR’s every game off good pitching.

Also, their bullpen has been atrocious.

I’m actually glad the Giants are in the lead and not those overrated Padres. The media and baseball keeps stubbornly pushing this Dodgers-Padres rivalry, but that will never be what Dodgers-Giants is and always has been. Never.

Also, the Padres aren’t the 2nd best team in baseball. By season’s end, I bet they won’t even be #2 in their own division.

Circling back to the Giants, I have to give them major props for how they are faring thus far. Whatever they are doing or not doing, it’s still resulting in winning baseball.
 
Any chance Sacramento would be viable? There seems to be a lot of development space at the railyards, and the "short" move would probably allow the A's to keep an RSN deal in the Bay - plus it would be close enough that in addition to Sacramento fans in-stadium, Bay Area based fans could easily come out a few times a year (I mean, I've probably averaged 2-3 A's games a year over the past decade, and I'm not even a nominal A's fan).

I can't tell from just this, but it sounds like the team wants to do this with private financing, so unless there's a big public component that isn't being mentioned, I can't see a downside for Sac, if the A's were interested in coming.
Right now SAC isn’t being mentioned as a possible destination by the Nat’l media .... but it should be. It actually makes the most sense. On many fronts.

SAC has been trying to lure the A’s since at least the 80’s (I attended the “Sacramento March on Baseball“ game at the Coliseum in ‘88). The Rivercats have been here since 2000 and have remained one of the best attended AAA franchises to this day. And they were the A’s AAA club for a long, long time.

While I fully acknowledge that SAC is primarily a Giants town, there is still a large base of A’s fans already in the Capital City. And I firmly believe many East Bay fans would still follow and support the team in SAC. It’s an 88 mi drive from the Coliseum to the Railyards. It’s not super far. For fans that live in Concord, Pittsburg, Antioch, and Stockton — it’s even closer.

When the KINGS moved to SAC, it was a Warriors and Lakers town though nowhere near as committed. But over time, that changed. Like the KINGS, young kids would grow up with the A’s and their kids will become fans. The fan base would eventually grow to drown out the Giants fans. Even faster if the A’s win.

But regardless, they’d start out with a much higher volume of dedicated fans — that also are invested in their history— than anywhere else they could go (with San Jose apparently off the table due to territorial rights).

If the A’s are serious about private financing, I’m sure Mayor Steinberg can figure out how make things workout with infrastructure costs. They have to invest in infrastructure in the Railyard no matter what is built there.

I know they are still trying to make the MLS Stadium work out, but if they don’t land a new investor soon — they need to pivot and jump on this potential opportunity ASAP. Don’t let the A’s head to Vegas, Portland, Nashville or Vancouver.

This city was a baseball city first and foremost. That changed with the KINGS over time. But the baseball itch is still there. Always has been. The A’s would be embraced here. Hell, there are even lots of Giants fans that have supported the team because they are in the American League. I’m sure that’d apply to some degree here in SAC too.
 
Last edited:

Warhawk

The cake is a lie.
Staff member
The A’s would be embraced here. Hell, there are even lots of Giants fans that have supported the team because they are in the American League. I’m sure that’d apply to some degree here in SAC too.
Agreed. I'm a Kings-49ers-Giants guy. While I actively root for the Raiders to lose, I like the A's. If the Giants aren't involved, I want the A's to do well. If the A's moved here and became the local team I'd have to seriously consider moving them to the #1 spot.

I don't watch much baseball on TV unless the Giants are in the playoffs, but I enjoy going to an occasional pro game in SF/Oakland (and like going to the River Cats). Baseball for me is something better enjoyed in person than on TV. Being in Sacramento would definitely be a plus in my book.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
We went through the exact same thing in Sacramento. No city in the 21st century is going to get a modern sports facility in a downtown area without investing some money into the infrastructure. Of course there are groups who don't want it to happen for various reasons. Of course there are significant up-front costs involved in preparing the site and modifying the surrounding neighborhood to handle increased traffic volume. The plan being proposed is a $12 billion development on waterfront property which includes massive transportation overhauls, hotels, retail space, public parks, a music venue, and refurbishes an area of industrial blight which is currently being used as a parking lot. It would be the biggest development project in Oakland's history.

If they don't start construction within the next year I think there's a very good chance the team will leave when their lease expires in 2024. The reason Oakland has lost 2 sports teams already in the last 5 years and is poised to lose the A's as well is because the politicians are more concerned about looking bad than about what's best for the city. Nobody doesn't think low-cost housing and education are priorities. But all it takes is a minimum of long-term imagination to see that this is a project which is going to pay the bills for the city with the revenue it generates which makes everything else possible.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
We went through the exact same thing in Sacramento. No city in the 21st century is going to get a modern sports facility in a downtown area without investing some money into the infrastructure. Of course there are groups who don't want it to happen for various reasons. Of course there are significant up-front costs involved in preparing the site and modifying the surrounding neighborhood to handle increased traffic volume. The plan being proposed is a $12 billion development on waterfront property which includes massive transportation overhauls, hotels, retail space, public parks, a music venue, and refurbishes an area of industrial blight which is currently being used as a parking lot. It would be the biggest development project in Oakland's history.

If they don't start construction within the next year I think there's a very good chance the team will leave when their lease expires in 2024. The reason Oakland has lost 2 sports teams already in the last 5 years and is poised to lose the A's as well is because the politicians are more concerned about looking bad than about what's best for the city. Nobody doesn't think low-cost housing and education are priorities. But all it takes is a minimum of long-term imagination to see that this is a project which is going to pay the bills for the city with the revenue it generates which makes everything else possible.
One of the things in Sacramento’s favor on that front is that a lot of infrastructure work has already been taken care of in the Railyards in preparation for the MLS stadium that Burkle decided to bail on and could potentially be appropriated for an MLB stadium build.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
People keep pointing to Portland as a potential location for an A’s relocation but Portland turned its minor league ballpark into its MLS stadium and, considering its weather, would probably need a retractable dome type setup to be viable for a full MLB season, which Cheapass John Fisher (I’m not bitter) would certainly not pay for.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
We went through the exact same thing in Sacramento. No city in the 21st century is going to get a modern sports facility in a downtown area without investing some money into the infrastructure. Of course there are groups who don't want it to happen for various reasons. Of course there are significant up-front costs involved in preparing the site and modifying the surrounding neighborhood to handle increased traffic volume.
The thing with Golden 1 Center is that the city actually had a significant investment into the cost of the building itself, not merely infrastructure. Given that it appears under the current framework the A's are willing to privately finance the stadium itself, that could go a long way towards quieting the inevitable naysayers. However, I don't know how much that private financing relies on the presence of the concomitant office/housing development in the Oakland plan and whether the A's would be able to put together a fully-privately-financed stadium in the Railyards.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
The thing with Golden 1 Center is that the city actually had a significant investment into the cost of the building itself, not merely infrastructure. Given that it appears under the current framework the A's are willing to privately finance the stadium itself, that could go a long way towards quieting the inevitable naysayers. However, I don't know how much that private financing relies on the presence of the concomitant office/housing development in the Oakland plan and whether the A's would be able to put together a fully-privately-financed stadium in the Railyards.
Yeah, that is a big question mark. Considering how long the railyards development project has already been put on hold and the sudden collapse of the MLS bid due to Covid, I would think the odds of the A's ending up in Sacramento are probably even lower than them staying in Oakland.

Maybe it would be easier for them to get a similar project off the ground in West Sacramento though. Based on the dozen or so proposals we've heard from this ownership group over the years I don't think they'll go for any stadium project which doesn't involve concomitant hotels and retail/residential space. (Hey, I learned a new word today, thanks @Capt. Factorial! )

Sacramento is probably the one place they could move though which wouldn't cause me to abandon the team on principle. If Oakland falls through for the last time my money would be on them joining the Raiders in Vegas and I feel like I need to wash my mouth out with soap just for having written that.
 
Last edited:

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
In other baseball news...

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...rikes-10-plays-right-field-los-angeles-angels

This is fantastic! I'm not super excited that he chose to play for Anaheim Los Angles but I am glad he didn't pick the Yankees at least. This would have been front page news in New York though.
Ohtani is an absolute freak. On the other hand, considering his injury history, it's probably only a matter of time before he strains his shoulder or something and has to stop pitching again.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
That was exciting to see! I always like seeing the prospects come up and taste success. The one-two punch of Kaprielian K'ing Devers to end the 5th followed by Olson blasting the first pitch he saw over the fence to pad his lead and help him get that W was the highlight of the game for sure. Going for the Boston sweep today!

The guy San Diego traded for Jorge Mateo (Junior Perez) is still only 19 and in A ball so there's a chance for more dividends down the road but Kaprielian finding a spot in the rotation would be more than enough. I'm a little disappointed the front office didn't try and bring Sonny Gray back this season considering his salary (12 million) was within our price range, but so it goes. He may have been more comfortable with his role and teammates in Cincinnati anyway.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
The Drew Robinson story is incredible. A year ago he survived a suicide attempt that cost him his eye, and now he’s playing ball for the River Cats. He his a HR the other night and caught a lay-out Superman-style catch.

The Giants have some higher-end prospects likely in front of him for promotions, but I’m rooting hard he gets a shot in the majors.
 
People keep pointing to Portland as a potential location for an A’s relocation but Portland turned its minor league ballpark into its MLS stadium and, considering its weather, would probably need a retractable dome type setup to be viable for a full MLB season, which Cheapass John Fisher (I’m not bitter) would certainly not pay for.
I don't think the old Civic (now Providence Park) would be appropriate for MLB, even after multiple expansions it's at ~25ishk for MLS. There are multiple good options for a ballpark in Portland - we have our own equivalent to the railyard site with similar pollution decontamination issues and we also have a dead mall near the Rose Quarter that is ripe for redevelopment. Not to mention the ridiculous Veteran's Memorial Coliseum next door to the Moda Center/Rose Garden (the old arena) that basically remains standing because it would somehow be a slight to veterans to tear it down and build a baseball park and there are some architectural historians who think this eyesore is historical. There is also Lents Park a little further out that would be a great spot, a little less centrally located than the other Portland sports facilities, but a bunch of NIMBYs won't have it.

Anyhow, lots of great options here but a) the MLB2PDX people are the most annoying people in the world, and b) I'd prefer Sacramento got the A's especially if MLS is dead. I haven't rooted for the A's since the Bash Bros days so I'd just go to watch the Red Sox or Giants anyways
 
Status
Not open for further replies.