This is way less important than positioned: the Oakland Athletics ballpark situation will be an informal topic of conversation at the next MLB owners’ meetings, according to a newspaper report.
Why this is not news: from what we’ve been told there are plenty of informal topics of conversation when MLB owners get together. Those informal topics of conversation also include the weather, the quality of canapes at receptions, the quality of broadcasters on MLB broadcasts and more. Put a group of owners in a room and you’ll get a variety of discussions on a variety of topics. Heck, it would be news if the MLB owners didn’t discuss the A’s situation informally.
What we do know — and this is confirmed by A’s owner Lew Wolff — is that the ballpark issue will not be the topic of a formal presentation to owners in Denver, nor will they be asked to approve a team move to San Jose. Of late there’s been a flurry of activity on the ballpark issue, as an MLB committee met with Oakland and San Jose reps about the viability of ballpark proposals in their communities. With the San Francisco Giants dead-set against a move of the A’s to San Jose and Oakland elected officials saying they think they have the beginnings of a waterfront ballpark plan, we expect the stalemate to continue for now. Which is bad news for Wolff; he deserves better than this extended limbo. Whether or not you agree with his plan to move to San Jose, he does deserve credit for putting forth a ballpark plan that calls for a new facility on his dime.
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