San Jose took measures to protect land worth $25 million — dedicated to a new Oakland Athletics ballpark — from a state takeover of redevelopment agencies, and the land appears safe for now. Flash back to last year, when the California Assembly and Gov. Jerry Brown were looking for ways to balance the state budget. […]
Tag Archives | oakland athletics
Lake Monsters, Oakland expected to extend PDC
The Vermont Lake Monsters (short season A: NY-Penn League) and the Oakland A’s are expected to announce an extension of their player-development contract today. A press conference has been scheduled for 5 p.m., with Ted Polakowski, director of minor league operations for the Athletics, scheduled to attend. It’s been a good year so far for Ray […]
San Jose to fund Municipal Stadium repairs
An attempt to hold up routine maintenance on Municipal Stadium, home of the San Jose Giants (High Class A; California League), as a proxy battle against the San Francisco Giants failed today. The routine maintenance, slated to cost $85,000, would improve field drainage and add striping to the parking lot, among other things, per the […]
ASU-Cubs spat may have unexpected beneficiary: new life for Phoenix Muni
A disagreement between Arizona State and the Chicago Cubs over a new Mesa spring-training complex may see the Sun Devils baseball program relocate to Phoenix Municipal Stadium. It’s been a whirlwind couple of days for ASU officials, the Cubs management and Mesa politicians, as an agreement to place the Sun Devils at the new Chicago […]
San Jose: Why are we being so friendly to the Giants?
The battle for a new MLB ballpark in San Jose is spilling over to the minor-league side, as local officials question whether the San Jose Giants (High Class A; California League) are paying enough in rent for Municipal Stadium. The Cal League team, largely owned and managed by parent San Francisco Giants, pays $1,000 monthly […]
The Week That Was: June 3
Retro bullpen carts, NCAA tournament baseball and ballpark delays all made news this week. The top stories on Ballpark Digest for the past week, as measured by page views. Retro bullpen cart a hit in Sugar Land Wolff meets with Knauss, has clear message: A’s not for sale NCAA baseball tourney field announced Marlins, county […]
Wolff meets with Knauss, has clear message: A’s not for sale
A meeting between Oakland A’s owner Lew Wolff and Clorox CEO Don Knauss reaffirmed the status quo: Wolff’s focus is on moving the team to a new San Jose ballpark. Knauss was among the Oakland business leaders who raised the possibility of buying the A’s to keep them in the city — a possibility quickly shot […]
Giants: Nothing would tempt us to give up Silicon Valley territory
San Francisco Giants ownership made one thing abundantly clear at this week’s MLB owners meetings: they have no intention of ever giving up their territorial rights to Silicon Valley. The background: Oakland A’s owner Lew Wolff wants to build a new downtown San Jose ballpark but is being blocked by the Giants ownership, who retain […]
Selig: A’s can leave Oakland — but not for San Jose
Speaking at the quarterly owners’ meetings, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said the A’s were free to move from Oakland under baseball’s relocation process — just not to San Jose. The stalemate between the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants ownership groups remains in place, Selig said; in past months he’s said it’s up for the teams […]
The Week That Was: May 13
New indy leagues and affiliated ballparks, updates to Dodger Stadium and Wrigley Field, and the fate of the Portland market all made headlines this week at Ballpark Digest. Here are the most popular stories of the past week on Ballpark Digest, as measured by page views: Five potential ballpark sites under discussion in Wilmington Dodger […]
Cal to San Jose: Slow down on new ballpark
The state of California is casting a covetous eye at San Jose land envisioned for a new Oakland A’s ballpark, arguing it was improperly shielded from the state takeover of redevelopment agency assets. This is a process story, to be sure, and one that has more to do with state politics than the building of […]
More Oakland ownership options for Athletics
Local business leaders want to retain the Oakland Athletics and say they’ll look at buying the team rather than losing it to another market. Though Lew Wolff has clearly stated the team is not for sale, that’s not stopped potential suitors from stepping up, with the intention of keeping the team in Oakland. We’ve already […]
Singing Ed Nottle: Out of baseball this summer
“Singing Ed” Nottle, a baseball lifer and one of the more colorful figures in the game, is out of the sport this year as he battles health issues. Originally slated to manage the Edinburg Roadrunners in the independent North American League this year, Nottle stepped down after it was discovered he was battling a blood […]