Category: Oakland Athletics

That’s Amaury News and Commentary A’s prospect: Escaped Cuba in 2021 figures in the team’s future

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Oakland A’s future prospect Luis Danys Morales (left) shakes hands with A’s assistant general manager Dan Feinstein during the signing of Morales (photo by the Oakland A’s)

A’s top prospect Escaped Cuba in 2021 figures in the team’s future

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Luis Danys Morales defected from the Cuban National Sub-23 team in México in 2021. According to MLB, in 2023, the Cuban right-handed pitcher was considered the best young international prospect—the Oakland A’s signed Morales for $3 million.

A few years earlier, when he was 18 years old, Morales was caught by Cuban authorities in Guantanamo in the process of escaping the island, but he finally defected two years ago. Libertad!

Suppose you wonder why all the talented baseball players from Cuba have been defecting for decades to come to the US. They are not treated well, as they make an equivalent of $40 to 200 dollars per month in salary in Cuban pesos.

It is important to remember that because Cuba’s communist government abolished all professional sports in the country in the 1960s, today’s players only play for the pleasure of the country, and the entity that reigns over baseball evaluates “patriotism” as crucial as their baseball skills.

They have to play under the harassment of the government. One Cuban player who defected and who is not in the major leagues told me years ago “if we do not stand for the Cuban National Anthem before the game, in Cuba or abroad, we are in dire trouble.”

Morales is 6’3″and 190 pounds, with a 99 mph fastball and good stuff in his other pitches. Scouts consider he could be a future starter in the major leagues. Born in Antilla, Cuba (in the eastern part of the country) on September 24, 2002.

In 2023, pitched for the Lansing Lug Nuts of the Midwest League High-A affiliate of the Oakland A’s. He pitched 44 innings, struck out 55 in 14 games, 13 games as a starter, and ended with a 2.86 earned run average.

The A’s have a very young and inexperienced pitching staff; they recently signed Trevor Gott for one year and $1.5 million, plus other bonuses, including if he gets traded. Trevor Gott has become the most experienced pitcher on the A’s roster, although others might be signed in the future.

Gott has pitched in the AL West with the Mariners and the Angels and in the NL West with the Giants. “We are looking to add some experience to our pitching staff and our bullpen,” A’s general manager David Forst said to the AP. “Trevor has pitched well in our division and wanted to return to the Bay Area.”“We are looking to add some experience to our pitching staff and our bullpen,” A’s general manager David Forst said to the AP. “Trevor has pitched well in our division and wanted to return to the Bay Area.”

Happy New Year!

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: No renderings ready yet; Construction details still being worked out ; Vegas residents face taxes going up with A’s stadium

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The implosion of the two towers are in the making at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas to make room for an Las Vegas A’s ballpark at the corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd. Construction is set for Apr 2025. The A’s, Bally’s, and the Tropicana will be working with the City and State on getting the construction details worked out. (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 The Tropicana Hotel and Casino the future site of the Las Vegas A’s have reached a five year deal with the Culinary Union 226 which covers 300 employees. The deal may not reach the full five years. The Culinary union is one of the strongest unions in Las Vegas if not the strongest. It was one of the unions who stood behind the State Legislative drive to publicly fund the A’s new ball park.

#2 The A’s are scheduled to break ground April 2025, the construction plans are still being drawn up and insiders say renderings are either partially ready but not completed to present to the public yet. Vegas residents have expressed concerns about more taxes as a result of the A’s new park. Some are not excited about the A’s coming to Sin City.

#3 As of Dec 28 the A’s nor the Tropicana have provided renderings of the ballpark and how A’s owner John Fisher is suppose to pay his share of the $1.1 billion for the ballpark in Vegas and Fisher and the A’s have been pretty hush hush on both issues.

#4 The new contract with the Culinary union allows the union to organize hiring employees to work at the new Tropicana ball park. The workers will be food service, cashiers, cooks, restaurant service, just to name a few positions.

#5 The A’s were going to unveil their renderings at the beginning of this month but that was postponed because of two Nevada State Highway Patrol officers were killed and out of respect for the families the unveiling was postponed.

#6 The A’s, MLB, the Tropicana are also waiting for approval from Federal Aviation Administration, development plans, finalization of bonding, a lease agreement, construction timelines, which should take most of the 2024 calendar to finalize these issues.

#7 Schools over Stadiums and Oakland A’s fans have announced they will host a Fan Fest. Joining the Fan Fest are the Oakland 68s, Oakland Ballers, Oakland Roots, Oakland Soul, Oaklandish, and the Last Dive Bar. Most likely this will be a FanFest to push raising monies for legal funds and a campaign money for the Schools over Stadiums drive to put an initiative on the ballot to stop the use of public funds for the Las Vegas ballpark and put the funds for use for schools for the Nov 2024 election in Nevada. The FanFest is scheduled for Sat Feb 24th at Jack London Square in Oakland.

Join Daniel on the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s still need FAA approval regarding Las Vegas Airport; Vegas fans are not excited about A’s coming

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The air traffic tower under construction at the Las Vegas Airport in this Aug 6, 2014 photo. The runways for take off and landings front where home plate will face at the Las Vegas ballpark and there are concerns if the stadium lights would be a distraction for pilots. The A’s and the Tropicana are waiting for FAA approval in that part of the venture. (AP News file photo)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, our talk show host Jimmy Price went on location at the Tropicana Casino and Hotel and did a close visual of the property and intersection. He confirmed that this will be a tight space for a retractable and the two towers at the Tropicana will need to be demoed and as of the end of December no renderings as of yet.

#2 Also Jimmy mentioned that some of the retail, businesses and people who work and live by the strip do not want the A’s to come to the Tropicana because it will create horrible congestion and a ballpark at Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana will be more of hinderance. Don’t forget the FAA has to approve the stadium as well as home plate faces the landing and take off runway at Las Vegas Airport.

#3 The other point that was brought up was this thinking by the A’s that they’ll bring in attendance by depending on tourism and visiting teams fans will travel with the team like they do for the Raiders. In baseball it’s been brought up whose going to come on a Monday or Tuesday to see the Royals or Pittsburgh Pirates at Tropicana Field very few was the answer.

#4 The A’s ballpark in Las Vegas may not be a destination spot for visitors in Vegas because the product of the A’s just won’t attract visitors from coming. If the A’s were to rebrand themselves as say the Las Vegas Blackjacks or another name then promote themselves as such much in the same way the Washington Nationals did when they left Montreal that marketing strategy might work but using the A’s and their colors it’s not going to fool or excite too many fans.

#5 Once again the non existence of renderings have fans and Vegas residents wondering what is going to work at the park. The Texas Rangers it was said did a great job of their design at Globe Life Field with their luxury boxes and and stadium layout to attract fans in Arlington. The A’s trying to shoehorn a park in the Tropicana that will be tight fit it might not only be the smallest park in the Majors but it could turn into the biggest disaster development mistake in MLB.

Join Daniel for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s Work of Art

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Photo of art gallery containing Donald Fisher and Doris Fisher’s art collection who are the parents of Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (photo from Artsy)

A’s Work of Art

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Las Vegas most famous museums are The Mob Museum, The Neon Museum, the Atomic Museum, and the Discovery Children’s Museum. Now, the Oakland Athletics, planning to be the Las Vegas A’s in 2028, have a museum in mind for their new 30,000-seat stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

According to the Las Vegas Business Journal, Athletics owner John Fisher plans to display a selection from his family’s acclaimed collection at the A’s stadium on the strip. For months, multiple sources familiar with Fisher’s design plan have included talks about developing an art program in Las Vegas.

The museum will display the art at the team’s new home at the Tropicana Hotel-Casino site. The A’s owner plans to exhibit these pieces of art in the team’s new house at the Tropicana Hotel-Casino site.

The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, parents of John Fisher, is among the world’s most significant collections of contemporary art. This is according to SFMOMA website. The founders of the Gap apparel company began buying art pieces in 1969 in San Francisco after they opened their first big store.

Later, it was located in Burlingame, 20 miles south of San Francisco. Allan Schwartzman, a veteran Manhattan curator, told the New York Times the Fishers Collection is one of the great collections assembled in our time.

This A’s Art has nothing to do with Art Howe who managed the Oakland A’s from 1996 to 2002.

Amuary Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland Athletics Settle Coliseum Payment, Paving the Way for Vegas Move

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View of the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Complex which half the property is owned by John Fisher and the Oakland A’s and the other 50% is owned by Alameda County (KGO ABC 7/ Sky7 file photo)

By Mauricio Segura

In a dramatic turn of events of the continuing soap opera that has become Oakland Athletics baseball, the team has confirmed their commitment to pay the remaining $45 million owed to Alameda County for their 50% stake in the Coliseum site.

The decision comes after a recent notice from the county, demanding payment by May 14, 2024, triggered by the MLB owners’ unanimous vote on November 16, 2023, approving the A’s relocation to Las Vegas.

The A’s, represented by Coliseum Way Partners LLC, acknowledged the accelerated timeline, with chief legal officer D’Lonra C. Ellis stating in a letter to Nate Miley, president of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, that they would adhere to the terms of the 2019 purchase agreement.

The initial deal, valued at $85 million, allowed for payments in installments until 2026. However, a clause was activated, requiring the A’s to settle the remaining balance within 180 days of announcing their departure from Oakland.

This resolution brings a temporary conclusion to a messy saga surrounding the prominent Bay Area property. The other half of the 155-acre Coliseum site is owned by the City of Oakland, currently engaged in negotiations with the African American Sports and Entertainment Group for a proposed $115 million sale. The group aims to transform the area into a bustling commercial hub with live sports, hotels, and nightlife, though early hurdles have been encountered.

The A’s, secretive about their plans for the Coliseum property, acquired their stake in 2019, initially positioning it as a backup option for a new stadium. However, the narrative quickly shifted, with the team deeming the Coliseum unsuitable for Major League Baseball shortly after the purchase.

As the A’s prepare for their move to Las Vegas in 2028, questions linger about their temporary home for the seasons between 2025 and 2027. Various options, including playing in Reno, extending the Coliseum lease, using the A’s Triple-A home in Las Vegas, or sharing Oracle Park with the San Francisco Giants, have been discussed. Notably, MLB owners unanimously approved the relocation without the A’s disclosing their interim plans.

Intriguingly, the A’s owner, John Fisher, recently made a substantial stock sale, raising $32 million, which aligns with the timing of the Coliseum payment. Speculation suggests this may be a strategic move to demonstrate good faith and potentially secure a lease extension, allowing the city to redevelop the Coliseum without Fisher’s direct involvement. This theory gains traction as tensions between the A’s, Oakland, and MLB remain palpable, and Fisher seeks to secure RSN payments ranging from $180-210 million.

While the Coliseum property dispute is settling, broader uncertainties persist, including ongoing litigation challenging the property sale and the unresolved matter of the A’s interim playing location. As the baseball landscape undergoes significant changes, the A’s journey from the Coliseum to Las Vegas is marked by financial intricacies, legal battles, and a strategic dance with the future of the franchise.

Mauricio Segura has been a Bay Area sportswriter & photographer for the past 20 years, covering baseball, soccer, football, and basketball. He’s contributed articles for Area Chica Magazine, The Baseball Analyst Quarterly, and various newspapers. He currently publishes an online sports and entertainment website called Golden Bay Times and is the graphics and art Director for the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: 49ers and Thunder get Public money to facilitate stadiums; Can Schools over Stadiums beat those odds in Vegas?

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Jed York Chief Executive of the San Francisco 49ers and the 49ers will get a tax cut worth $180 million from Santa Clara County. The tax cut will run for 30 years. Another example of public money supporting professional sports stadiums (photo by Sports Illustrated)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, this week the San Francisco 49ers got a tax cut worth $180 million in a ruling from a Santa Clara County Judge. The 49ers have over 30 years remaining on their lease at Levis Stadium. The ruling by Superior Court Judge Helen Williams reject a lawsuit brought on by Santa Clara Assessor Lawrence Stone. The lawsuit challenged the taxable value of Levi Stadium that was set by an appeals board back in 2019.

#2 Like what Schools over Stadiums are saying about the public money that is going to fund the Tropicana ballpark in Las Vegas to the tune of $380 million. Santa Clara Unified School District will be hit with a $2.4 million in revenue because of the 49ers tax relief. Santa Clara will lose out on $32 million and this will be over the life of the Levi 30 year lease. The city of Santa Clara takes a $24 million loss in tax revenue during the 30 year lease. So Schools and education again gets pushed to the bottom of the list.

#3 Oklahoma City voter approved public funding for the Oklahoma City Thunder for a new $900 million downtown arena. The approval keeps the Thunder in Oklahoma City through 2050. 71% of all precincts reported that the funding has been approved. There will be a one cent sales tax for the next additional years. The tax won’t start until 2028. Universities in the state of Oklahoma were against the use of public money to fund the arena with some Oklahoma professors all with PhD’s who were against the public funding, but could not beat back the public support for the new downtown arena.

#4 Daniel taking a look at some these passages for public monies for the 49ers and the Thunder it would look like it will be an uphill battle for the Schools over Stadiums to beat back public funding from the state of Nevada if they could get the signatures to get it on the ballot it’s getting the voters to vote down the public money for the Tropicana ballpark. Not that easy.

#5 The A’s so far have not come up with rendering, they still have to get approval from the FAA to build at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana because of the lights of the ballpark could interfere with landing and take offs as home plate fronts the airport strip, also A’s owner John Fisher needs to come up with his share of the $1.1 billion for the construction of the Tropicana, Fisher owes $48 million for the Oakland Coliseum property for his half that comes due to Alameda County in Jun 2024.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: $48 million due on Coliseum digs won’t stop A’s from moving to Vegas

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Oakland A’s owner John Fisher seen here addressing the news media on Thu Nov 16, 2023 at the MLB Owners vote in Arlington TX. Fisher will have to come up with $48 million payment for his half of owning the Oakland Coliseum Complex property in May 2024. (AP News photo)

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Daniel, Alameda County who owns the other half of the Oakland Coliseum property are prepared to ask for part of the $85 million that is owed by Oakland A’s owner John Fisher who owns the other half. A contractual agreement saying if they A’s announce that they would leave Oakland which was last April. Within those 180 days after that announcement the $48 million of their half would come due. Alameda County Councilperson Donna Ziegler will make that call in May 2024 as Council vice president David Haubert said the clock started ticking on Nov 16th the day the MLB owners voted to move the A’s from Oakland.

#2 The ask by Alameda County won’t stop Fisher from moving to Las Vegas but it will free up the county from Fisher owning the other half so they could develop at the valuable property.

#3 At the time of he purchase of half the Coliseum A’s president David Kavel sent a letter the Alameda County Council in 2019 stating that they wanted to purchase half the property at the Coliseum in the event the deal at Howard Terminal failed but instead the team vied to relocate. The A’s have not said what they will do with the property now that they are leaving Oakland, but Alameda County will most likely will ask for the $45 million in May.

#4 It’s also been speculated that Fisher will hold onto his half of the Coliseum until the new Tropicana ballpark in Las Vegas is in fact under construction and shovels are indeed in the ground. Also does Fisher have an extra $45 million that will be due in May 2024?

#5 In early September the African American Sports and Entertainment Group asked the Oakland A’s if they could buy their half of the Coliseum the A’s declined. In hindsight Haubert said there should have been clear conditions in the contract saying to the A’s “you either stay in Oakland, at Howard Terminal or the Coliseum, or else the deal’s off.”

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Will A’s dump Tropicana for a third ballpark site?; Will Fisher have financing troubles for stadium?

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The Foutainbleau location insiders say the A’s would consider the 27 acre site over the current ballpark site at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino. The site is close to Circus Circus and Stratosphere on the Las Vegas strip (photo by the Las Vegas Review Journal)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast:

#1 Daniel a lot of discussion this past week since the owner approved the Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas where will A’s owner John Fisher get funding for the stadium his share is $1.1 billion. He’s checking out possibilities for a loan from Goldman Sachs and his family as the State of Nevada has approved $380 million in public money for they’re share of the Tropicana ballpark.

#2 If Fisher can’t get the funding outright it more than likely will kill the deal. Bally’s could kick in but at $ 1.5 billion that’s a tall ask and will they end up being the ones being on the hook. Major League Baseball owners could shore up but still that’s a pretty steep bail out for Fisher.

#3 Schools over Stadiums is viewed as a long shot to get some 102,000 signatures on a petition that would put a referendum on the Nov 2024 ballot that would stop the $380 million public funding of the A’s Tropicana ballpark.

#4 The A’s are possibly looking into a third location near the Fountainbleau on the North East end of the strip, it would be near the Stratosphere, and Circus Circus. This third location is 27 acres as opposed to the nine acres the A’s are working with now. With the bigger site will the cost to John Fisher run more than the $1.1 billion he’s looking at with the nine acre Tropicana?

#5 Schools over Stadiums are planning to redo the petition at the advice of the judge who turned the petition language down in the last hearing on Mon Nov 6th. Once they get their consultation done with their legal staff Schools over Stadium will present the petition language to an Nevada appeals court and move forward with getting the 102,000 signatures split up amongst four Nevada districts.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: A’s considering modeling Vegas park after Globe Life in Arlington

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Talk of the Oakland A’s modeling their new Las Vegas ballpark after Globe Life Field in Arlington complete with retractable roof. The Las Vegas A’s park is expected to be completed by 2028. (photo from Ballparks of Baseball)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal the Oakland A’s are looking at Globe Life Field in Arlington as a blue print for their Tropicana Ball Park. Globe Life was built in 2020 has a full retractable roof and seats 40,000. The A’s last proposal said they would seat 30,000 fans at the Tropicana in Vegas.

#2 A retractable roof at the A’s Vegas ball park most likely will only be opened maybe 10-11 times a season as it gets up to 102-1110 during the summer month of June, July and August. If the A’s have a retractable roof it will be at the cost of $100 million.

#3 Amaury, the A’s if they have the retractable roof will be using the park not only for baseball but for multi purpose events like concerts and public events. The question is can the A’s sell out every event like they say they can for the next 30 years some would say it’s doubtful.

#4 According to Dave Sampson the former Miami Marlins team president who podcasts on the show “Nothing Personal” said that the A’s deal to Vegas is not done yet despite the owners voting 30-0. There are two things that could hold things up John Fisher the team owner still needs to come up with his share of the construction money for the Vegas ballpark. Fisher is hedging his hopes that financing will be from tourism. The Vegas fan base will be too small to support the A’s but visitors from out of town are who the A’s are hanging their hats on.

#5 The question as to where the A’s play after 2024 is still up in the air as the Oakland Coliseum is the best location for the A’s to play 2025-27 in. The A’s have explored minor league parks and Oracle Park in San Francisco as places to go to but still don’t have an answer yet.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Commissioner says there wasn’t a viable path to stay in Oakland

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In what should have been a happy moment for Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (pictured) and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in announcing unanimous vote to relocate the A’s to Vegas during the whole press conference from Thu Nov 16, 2023 they both looked uncomfortable and were apologetic about to Oakland fans at at times looking guilty (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said there was not a viable path to stay in Oakland even though it was Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and Manfred’s to remain in the Bay Area.

#2 Daniel, did you find it strange after all the criticism that the Tropicana ballpark got nationwide, that you didn’t hear anyone outside of MLB ownership or the Commissioner’s office say this was a great idea. You have to ask what was the motivating factor for the owners to vote 30-0 to approve the A’s relocation?

#3 A’s president David Kaval said after the vote last week when asked if Fisher is ready to pay his share of the new Las Vegas ballpark. Kaval said that debt and equity would come from the stadium funding legislation.

#4 Kaval also said that the A’s could play their 2025-2027 seasons either at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Las Vegas Ballpark, or at the Oakland Coliseum. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao the A’s could finish at the Coliseum but they would have to give up their team name and colors and the city would be promised a MLB expansion team.

#5 One motivating factor is Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo saying that Las Vegas is a sports town and having the A’s are an added addition for the Vegas sports scene.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com