Category: Oakland Athletics

A’s Drop Game Two and Even Series Against Rangers 3-2

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Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof (20) celebrates in the dugout with the team after hitting a two-run home run that also scored Tony Kemp in the seventh inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sat Sep 9, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (44-98) were able to tie up game two against the Texas Rangers (77-64) thanks to a two-run home run from Zach Gelof. A seventh inning melt-down on the mound saw Lucas Erceg walk three runners in a row. Texas was able to score one run in that inning and that was the final 3-2

Recap: Oakland pitcher Sean Newcomb started and went four innings, terrific innings, allowing one hit and had five strikeouts. Kyle Muller relieved him in the fifth inning.

This game was scoreless through five innings. Texas got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning taking a 2-0 lead. Nathaniel Lowe singled Robbie Grossman home. Another single off the bat of Leody Taveras brought Mitch Garver home from third for the 2-0 tally.

Going into the seventh inning Oakland was still looking for their first run. The A’s had the bases loaded in the third inning but the bats had been pretty quiet since with only four hits.

When things were looking pretty gloomy with two outs in the seventh inning, Oakland’s Gelof knocked one out of the park with Tony Kemp on second and this was a new ballgame all tied up at 2-2. It was his 11th home run of the year.

Oakland’s Lucas Erceg was having a solid seventh inning that turned ugly when he walked three back-to-back-to-back runners and the A’s had a situation that they needed to get out of with two outs. With the bases loaded that was it for Erceg.

Francisco Perez would take the mound and try to close out the seventh inning and keep this game tied. A wild pitch brought Grossman home and the Rangers had taken back the lead 3-2. The A’s got the third out but had some work to do going into the eighth inning.

A’s post game notes: Friday the Oakland A’s had a terrific win over the Texas Rangers by the score of 6-3. The Rangers had been in first place in the AL West but things are not going well for Texas right now. After spending five months in first place they are 5-16 in their last 21 games in a late-season collapse. They currently are a 1.5 game out of a wild-card spot and the A’s win just piled more misery on the Rangers with the win on Friday. Oakland wasn’t able to add to that misery in game two of this series losing in a one run game.

Oakland was able to get runners on base in both the eighth and ninth innings but could not get them home. The final was 3-2 in favor of the Rangers breaking a four game losing streak for Texas. Oakland will be in the hunt for a second win tomorrow. Luis Medina will take the mound for Oakland with a 3-8 win/loss record and a 5.46 ERA. Jon Gray will get the nod for the Texas with a 8-7 win/loss record and a 3.85 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 AM

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: Schools over Stadiums needs funding to get petitions signed in Nevada

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Former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and Port of Oakland Commissioner Michael Colbruno spoke at a fundraiser on Aug 26, 2023 to support Schools over Stadium Nevada initiative to stop use of public funds for an A’s new ballpark in Las Vegas and put funding for use towards schools and education (@MikeOpera photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, Dawn Etcheverry, a music teacher and President of NSEA and Schools Over Stadiums in Nevada is moving on a petition referendum to stop the use of public funding tax dollars that would be used to build a ballpark at the Tropicana hotel and casino that was approved by the Nevada State Legislation in June in a special session.

#2 Etcheverry said the petition is pursuing every path possible to stop the use of public funding to pay for the Tropicana Park for a future Las Vegas A’s relocation. Etcheverry said that the Nevada voters were shutout in the process and didn’t have a say in the use of public funds for paying for the ballpark to the tune of $380 million.

#3 The organization Schools over Stadiums goal is to make sure public funding goes to public schools and not the Tropicana Park and once enough signatures are on the petitions from four the Nevada districts including Clark County which Las Vegas and Tropicana hotel are a part of the measure to stop using public money will be put on the ballot.

#4 If Nevadans vote to stop the use of public funds to build the Tropicana ball park succeeds the funding for the ballpark ceases and the A’s will have to seek private funding if they want to continue pursuing Las Vegas. They possibly could go back to the City of Oakland and negotiate terms about building at Howard Terminal.

#5 If everything goes as planned Schools over Stadiums will have the vote in November 2024, one year and two months from now. The MLB owners are voting on the A’s relocation in December. If the owners vote yes to relocate the A’s, the Schools over Stadiums measure could hold up shovels in the ground at the Tropicana until the voters have their say in Nov 2024.

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

A’s take care of business with 6-3 win over Rangers

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Mary Anne

The Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers met again for game two Friday. The A’s sealed their rodeo road game with a 6-3 win over the Rangers at Globe Life Field. Oakland improved to 44-97, while Texas fell to 76-64. Devin Sweet (1-0, 4.50 ERA) took the win in his first game pitching for the A’s.

The A’s starting lineup featured Zack Gelof, Brent Rooker, Ryan Noda, Aledmys Díaz, Jordan Diaz, Kevin Smith, Shea Langaliers, Nick Allen, Esteury Ruiz, and Paul Blackburn. Blackburn pitched three innings and gave up six hits, two earned runs, three walks, five strikeouts, and one home run.

The A’s got on the board first. Ryan Noda grounded out to Nathaniel Lowe and Jordan Montgomery. With two outs, Zack Gelof scored for an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

The A’s lead was short-lived as the Rangers went ahead in the bottom of the first inning. Corey Seager homered on a fly ball to right-center field. Marcus Semien scored for a 2-1 lead.

The A’s quickly responded with a game-tying single in the top of the second inning. Esteury Ruiz singled on a line drive to Evan Carter. Nick Allen scored to tie the ballgame 2-2. With three outs, Ruiz was at second base on the throw from Carter to Jonah Heim to Corey Seager.

The Rangers regained their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Nathaniel Lowe singled on a line drive to Brent Rooker. Marcus Semien, a former Oakland Athletic from 2015 to 2020, scored for a 3-2 lead.

The A’s immediately tied the ballgame 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning. Esteury Ruiz homered on a fly ball to left-center field.

The A’s took a two-run lead in the top of the sixth inning. This was a “welcome home” moment for Shea Langaliers. Langaliers, a Keller, Texas, native and a Keller High School and Baylor University alum, homered on a fly ball to center field. Kevin Smith scored for a 5-3 lead.

The A’s extended their lead just before the seventh-inning stretch. Ryan Noda doubled on a sharp fly ball to Leody Taveras. Brent Rooker scored for a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning.

Notes
On Friday, the A’s reinstated Lawrence Butler from the bereavement list and optioned Jonah Bride from Triple-A Las Vegas.

A’s left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas made his MLB debut Friday. Lucas pitched one inning and gave up two hits, one earned run, two walks, and one strikeout.

Tony Kemp was named the A’s nominee for the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award. Vote for Kemp at mlbtogether.com/clemente21.

The A’s Filipino Heritage Night, hosted by P-Lo and Anthony Presents, is coming up. Get your tickets at athletics.com/filipino.

Up Next
The A’s and Rangers will meet again on Saturday for game three at 4:05 p.m. Pacific. The A’s starting pitcher is TBD, while the Rangers’ starter will be Nathan Eovaldi (11-4, 2.95 ERA).

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s open three game match with Rangers at Globe Life tonight

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Oakland A’s pitcher Paul Blackburn will start for the A’s Fri Sep 8, 2023 at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington against the Texas Rangers for the first of a three game series (AP file photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1  The Oakland A’s beat the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday afternoon 5-2 to avoid being swept by the Jays. The A’s starter, JP Sears, earned his fourth win of the year. 

#2 It took work to defeat a very good Blue Jay team. The Jays are in contention to make the playoffs in the American League.

#3 Their starter, lefty Hyan Jin Ryu, baffled the A’s for the game’s first four innings. Ryu used various low curves, changeups, cutters, and four-seam fastballs to keep the A’s offense off balance.

#4 Also a lefty, Sears held the powerful Blue Jay lineup to four hits and one run in five innings. Sears made it through the Jays’ lineup three times and allowed only one run.

#5 The A’s open a three game series on Friday night in Arlington against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Stadium. The A’s will start Paul Blackburn (4-4 ERA 3.81) the Rangers have not announced a starter.

Join Jeremiah for the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Preview: A’s open three-game series with Texas Rangers in Arlington Friday

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Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Santiago Espinal, left, tags out Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker (25) during the fourth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Sep 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s are in Arlington, Texas, to start a six-game road trip Friday night against the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros. The Rangers have been playing poorly lately. The Astros just swept a three-game series from the Rangers, and their record in the last 19 games is four wins and 15 losses.

The Rangers played well in the first half of the season with a mark of 52-39. In the second half, the Rangers are 24-24. The Rangers, Astros, and Mariners are in a three-way race for the AL West division title. The Astros lead the Mariners by a games and have a three-game advantage over the Rangers.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners own the first and second playoff spots in the Wild Card race. The Toronto Blue Jays and the Rangers will fight for the third slot. The Blue Jays have a 1/2 game lead over Texas as of Sept. 7. The Rangers play the Blue Jays in Toronto next week.

The A’s would love to spoil the Rangers’ efforts to make the playoffs. The A’s are playing well. They finished the last homestand with a record of 4-2. They are 9-7 in their last 16 games. The A’s young players have helped the team improve.

Zack Gelof, Esteury Ruiz, Lawrence Butler, Ryan Noda, Brent Rooker, Shea Langeliers, and Nick Allen appear to be the team’s nucleus shortly. Former A’s pitcher Chris Bassitt, now with Toronto, remarked that most of his former A’s teammates are no longer with the club. The only players from his time with the A’s were Tony Kemp and Seth Brown.

The Rangers traded for Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery to bolster the starting rotation. The Astros sent Scherzer to an early shower yesterday. Nathan Eovaldi was shelled in his last start. He lasted just one and 1.3 of an inning. The bullpen needs to be up to the task. The Rangers traded for Aroldis Chapman to be their closer. The lefty from Cuba still has a fastball that travels over 100 MPH. Yet, he has not been successful lately.

The Rangers still have players that can cause damage to opposing pitchers. The A’s pitchers will have their hands full, containing the bats of players like catcher Jonah Heim, first baseman Nate Lowe, second baseman Marcus Semien, and shortstop Corey Seager.

Third baseman Josh Jung is out with an injury until Sept. 22. Jung was a contender for AL Rookie of the Year until the injury sidelined him. Outfielders Robbie Grossman and Leody Taveras are capable players and can be productive.

Adolis Garcia has caused the A’s problems in the past, but he is scuffling now. García notched his second All-Star appearance this year after a strong first half but has struggled with a .197/.293/. He has a 462 slash line since Aug. 1.

The Texas offense has coincidentally paralleled his struggles. Though García leads the AL in RBIs, he has struggled to come up with the big hit down the stretch. If the Rangers want to remain in the postseason picture, they will likely need García to be productive.

Friday night’s game will see the A’s Paul Balckburn (4-4 ERA 3.81) pitch for Oakland. The Rangers will send lefty Jordan Montgomery (8-10 ERA 3.46) to the hill to handle their pitching chores. The game will start at 6:05 pm

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Teachers Union Disagree with Schools Over Stadiums

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Clark County Education Association Executive Director John Vellardita is not part of Schools over Stadium and has been at odds with the NSEA since 2018 (file photo Nevada Independent)

Teachers Union Disagree with Schools Over Stadiums

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

There are more curves to this story, than the world’s famous Lombard Street in San Francisco. After a teacher’s union formed Schools Over Stadiums, in opposition to the Athletics building a park in Nevada, there is another teacher’s union in Las Vegas, Nevada who doesn’t support the Schools Over Stadium petition. I believe “not all teachers are created equal”.

This June, the Nevada State Education Association formed a political action committee called Schools Over Stadiums.Today they officially announced they have filed a referendum petition to repeal the funding of $380 million approved for the new A’s ballpark in Las Vegas. They claim that during that 82nd Legislative Session, Nevada legislators “failed to hear a single bill to reduce Nevada’s overcrowded classrooms.”

That same month in June, Nevada’s Governor Lombardo signed State Bill 1. Under this bill, $380 million in public funds for the ballpark were set aside. Steve Hill (an important player in Las Vegas) is the CEO and President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. According to Hill, room taxes from hotels in Las Vegas generated in the new Sports and Innovation District would help cover some of those costs.

It’s the same structure they put together to pay for Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. The MLB owners must approve the team moving to Las Vegas; a vote is expected in December. The demolition of the Tropicana, where the A’s have planned to build their new ballpark, is scheduled right after the owners vote.

The Nevada Secretary of State website, on the Schools Over Stadiums, specifies they would need hundreds of thousands of valid signatures from registered Nevada voters before it goes onto the ballot. For example, during the 2022 General Election, petitioners required at least 10% of the voters who voted during the previous General Election. In 2022, 10% meant 140,777 valid signatures. They will need to be collected and submitted by July 8, 2024. As of today, they haven’t started the collection of signatures yet, according to Schools Over Stadiums officials.

Not all Nevada Teachers Unions are reading from the same playbook. The Clark County Education Association (CCEA), which is not affiliated with NSEA and is the official bargaining unit for 18,000 licensed educators, including teachers in the Clark County School District (Las Vegas, the most populous city in the State), is not backing the “Schools Over Stadiums” petition.

CCEA and the statewide union have been at odds since 2018, when the former broke with NSEA.  “We’re not involved, and we wouldn’t follow the lead of an irrelevant organization,” Clark County Education Association Executive Director John Vellardita said in June, adding that Democrats passed the bill, a Republican governor signed it, and the stadium seems settled.

The Oakland A’s also signed a labor agreement with the Nevada Building Trades covering the stadium and has an agreement with the ballpark’s employees. This is the largest labor union in Nevada, the hospitality labor force associated with the AFL-CIO.

The Oakland A’s announced their schedule for the 2024 season, all home games will be played at the Oakland Coliseum.

 Note: In 2005 MLB moved the Montreal Expos to the American capital and renamed them the Washington Nationals. Montreal is the only city that has lost a significant league franchise since 1901 without eventually getting another team.

If the Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas, will Oakland get an expansion team? Nobody could answer that today, but other cities are “in line” to get an MLB expansion team. This June five of San José’s Mayors sent Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred a letter, asking MLB to permanently suspend territorial rights and create and avenue for the city to get an expansion team. San Jose, the Bay Area’s largest city wants a Major League team and if would merit great consideration, if the A’s leave for Las Vegas.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for the Oakland A’s action on the A’s Spanish radio network 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburgh and News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Petitions to hit Nevada districts to stop public funding of A’s Vegas ballpark

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Schools over Stadiums filed for a petition to get enough signatures on the ballot in four districts in Nevada to stop use of public funds for the A’s Tropicana ballpark in Las Vegas. (image from the Schools over Stadiums twitter account)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, Dawn Etcheverry, a music teacher and President of NSEA and Schools Over Stadiums in Nevada is moving on a petition referendum to stop the use of public funding tax dollars that would be used to build a ballpark at the Tropicana hotel and casino that was approved by the Nevada State Legislation in June in a special session.

#2 Etcheverry said the petition is pursuing every path possible to stop the use of public funding to pay for the Tropicana Park for a future Las Vegas A’s relocation. Etcheverry said that the Nevada voters were shutout in the process and didn’t have a say in the use of public funds for paying for the ballpark to the tune of $380 million.

#3 The organization Schools over Stadiums goal is to make sure public funding goes to public schools and not the Tropicana Park and once enough signatures are on the petitions from four the Nevada districts including Clark County which Las Vegas and Tropicana hotel are a part of the measure to stop using public money will be put on the ballot.

#4 If Nevadans vote to stop the use of public funds to build the Tropicana ball park succeeds the funding for the ballpark ceases and the A’s will have to seek private funding if they want to continue pursuing Las Vegas. They possibly could go back to the City of Oakland and negotiate terms about building at Howard Terminal.

#5 If everything goes as planned Schools over Stadiums will have the vote in November 2024, one year and two months from now. The MLB owners are voting on the A’s relocation in December. If the owners vote yes to relocate the A’s, the Schools over Stadiums measure could hold up shovels in the ground at the Tropicana until the voters have their say in Nov 2024.

Jerry Feitelberg does the Oakland A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s down Blue Jays 5-2; Oakland avoids getting swept by Toronto

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Oakland Athletics’ Kevin Smith hits a three-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Sep 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Oakland A’s beat the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday afternoon 5-2 to avoid being swept by the Jays. The A’s starter, JP Sears, earned his fourth win of the year. It took work to defeat a very good Blue Jay team. The Jays are in contention to make the playoffs in the American League.

Their starter, lefty Hyan Jin Ryu, baffled the A’s for the game’s first four innings. Ryu used various low curves, changeups, cutters, and four-seam fastballs to keep the A’s offense off balance. The curves came in around 62 miles per hour, and the changeups were in the 70 miles per hour category, the cutters in the eighties, and his fastball was timed at 91 miles per hour.

Also a lefty, Sears held the powerful Blue Jay lineup to four hits and one run in five innings. Sears made it through the Jays’ lineup three times and allowed only one run.

Toronto scored the first run of the game in the top of the second. Jays’ right-fielder Cavan Biggio led off the inning with a double. Sears retired Santiago Espinal for the first out. Shortstop Ernie Clement singled to drive in Biggio. Clement went to second on the throw to the plate. Sears was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. The Jays lead 1-0 midway through the second.

The A’s took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. A’s left-fielder Brent Rooker led off with a double. Rooker was thrown out at third, attempting to advance on Ryan Noda’s grounder to first. Jay’s first baseman, Vladamir Guerrero, Jr.’s throw to third nailed Rooker for the first out.

Rya retired Jordan Diaz for the second out. A’s catcher Carlos Ruiz sent Ryu’s 90 mph four-seam fastball into the seats near the foul pole in left field. The A’s lead 2-1 after four.

The A’s put three runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Trevor Richards was now pitching for Toronto. The first two hitters Richards faced, Jordan Diaz and Carlos Perez, singled. A’s third baseman homered for the fifth time this season to give the A’a a 5-1 lead after six.

With one out in the top of the eighth, Toronto’s second baseman Davis Schneider homered to make it a 5-2 game. A’s reliever Dany Jimenez regained his composure and retired the next two Toronto hitters to end the inning.

The A’s closer, Trevor May, held the Jays scoreless in the ninth to preserve the win for JP Sears. The A’s win 5-2.

Game Notes- With the win, the A’s improved to 43-97. The A’s are now 9-7 in their last sixteen games and are showing signs of improvement. The A’s finished the six-game homestand with a record of 4-2. The Blue Jays fall to 77-63.

The hitting stars for Oakland were catcher Carlos Perez and Kevin Smith. Perez’s two-run blast in the fourth gave the A’s the lead. Smith’s three-run Earl Weaver special in the sixth gave the A’s an unsurmountable advantage.

Mark Kotsay used four relievers Wednesday afternoon. Mason Miller returned to action after a long layoff on the IL. Miller pitched two innings and did not allow a hit. Dany Jimenez pitched the eighth and gave up a solo home run to Toronto’s Davis Schneider. Trevor May earned his 18th save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning.

The A’s are off on Thursday. Oakland will face the Rangers on Friday in Arlington, Texas. Paul Blackburn (4-4 ERA 3.81) will be on the mound, hoping to win his fifth of the year. The Rangers have yet to announce their starter.

The time of the game was two hours and nineteen minutes. There were 3,871 fans in attendance.

Oakland A’s report: Schools over Stadiums files petition to get initiative on ballot to stop public funding for A’s Vegas ballpark

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Rendering of the Las Vegas Tropicana Hotel and Casino ballpark. If successful the ballpark is expected to be completed by 2028 upon the approval vote of MLB owners in Dec 2023. Schools over Stadiums is attempting to put a measure on the ballot stopping public funding of the Vegas ballpark that vote could take place in Nov 2024. (rendering from the Oakland A’s)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Schools over Stadium a group who is working with the Nevada State Education Association filed a referendum petition to get a measure on the ballot that would prevent public funds to pay for a new A’s ballpark at the Tropicana hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip.

Dawn Etcheverry who is president of the NSEA and Schools over Stadiums and is a music teacher said that the organization is committed to pursue every possible path to stop the use of public funds to subsidize a new ballpark for owner John Fisher and the Oakland A’s.

Etcheverry raised the point that the people of Nevada did not have a say in the process during the Nevada State Legislature special session on public funds use for the ballpark. Etcheverry said that the priorities to use public funding for a stadium over schools and education in the state are misguided and that Nevada is 48th in the state on education should be priority for public funding rather than spending those funds on the Tropicana ballpark.

Etcheverry stated that the funds should go to Nevadans who depend on that money to go to public schools rather than the ballpark. Etcheverry pointed out that the 82nd Legislative session overlooked the overcrowding in classrooms in the state of Nevada, the lack of teachers, and the state has ignored streams of incomes for schools and public education.

If there are enough signatures on the petitions from the four Nevada districts which includes Clark County where the A’s plan to build at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip. The measure will be placed on the ballot and if the voters say no to public spending for the A’s new ballpark the A’s move to Las Vegas could be dead unless Fisher can find $380 million in private money for the Vegas ballpark.

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s commentary: What John Fisher Can Learn From San Jose Teams

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Oakland A’s owner John Fisher sitting in the Oakland A’s dugout is the subject of today’s feature Oakland A’s commentary (NBC Bay Area file photo)

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

By Troy Ewers

OAKLAND– With the end of the MLB season coming at the end of the month and the Oakland A’s two losses away from clinching their second consecutive last place finish in the AL West, the cloud looming over the A’s organization is the threat of leaving Oakland California.

The 2023 season was the year of the boycott. The year of “SELL THE TEAM” chants not just filling the Coliseum, but Oracle Park, the All Star Game in Seattle, and even areas outside of baseball, the boycott was the most talked about thing in Major League Baseball.

The change of location stems from no renovation to the current Coliseum or a new ballpark, but after the stubbornness of owner John Fisher, the negotiations of relocation became the norm starting in 2021. After two years of meetings and talks, Las Vegas became the nominee after Nevada approved a potential $380 million funding deal and the club submitting its relocation paperwork in August of 2023. 

At this point in the conversation, if everything is approved, the new stadium would be completed in Vegas for the 2027 season with Oakland most likely playing the three transition years in either Reno or Sacramento, but in the grand scheme of things, Oakland moving says John Fisher didn’t learn from other Bay Area entities.

Over the past weekend, San Jose State football had their first home game of the season in their newly renovated stadium with new facilities. Building these facilities and having their first game sell out with approximately 22,000 people, a number the A’s would love to have averaged this season, SJSU has the ability to attract big recruits, which will give them a better chance to win games, which in theory can bring more money to the school and an area of San Jose.

The San Jose Earthquakes opened their $100 million stadium that fits 18,000 in 2015 and even with an average team, the stadium is an attraction in the city (they just need better parking). These new facilities in San Jose aren’t just money makers for the organizations, but they make the area they’re in an attraction.

A sign at one of the A’s games said “Fisher should learn from the Quakes” and that sign may go on deaf ears, but it is the sad realization of where we are in this Oakland/Vegas location conversation, all that needed to be done was to build something new. 

In one of the most famous baseball movies ever, Field of Dreams, the most famous quote from the film is “if you build it they will come”, this quote contextually explains that if you build a baseball field, even in the middle of a corn field, people will show up to watch them play baseball.

In a city that lost the football team that was a cultural representation of the city, then lost the best basketball team of the last decade, and is experiencing a poverty problem that is reminiscent of Detroit after the 70’s, to lose a baseball team with such history would devastate the city to possibly irreversible magnitudes, especially if it’s announced after the season. 

Troy Ewers is a beat reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com