Tag: Vivek Ranadivé

Sacramento A’s podcast Shooty Babitt Tue May 27, 2025: The talk is getting louder that MLB playing minor league parks isn’t working

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Los Angeles Angels pitcher Hunter Strickland throws a pitch to the Sacramento A’s hitter Miguel Andujar in the bottom of the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on Tue May 20, 2025. There have been a number of publications questioning the quality of the Major League Baseball being payed in minor league parks. (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Shooty Babitt:

#1 Shooty, there have been a number of publications discussing the Sacramento A’s playing in a minor league park isn’t the best idea after all. The A’s have the worst home record in baseball at 9-19. The A’s have have been involved in lopsided games and at just recently completed an 11 game losing streak.

#2 The A’s completed a seven game homestand running from May 19-25 and lost six of those seven games all at home before winning Sun May 25 which turned out to be the game that ended their 11 game losing streak.

#3 The ballplayers have been restrained about criticizing playing at Sutter Health Park the minor league home of the Sacramento River Cats a San Francisco Giants triple A affiliate. Just small hints of the players not so excitable feelings have been dropped one by A’s pitcher Luis Severino who said Sutter Health was a minor league park and A’s manager Mark Kotsay saying the site lines when a ball is hit down the left field line you can’t see it from where he’s standing in the dugout.

#4 The long and short of it Shooty should the A’s put an end to this three year interim agreement with the Rivercats owner Vivek Ranadive and open up discussions with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to return to the Coliseum and play their final two years after this season in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas in 2028? The Coliseum isn’t perfect but it’s a big league stadium and it would be a good temporary place until the Vegas park is built?

#5 The A’s had the day off on Monday and open a two game series in Houston on Tuesday night at Daikin Field in Houston. The A’s will be going with starter LHP JP Sears (4-4 ERA 4.00) Astros RHP Hunter Brown (6-3 ERA 2.04) will start to open the brief series first pitch is 5:10pm PDT.

Shooty Babitt is a former 1981 second baseman for the Oakland A’s, Shooty worked as an NBC Sports Bay Area A’s analyst and is currently a scout for the A’s and filled in for Tony Renteria who does the A’s podcasts each Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings Eliminated by Mavericks 120-106 in Play-In; Monte McNair Fired Immediately After Game

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Monte McNair ex GM (right) and owner Vivek Ranadive (left) of the Sacramento Kings (Photo: ESPN on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–In a whirlwind of a season for the Kings, it all came down to one game. The Kings and Mavericks played in the Western Conference 9/10 play-in game on Wednesday night inside Golden 1 Center.

The sold-out crowd inside G1C was raucous from the start as the Kings looked for a win and a date with the Memphis Grizzlies in a second play-in game for the eighth seed. The Kings and Mavs largely had similar seasons marred with turmoil and turnover.

The Mavs made what many consider to be the worst trade in NBA history, shipping Luka Doncic out for the Lakers’ Anthony Davis. On the other hand, the Kings traded All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox and head coach Mike Brown during the season. Neither team could afford to lose the game, but one was destined to. The Sacramento Kings’ season ended on Wednesday as they lost to the Mavs 120-106.

In the first quarter, the Kings got off to a solid start. The pace and intensity matched the Mavericks’, and the Kings outscored them 29-27 in the opening quarter. It seemed the Kings came to play; however, the first quarter would be the only quarter in which the game was close.

In the second quarter, the Mavs exploded for 44 points compared to the Kings’ 19. The Kings appeared to lose all will to live in the game. I felt as if I was watching someone slowly die after the body had given up. The Kings went into halftime trailing the Mavs 71-48.

In the third quarter, the Mavs continued to pour it on. Dallas outscored the Kings 33-28 in the third as all hopes of a Kings comeback were snuffed out. The Kings continued to struggle to contain the Mavs, as their size and length proved too much for Sacramento.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings had all but mailed it in. The Kings couldn’t mount any comeback as they were blown off their home court by the final of 120-106. The Kings went out with a whimper in the 2024-2025 campaign. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings in defeat with 30 points in 43 minutes of action.

Immediately following the game, while reporters were in the locker room, I got word from a league source that Kings head coach Monte McNair was fired.

Following the news, players were called into a meeting while some still showered—another cog in the wild turn of events that was the Kings’ season.

The Kings will hold exit interviews later this week, and the media will get one last chance to talk to this current group of players.

A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Mayor of West Sacramento is convinced city can build 40-50 thousand seat ballpark for A’s

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Sacramento Rivercats owner Vivek Ranadive has welcomed A’s owner John Fisher at Sutter Health Park for the 2025-27 seasons before the team moves to Las Vegas (Sacramento Bee photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero said that the City of West Sacramento can build a 40 to 50 thousand seat stadium along the Sacramento River and Mayor Guerrero said that she’s convinced that they can bring Major League Baseball to West Sacramento.

#2 Guerrero said that West Sacramento would like to work with the land owners near the river to see how they would like to shape it. They would help with the design and the city would help navigate with the existing land that they have.

#3 A’s owner John Fisher when he came up for the press conference in West Sacramento said that he mentioned West Sacramento as an interesting place to play ball. It’s something that the A’s would consider.

#4 The Tropicana in Las Vegas already has demoed the towers and is clearing the space for the ball park. What’s left is the John Fisher family to put together the $1 billion for the construction costs of the park. The deadline to make the construction cost payment is Dec 5th where the Las Vegas Stadium Authority will be holding a meeting.

#5 One thing to keep in mind the population contrast with Sacramento vs. West Sacramento is a huge gap. Sacramento’s population is 526,384 and West Sacramento’s population 55,842. Also to keep in mind West Sacramento is in Yolo County which is much smaller than Sacramento. With West Sacramento having the smaller population and less taxes coming in how would they pay for a ball park?

Join Daniel for the Oakland A’s podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s say they’re in good shape on ballpark construction costs won’t need to use all $380 million of state money

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Sandy Dean a family business partner of Oakland A’s owner John Fisher addresses the Las Vegas Stadium Authority at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Thu Jul 18, 2024 regarding the financing of the Tropicana ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip. (photo by the Nevada Independent)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 The Las Vegas Stadium Authority was notified by the Oakland A’s that they are in good financial standing and will not need to use all of the $380 million in public funds to pay for the construction towards the Tropicana ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip.

#2 The Stadium Authority met with Sandy Dean on Thursday. Dean a business partner with Oakland A’s owner John Fisher said the team is in “good shape” asked how the A’s are in good shape and where the finances were coming from to cover the $1.2 billion in construction costs Dean didn’t comment.

#3 Dean stated at the meeting that the A’s intend to use $350 million of the $380 million in public funds. Dean said the A’s never planned to use the full amount and that the remaining funding will be off set by debt financing.

#4 Public financing of the ballpark comes from transferable credits $180 million coming from the State of Nevada, another $120 million coming from Clark County bonds, and county infrastructure costs will run $25 million. So it looks like Nevada is ready to pitch in for their share of the costs.

#5 Still after the meeting the question of where Fisher was going to come up with his share of the construction costs at $1.2 million was an issue. In a March 2024 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle Fisher told the paper that payments for the construction costs at $200 million from debt, $500 million from the Fisher family, and another $500 million from investors. It’s mid July and there has been no word on where the money is coming from from Fisher’s share of the construction costs other than Dean saying the A’s are in “good shape” to cover the costs on the public money.

#6 News out of Sacramento Vivek Ranadive said that he’s prepared to spend millions for improvements to upgrade the park to MLB specs over the off season as the A’s will open the 2025 season at Sutter Health Park. The discussion of playing on turf has the Players Union concerned and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said all they have to do is put some water on the turf and that should cool things off and solve the problem.

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

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Nevada may not sit still for A’s barnstorming ideas

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Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Mary Beth Sewald and Oakland A’s owner John Fisher at a preview regarding the A’s move to Las Vegas on Wed Jan 24, 2024. Sewald might be in for a disappointment after it was learned the A’s plan to play 10% of their home games away from Las Vegas (file photo by the Nevada Independent)

On the Oakland A’s Relocaton podcast with Daniel:

#1 Not only are the Oakland A’s relocating after this season to Sacramento in 2025 and Las Vegas in 2028 once they land in Vegas they plan to play ten percent of their home games in different locations for the purpose of marketing the team.

#2 Daniel, this idea is not go over too well with Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steven Hill who pushed for the A’s move to Vegas now only to learn that 10% of the scheduled home games will be played elsewhere and take away that revenue from the City of Las Vegas?

#3 How much of this idea can infuriate not only Hill but also the Nevada State Legislature who is giving the A’s and Bally’s $380 million in public funds to help pay for the Tropicana ballpark?

#4 The A’s could very well be liking the idea of making Sacramento their permanent home. A’s owner John Fisher could be looking at working with Sacramento Rivercats owner and Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive towards the idea of building and MLB park in Sacramento and getting out of the Las Vegas deal by entertaining the 10% home away from home idea?

#5 The idea of the A’s getting out of Vegas and MLB approving it would relieve Fisher from trying to come up with his share of the construction costs at $500 million and it would give Las Vegas an opportunity to still use the $380 million of public funds towards a MLB expansion team.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Sacramento Baseball A’s and River Cats

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Sutter Health Park a panoramic view. The Park will be the interim home of the A’s for the 2025-28 seasons.

Sacramento Baseball: A’s and River Cats

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The most recent statistics from the State of California list the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom Metro Area with 2,397,382 residents. Only the Los Angeles-San Bernardino-Ontario-Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura Metropolitan Area, the nine-country San Francisco-San José-Oakland Metropolitan Area and San Diego and the surrounding area have a higher population concentration than the Sacramento Metro.

The baseball question many have in mind. Are there enough baseball fans to support a Major League team in the Sacramento Area? Since 2016, these are the official attendance records for the Minor League Sacramento Rivercats. 2016: 609,666. 2017: 562,237. 2018: 538,785. 2018: 549,440. 2020: Covid. 2021: 256,714. 2023: 388,246.

Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento’s capacity is 10,624 (fixed seats), 14,014 total. Including Fixed Seats, Lawn, and Standing Room). If you are wondering about minor league baseball parks, Sahlen Field, home of the International League Buffalo Bisons, has the highest seating capacity of all active Triple-A teams in the US, 16,600, while Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium has the lowest capacity, 6,500.

It could be complicated for the A’s and the Rivercats to share Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento starting in 2025; with such a small capacity that it is not close to Major League standards, they need many improvements.

In a recent release from NBA Sacramento Kings, the majority owner of the River Cats said MLB is working with both teams to ensure that their schedule meets MLB and MiLB guidelines and that they have dedicated facility space.

They plan to modify Sutter Health Park, which had just undergone a multi-million dollar renovation, which includes upgrading LED lighting and adding a clubhouse scheduled to be completed before the 2025 season.

By now, it is known that Mr.Vivek Ranadivé, owner of the Kings and the River Cats, is the most powerful man in Sacramento regarding sports. Tony Clark, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, will have to approve all of the above for the 2025 season and for the Oakland A’s to play in Sacramento before the 2025 season.

This is what is happening with Sutter Health Park in Sacramento to date. According to the Las Vegas Business Review, the Nevada Supreme Court did not decide Tuesday after hearing arguments regarding a challenge to the Oakland Athletics public funding bill of $380 million.

Schools Over Stadiums were each given 17 minutes to argue their sides to the seven Supreme Court justices on why a lower court’s 2023 decision regarding a petition opposing Senate Bill 1, the A’s stadium public financing bill signed into law last year, should be upheld or appealed.

That one is now in the hands of the lawyers, and when lawyers get involved, only God knows. Mark Twain (1835-1910) observed correctly about lawyers: “Lawyers are like other people–fools on the average; but it is easier for an ass to succeed in that trade than any other.” And this is how the ball bounces.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Schools over Stadiums in appeals court to stop public funding of A’s Vegas ballpark

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Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas who locked their doors to the public on Apr 2, 2024. This is a look at the outside of the Tropicana on Fri Apr 5, 2024. This is the hopeful site for the A’s to move to by opening day 2028. Schools over Stadiums are seeking to get the Nevada Court of Appeals to approve legal language for their petition drive to get an initiative on the ballot to stop SB1 the public funding of the Tropicana ballpark. Schools over Stadiums if allowed to go forward will need over 102,000 signatures split amongst four Nevada Districts ready by Jun 1, 2024 to the Nevada State register of voters. (photo by Sports Radio Service staff)

On the Oakland podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, Schools over Stadiums is in the Nevada State of Appeals Court trying to get the language for a petition drive to get an initiative on the state November ballot to stop SB1 public funding for the Tropicana ballpark for the A’s. In appeals court on Wednesday Schools over Stadiums remarks to the court were “John Fisher does not pay his lawyer because he cares about the finer points of constitutional law in Nevada…” and “What this has been about from the beginning is delay, driving up our bills, and keeping this off the ballot.”

#2 NBC reported that Schools over Stadiums also said in court on Wednesday that polling results from Jackson County MO an Emerson Poll that “a majority of Las Vegas voters oppose public money going towards a baseball stadium for the A’s, taxpayers should have the opportunity to vote on where this public money goes.”

#3 Also reported when the A’s president David Kaval turned down the Oakland Coliseum’s five year $97 million offer Kaval said it was above market rate and Oakland Mayor Chief of Staff Leigh Hanson countered saying while the deal was above market rate the city is not receiving parking revenue from the Coliseum, the city gets no cut from concessions from food or beverages and is only getting a small share of the ticket revenue. Kaval then said “this isn’t going to work for us.” Hanson said this isn’t about getting the cheapest deal for you but what is going to work for the city.

#4 Jerry, the national media has been working on this story about Schools over Stadiums being in the Nevada Court of Appeals and there is an indication that if allowed by the court to put the language on the petition drive it could spell trouble for the A’s financing for the Tropicana ballpark could it force John Fisher and David Kaval to possibly return to the table with the City of Oakland or hatch a deal with Sacramento. There could be a legal fight to try and keep the A’s in Oakland that’s a ways down the road right now.

#5 With 76 days left are left on how language on how a ballot initiative will read to stop SB1 the decision will rest in the hands of a seven member Supreme Court. Lawyers from both sides of the argument from the labor union arguing this measure will prevent jobs and have an economic impact on Las Vegas and Nevada. Schools over Stadiums lawyers argued that being the 48th state in education and 49th in class room sizes the $380 million of public money going to a stadium should be going to education and the time is critical to get the petition started.

#6 Jerry deputy executive director of government relations for the NSEA Chris Daly said that time is running out that once the court is to approve the legal language for the ballot initiative that gives Schools over Stadiums just less than 75 days to get these petitions printed and petition gatherers on the ground and start seeking over 102,000 signatures.

Jerry Feitelberg cover the Oakland A’s for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: A’s trademark “Sacramento A’s” but will be known only as A’s for 2025-27 seasons

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Oakland A’s owner John Fisher addresses the media at Sutter Health Park on Thu Apr 4, 2024 announcing the A’s and Sacramento River Cats have reached a deal to use the ballpark for 2025-27 seasons for the A’s home games (AP News photo)

On Headline Sports with Charlie O:

#1 Some in the media have called this Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in making the A’s playing the interim years in Sacramento 2025-27 an inside job can you take us as to why that is?

#2 On Tuesday after the Coliseum and the City of Oakland made the offer to the A’s to play the next five years with a three year opt out at $97 million it was reject and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao countered with a $60 million year offer and that was rejected. Was it a matter of the cost being too high for the A’s or they just wanted to reject the offer no matter what and get to Sacramento.

#3 Fisher and Sacramento Rivercats owner Vivek Ranadive know each other previously did that make the deal to go to Sutter Health and Sacramento an easy decision to make. Sources say the deal was around $35 million for the three interim years.

#4 It’s not over yet the Vegas deal could fall through, John Fisher may not be able to come up with his share of the construction costs at $1.5 million for the Tropicana ballpark and Schools over Stadiums who are a wild card are about to get their petition to ask Nevada voters to turn back the public monies for the ballpark is now going to the Nevada State Court of Appeals on Tuesday.

#5 If it does fail in Las Vegas how realistic is it that the A’s would consider Sacramento. Also the A’s have trademarked Sacramento A’s although they’ll call themselves just the A’s for the three interim years.

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: How will MLB work in a minor league park?

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Sutter Health Park in Sacramento the home of the A’s for the 2025-27 seasons as it looked on Fri Mar 4, 2024 during the press conference for Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 The Oakland Athletics announced today that they have agreed with the Sacramento Kings, the owners of the Sacramento River Cats, to play for three years at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento with an option for a fourth year, as they await for their supposed new ballpark in Las Vegas to somehow open.

#2 According to sources, Schools Over Stadiums will be in the Nevada Supreme Court arguing against the funding of SB1, the bill that gives government funding to the A’s ballpark. Another hurdle is the fact that A’s Owner John Fisher has not made any indication that he has the money to cover his part of the Tropicana stadium.

#3 It is quite a remarkable move for Sacramento and the Kings, considering the Kings nearly left Sacramento on several different occasions under the ownership of Joe and Gavin Maloof, two irresponsible owners with the same level of ethics and trustworthiness as John Fisher.

#4 What makes it even more infuriating is that the A’s will not even use Sacramento in their name while they bring Major League Baseball to the city for the first time. In fact, they won’t use any city’s name; for at least the next three years, they will be referred to as just the “Athletics” or the “A’s.”

#5 How will Major League Baseball work in a minor league park? How many changes will the Rivercats and A’s have to make to the park to make it work for the interim three years?

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s to play home games in Sacramento in 2025; As the Park Turns – What Sacramento will not ask the A’s

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Outside of Sutter Health Park a simulated West Sacramento Bridge slide next to the real one equipped with glove in the children’s playground. Sutter Health Park will be the home of the 2025-28 Oakland A’s while the Tropicana Ballpark in Las Vegas will be constructed and ready by 2028. (photo by Sutter Health Park)

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s will be playing their 2025 season at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento as the A’s and Sacramento River Cats owner Vivek Ranadive have come to agreement and pathway for the A’s to play all their home games in Sacramento. The details of the plan are forthcoming at the end of the week according to Sactown Sports.

The A’s announced Tuesday after they reviewed the “leaked to the media” proposal/offer to the A’s to extend their Coliseum lease for five years (minimum of three) for $97 million plus other demands. The A’s put a press release stating that they did not agree and that no further meetings were planned with Oakland officials. This long A’s stadium saga is not as long as ‘As the World Turns”, the legendary TV Soap Opera that ran on CBS for 54 years. But it is becoming like the Telemundo “Esmeralda”.

Nobody knows how this is going to end. Many say, “It is not a done deal,” leaving from Oakland to Las Vegas. I agree that the only “done deal” in life are taxes and death and that The Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel has closed its doors after more than six decades of memories. The famed venue, home to the city’s longest-running cabaret, The Folies Bergere, nearly made it to its 67th anniversary before closing on Tuesday, April 2. We know these things are a “done deal”.

However, we know that Sacramento will not ask for the following:

1-Sacramento will not ask the A’s for $97 million to play there for three years or maybe five. 2-They will not ask the A’s to sell half of their stake in the Alameda-County Coliseum, among other demands Oakland had in that proposal, including extending their lease. Oakland is not Sacramento.

However, Sacramento is especially interested in the A’s because, as a “trial for a few years” at Sutter Park, if they get the A’s, they are banking that they can prove to Major League Baseball that their city of Sacramento should be seriously considered for a future expansion team.

Sutter Park’s 14,000-plus capacity is not MLB standard, but for the A’s in the last few years, including the first home stand this 2024 season, that is a good crowd. Opening Night at Oakland 2024 last Thursday, 13,522 fans attended the game against Cleveland, and at least half were rooting for the Guardians, maybe more. The A’s fans’ noise came from the crowd boycotting in the parking lot.

But let’s get to the point. David Samson was the President of the Major League Miami Marlins from 2002 to 2017. He was involved with the new Marlins Park next to Little Havana in Miami—the ins and outs of the new Marlins Park.

Samson hosts “Nothing Personal,” a top-rated podcast. He has been following the A’s stadium situation for a long time. This is what Mr. Samson said a day before the A’s met with the City of Oakland, and they did not agree to the 3-5 year extension at the Oakland Coliseum. By the way, Samson also predicted that nothing would be decided upon during the meeting (the third) between the A’s and Oakland. He has experience as an MLB team President, especially when his team, the Marlins, was building their new ballpark, which they play today,

Mr. Samson said this on his podcast: “The A’s need to find a stadium to play before Las Vegas Stadium if they even open. In other words, they need to get a deal in Sacramento and negotiate a deal with their TV partner. Figure out the logistics with the Rivercats.

They have to make sure it is a Major League-ready facility and what this is code for; it doesn’t mean the fans have to have concession stands or that there is good ingress and egress. When you say Major League ready, all that means is players’ facilities behind the scenes you do not see as a fan. It means the weight room, the food room, how the players get to the clubhouse, how they get to the bullpen, all the pleasures and comfort that Tony Clark loves to make sure players enjoy during the season.” (quote)

Commissioner Rob Manfred is under pressure to deliver a playing baseball-ready park for the Oakland A’s while building their new facility in Las Vegas, expected to be ready for Opening Day 2028. Manfred said MLB needs a schedule.

The other teams (including the A’s) deserve a schedule very soon; that is the norm. Tony Clark is the Executive Director of the Major League Players Association. Sure, he will have to say that if Sutter Park is a “baseball-ready” facility, everybody knows it is a minor league park, but the A’s are running out of options. The A’s and the City of Oakland have been butting heads for a long time. Some say today (Wednesday), Sacramento might have a deal in place.

The Next chapter is being scripted.

Adiós.

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