Oakland Athletics to start looking at relocating elsewhere, sources say

The Oakland Athletics will start exploring the possibility of relocating with the blessing of Major League Baseball, a move that could put pressure on local government officials to greenlight a new stadium project that has spent years in limbo, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

The A’s, who have played in Oakland since 1968, have prioritized building a waterfront stadium in downtown Oakland at the Howard Terminal site. But after years of failed stadium plans—and weeks after the organization asked for the city council to vote on the $12 billion mixed-use development before its late-July summer recess—the long-anticipated specter of the A’s looking into relocation on Tuesday became a reality.

“The future success of the A’s depends on a new ballpark,” A’s owner John Fisher said in a statement. “Oakland is a great baseball town, and we will continue to pursue our waterfront ballpark project. We will also follow MLB’s direction to explore other markets.”

The A’s are the lone remaining major professional sports team in Oakland after the NBA’s Golden State Warriors moved across the bay to San Francisco and the Raiders left for Las Vegas. Their pursuit of a new stadium to replace the now-55-year-old RingCentral Coliseum has included multiple sites in Oakland, dalliances with Fremont and San Jose, and two decades without a groundbreaking.

The Howard Terminal project—in which the A’s have proposed privately funding a $1 billion stadium and spending more on a development that would include 3,000 units of affordable housing, office and retail space, and a hotel—is the latest and has been seen as the likeliest to succeed.

A’s to Oakland City Council: Time to vote on our ballpark

On Friday, three years after proposing a waterfront ballpark in Oakland, the A’s put their financial cards on the table: a billion-dollar ballpark, privately financed, with an additional $450 million in community benefits, including affordable housing. The project would include development of a neighborhood surrounding the 35,000-seat ballpark, similar to what the Angels have pledged to develop around Angel Stadium.

The A’s ask the city to pay $855 million in infrastructure improvements, using taxes generated by the project. The A’s estimated total development costs for the project, in which they likely would partner with private developers, are $12 billion.

In a letter released Friday, Oakland Athletics President Dave Kaval asked the City Council to vote on the project before the council recesses for the summer.

The A’s also would like the right to develop the Oakland Coliseum site, where they currently play and where the Golden State Warriors and Las Vegas Raiders used to play. The Coliseum site is not mentioned in the term sheet submitted by the A’s Friday. Kaval previously told The Times that the A’s could pay for the waterfront ballpark even if the city did not grant the team development rights to the Coliseum, although revenue from that development could help with private financing of the ballpark.

Oakland A’s Discuss Paying Player Salaries in Crypto

Oakland A’s president Dave Kaval tells SportTechie that the next round of collective bargaining negotiations in Major League Baseball and other sports could include stipulations on paying players in cryptocurrency.

When asked if A’s players have expressed interest in receiving salary payments in crypto, Kaval said, “I’ve talked to some of our players, and yes they are. I wouldn’t be surprised that in the next CBA, you might see that as a topic. One of the bargaining points might be receiving payment in crypto. That negotiation is just starting in baseball, but you have that happening in other sports too.”

Earlier this season, the A’s became the first MLB club to complete a cryptocurrency transaction by selling a full-season suite to digital asset trading platform Voyager for one Bitcoin. The suites sell for $65,000, roughly equivalent to Bitcoin’s current price of almost $60,000.

Oakland A’s outline ballpark plans in environmental impact report

The city released a crucial environmental report outlining the potential impacts and specific details of the proposed 35,000-seat waterfront ballpark the Oakland A’s want to build.

In addition to 3,000 residences, up to 1.5 million square feet of commercial office space and 270,000 square feet of retail or dining, the proposed project from the A’s would include an indoor performance venue that could fit 3,500 people, up to 400 hotel rooms and more than 18 acres of open space.

The project would be developed in multiple phases, according to the plans listed in the report. Construction of the first phase would include building the ballpark, up to 540 housing units, small portions of the retail and commercial space, and the hotels rooms. It would also include about 12 of the total acres of outdoor park space.

It would take at least two years to build the first phase, according to the document, but the timing on the rest of the buildout is even less specific. Building the rest of the proposed project would depend on “market demand” and “financial feasibility,” according to the impact report.

Closer Trevor Rosenthal, Oakland Athletics reach 1-year, $11M deal, sources say

Closer Trevor Rosenthal and the Oakland Athletics are in agreement on a one-year, $11 million contract, sources familiar with the deal confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.

Rosenthal, 30, had been seeking a four-year contract, but the free-agent market for relief pitchers had cratered. He did have multiyear options, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan, but he chose the higher annual salary and save opportunities that Oakland offered.

The right-hander was 1-0 with 11 saves and a 1.90 ERA in 23 relief appearances last season for Kansas City and San Diego, which acquired him on Aug. 29. He joined the Padres in the middle of a rebound season after struggling with injuries and poor performance in recent years.

Sources: Designated hitter Mitch Moreland, Oakland A’s agree to one-year deal

Designated hitter Mitch Moreland and the Oakland A’s have agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million major league contract, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Moreland hit .328 with eight homers and 21 RBIs for the Boston Red Sox last season before being traded to the San Diego Padres in August, where he hit .203 with two homers and eight RBIs in 69 at-bats.

Moreland became a free agent after the Padres declined his $3 million option in November.

Oakland Athletics bolster bullpen, reach agreements with Yusmeiro Petit, Sergio Romo

Veteran reliever Yusmeiro Petit has agreed to a $2.55 million, one-year contract to stay with the Oakland Athletics, pending a physical, his agent said.

The deal could pay the right-handed Petit up to $3 million based on incentives for games pitched, agent Rafael Godoy said Sunday night.

“He’s excited to return. It was his first choice all along,’’ Godoy told the AP via text message. “The team had been in contact all winter.’‘

Also Sunday, Oakland was closing in on a $2.25 million, one-year deal with veteran righty reliever Sergio Romo, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Romo also still must pass a physical.

A’s trade Sheldon Neuse to Dodgers for Adam Kolarek in four-player deal

The A’s are trading infielder Sheldon Neuse and minor league pitcher Gus Varland to the Los Angeles Dodgers for lefty reliever Adam Kolarek and minor league outfielder Cody Thomas, the organization announced Friday morning.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported details of the transaction.

Neuse is the A’s No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, and is a versatile infielder who has 14 hits over 56 MLB at-bats. Varland is the A’s No. 28 prospect, and the 24-year-old most recently pitched for the Stockton Ports in High-A.

Kolarek was one of the Dodgers’ top relievers in 2020, going 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA over 20 regular-season appearances. The 32-year-old southpaw didn’t find as much success in the postseason, allowing a 13.50 ERA over four appearances on LA’s path to a World Series title.

Thomas is the Dodgers’ 29th ranked prospect, and slashed .236/.308/.443 overall with 23 home runs in 130 games in his last full season with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. Another lefty, Thomas brings some power to the organization and likely will begin his career with the A’s in Triple-A with the Las Vegas Aviators.

Mike Fiers: Agrees to terms with Athletics

Fiers signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Athletics on Saturday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Fiers will return to Oakland on a one-year agreement after spending the past two seasons with the team. He made 11 starts during the abbreviated 2020 campaign, recording a 4.58 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 59 innings. The right-hander doesn’t have elite strikeout rates, but he’s had good control and should begin the 2021 season in the Athletics’ rotation once again.

Elvis Andrus to Oakland for Khris Davis, per reports

MLB Trade Rumors: Elvis Andrus is heading to the Oakland A’s for Khris Davis, per Ken Rosenthal on Twitter. The Texas Rangers would be sending their (by far) longest-tenured player, and the last link to the World Series teams, to the A’s in a swap of bad contracts. Per Jeff Passan, the A’s are getting another player in the deal, and the Rangers are getting Jonah Heim and Dane Acker in return. The Rangers are apparently sending cash in this deal.

Elvis, who has $28 million still due on his current deal, with a $15 million vesting option for 2023 that is guaranteed if he is traded, also has 10-5 rights, so he presumably has already agreed to waive his no trade clause, and I suspect is also waiving the right to have the final year of his deal guaranteed as part of this trade. The A’s have been in the market for a shortstop, with Marcus Semien signing elsewhere, and thus gives Elvis the chance to once again be the everyday shortstop for what is potentially a contending team, rather than having a bench role on a rebuilding club.

Full trade, per sources: SS Elvis Andrus, C Aramís García and cash to Athletics. DH Khris Davis, C Jonah Heim and RHP Dane Acker to Rangers. First on Garcia: @Evan_P_Grant.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 6, 2021

Source: #Rangers are sending $13.5 million to Oakland in Elvis Andrus-Khris Davis deal.

— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilson_FWST) February 6, 2021

DORKTOWN: THE 1976 OAKLAND A’S STOLE NEARLY A MILE WORTH OF BASES VS. ONE TEAM

But one team in particular, way more than any other team, was the subject of their wrath. And the identity of that team — the Minnesota Twins — does not make a whole helluva lot of sense.

Across 18 A’s-Twins games, Oakland thrice stole at least seven bases. That was half of the entire MLB total:

The Minnesota Twins employed three catchers 1976: Butch Wynegar, Glenn Borgmann, and Phil Roof, and each of the three had one of those games done on their watch. In two of the three, the A’s reached nine stolen bases against ’em, which:

In one of those games, they stole twelve (12) bases. No one else in the live-ball era has ever stolen 11 bases in a game, and only twice (a 2000 Marlins game and a 1996 Rockies game) has a team stolen 10.

Former Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart bids $115 million on share of Oakland Coliseum

Former Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart submitted a $115 million bid to buy the city of Oakland’s share of the Coliseum with plans to develop the site, he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

With both the NBA’s Warriors and NFL’s Raiders leaving the site in recent years, the A’s are the last pro team using the Coliseum. The team has undergone steps to build a new ballpark at Howard Terminal, about seven miles uptown.

The A’s currently own the other half of the Coliseum.

In a Tweet on Saturday night, Stewart, who grew up in the area, said doing “right by our community” is the driving force behind the bid. He told the Chronicle he has ideas of developing the area and potentially building a new stadium there if plans for the Howard Terminal ballpark fall through.

Source: A’s interested in Manny Ramirez

Just BillybeingBilly.

The Oakland Athletics are “very interested” in making Manny Ramirez their designated hitter next season, a source told ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com.

Ramirez, 39, has been working out in Miami since December and has plans to have open workout sessions for clubs interested in his services at the end of January.

Last week, ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com reported that the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays had a look at Ramirez batting in an indoor cage.

“The Orioles and Blue Jays saw Manny work and Baltimore liked what it saw, but Oakland has been the team that has expressed the most interest, even before having him work out,” the source said.

Ramirez, a .312 lifetime hitter with 555 home runs and 1,831 career RBIs over 19 seasons, was reinstated by Major League Baseball from the “voluntarily retired” list after the Dominican player opted to leave the game instead of serving a second suspension for violating the league’s banned substances policy in 2011 while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Camden Depot: Rick Peterson Breaks Fewer Pitchers?

Jon Shepherd takes a first look at Rick Peterson’s record in keeping pitchers off the disabled list.

Rick Peterson and his pitching lab will apparently be in full effect for the Orioles in 2012.  His analytical technique has been hailed as a major prevention tool against injuries.  I have disabled list numbers of starting pitchers from part of his tenure with the A’s and all of his tenure with the Mets, giving us a time line from 2001 to 2007.  I also have disabled numbers of Orioles’ starting pitchers in 2009 and 2010.

Jonny Gomes to Sign with A’s

The Oakland Athletics are poised to sign Jonny Gomes, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Slusser points out that he’s a local favorite set to join the club after Billy Beane indicated after the Seth Smith trade that he could be looking for more depth in the outfield.

Gomes, 31, has spent most of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays but was with the Cincinnati Reds for a couple seasons and then spent part of 2011 in DC. He’s never been an especially good hitter (being kind to the guy with the mohawk, ok?) but does have a little pop, with a career line of .242 / .329 / .451. If you’re playing at home, think Adam Dunn without the walks.

Thanks to Ferg.

Orlando Cabrera To Retire From Baseball

OH NO, EXPO!

Last season, Orlando Cabrera batted .238 with the Indians and Giants, posting a 61 OPS+. The season before that, he posted a 76 OPS+. The season before that, he posted an 85 OPS+. Orlando Cabrera has been declining, and just turned 37 years old. As a free agent, Cabrera didn’t drum up much interest, which I’m guessing is why he’s intending to hang ‘em up. Enrique Rojas:

  “Orlando Cabrera to retire from baseball, he said in Colombia radio station. Thanks for memories!”

Cabrera had a long career that’ll be difficult to forget. He debuted with the Expos in 1997, and remained there until the giant Nomar Garciaparra three-way trade in 2004. That year, with the Red Sox, Cabrera won a World Series. He wound up with the Angels, earning the unfortunate nickname “The Wizard of O.C.”, and then he wound up with the White Sox, and the A’s, and the Twins, and the Reds, and the Indians, and the Giants ... He remained a shortstop to the end, and collected 2,055 hits. He will always be remembered as a pest. An absolute pest.

A’s trade Moscoso, Outman for Seth Smith

#### THE GOLDEN GLOBES!

Billy Beane’s Oakland A’s continued their extreme offseason makeover Monday with yet another trade. This time Beane shipped pitchers Josh Outman and Guillermo Moscoso to the Rockies for outfielder Seth Smith—who has been involved in trade rumors throughout the offseason.

Smith, 29, has served mostly as a fourth outfielder type for the Rockies since 2008, but he got a career high 533 plate appearances last season. He hit .284/.347/.483 with 15 homers, 32 doubles and 10 stolen bases. He hasn’t played center field since 2008, so he’s best used as a corner outfielder. He’ll likely be the starter in left field with Coco Crisp in center and Josh Reddick in right. Of course, prospect Michael Taylor is going to figure in the mix at some point.

One item of note: Smith’s career splits indicate he was hugely helped by Coors Field. He’s hit .296/.366/.559 at home and .257/.332/.418 on the road. And Oakland plays in one of the worst hitters’ parks in the majors.

Moscoso, 28, was 8-10 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 128 innings last season. Outman, 27, was 3-5 with a 3.70 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings. And, again, we’ll note that these two pitchers are going from having a very pitcher-friendly home park to one of the most hitter-friendly yards in the bigs.

Oakland manager Melvin excited about Japan series

The Athletics and Seattle Mariners open the regular season with a two-game series at Tokyo Dome on March 28-29. Many hoped the series would feature a showdown between Matsui and countryman Ichiro Suzuki, but Melvin said the A’s likely wont be re-signing the 37-year-old free agent Matsui.

“Matsui was a great fit for us last year and we all loved having him on our team,’’ Melvin said at a press conference on Monday to promote the series. “But this year it doesn’t look like a fit for us based on the personnel we have going forward.’‘

...Suzuki also had a down season in 2011. For the first time in his career, He failed to reach 200 hits - finishing with 184 - and hit a career-worst .272. Other numbers were lower too, including on-base percentage, infield hits and home runs, while he struck out a career-high 69 times.

Former Seattle star Ken Griffey Jr., who now serves as a special consultant to the Mariners, said he expects Suzuki to bounce back this season.

“Ichiro is going to be fine, you can ask these two guys (Melvin, Wedge) if a guy had 184 hits they wouldn’t be complaining,’’ Griffey said. “But you are looking at a guy who is a special athlete. He had one hiccup in his career and come this time next year we won’t even be talking about this. He is going to come into this season determined and with a little fire.’‘

Hiccup?...That was a freakin’ Dave McNally tally if ever!

Phil Rogers: Bean-counting GM Beane deserves a better place to work

And furthermore

(bullet) MLB should have a minimum payroll. It would require all teams to at least attempt to be somewhat competitive, and fairness is an issue. For instance, how much of an advantage will the Angels and Rangers have in the wild-card race because they have 19 games each against Oakland?

(bullet) According to Bill James’ projections, the Athletics’ most productive hitter next season will be DH Brandon Allen, with a slash line of .243/.327/.449, 22 home runs and 71 RBIs.

(bullet) Melvin is a major upgrade in the dugout, probably the best manager they’ve had since Tony La Russa (although Art Howe was much better than the movie’s portrayal by Philip Seymour Hoffman suggests).

(bullet) MLB scoffs at Forbes’ projections, but they’re the best available.

(bullet) Wolff is very close to Selig, but so far that does not appear to have gained him any advantages.

(bullitt) There are bad writers and there are good writers - and then there’s Rogers.

MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon Agrees to Sign With Unknown Team

Bartolo Colon has agreed to a deal with an unknown club reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). The right-hander wouldn’t divulge the team because he has not yet passed his physical.

Pretty sure it’s either the All-Stars or the Champs.

On DVD: Moneyball’s deleted scenes reveal the numbers game

The deleted scene in question features Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) discussing the team’s relief pitchers with field manager Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman). The two butt heads several times in the film, as Beane recommends fielding undervalued, unorthodox players over the objections of the more conservative Howe.

This time he’s singing the praises of Chad Bradford over Mike Magnante. He concludes his own pitch by telling Howe to bring Bradford out of the bullpen no matter what. “If we’re in, let’s say to make it easier on you, any situation. OK? Righty, lefty, two outs, one out, the umpires want to finish the game throwing darts … Bradford!”

It’s no surprise, however, when Howe does the opposite. Magnante promptly gives up a home run, and the crowd boos lustily. Beane then makes a rare (and illegal) trip to the dugout during the game to tell Howe what a costly f-you that was, and adds: “Those boos; they’re for you. Drink up.”

It’s a clever scene, probably cut only because we see so much sniping between Beane and Howe that their animosity is already clear.

Thanks to Nroll.

Kevin Goldstein: Athletics Top 11 Prospects

Five-Star Prospects
1. Michael Choice, OF
Four-Star Prospects
2. Jarrod Parker, RHP
3. A.J. Cole, RHP
4. Brad Peacock, RHP
5. Sonny Gray, RHP
6. Derek Norris, C
7. Grant Green, OF
Three-Star Prospects
8. Chris Carter, 1B
9. Collin Cowgill, OF
10. Raul Alcantara, RHP
11. Max Stassi, C

Nine More
12. Michael Taylor, OF: He made some improvements in 2011, but the A’s showed “confidence” in Taylor by acquiring Reddick and re-signing Crisp.
13. Josh Donaldson, C: He doesn’t have any star-level tools, but he has improved defensively and has always had solid power.
14. Yordy Cabrera, SS: He had an ugly full-season debut in 2011, but the seven-figure tools are still there.
15. Bobby Crocker, OF: This 2011 fourth-round pick is a big-time athlete with speed and power potential.
16. Aaron Shipman, OF: He could explode with some hitting refinements due to his speed and advanced approach.
17. Vicmal De La Cruz, OF: De La Cruz was beat up in the Dominican Summer League. His speed and bat are his best tools.
18. Ian Krol, LHP: He lost 2011 due to injury, but his instructional league showing has officials optimistic for a bounceback.
19. Miles Head, 1B/3B: Head came over in the Andrew Bailey trade. There is nothing pretty about what he does, but his power is significant.
20. Jermaine Mitchell, OF: He finally had his breakout season, but he is also 27 now.

BN: A Proposal To Break The Territorial-Rights Logjam Between The A’s And The Giants

With a doff of the chapeau to Mr. Calcaterra, a modest proposal indeed:

All of the two-team territories but one share the same counties: the Yankees and Mets; the White Sox and Cubs; and the Dodgers and Angels. Only the Giants and A’s split the counties surrounding their home cities. The A’s territory includes Alameda and Contra Costa counties; the Giants’ territory includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey and Marin counties, “plus Santa Clara County with respect to another major league team.” San Jose is in Santa Clara county.

Halo’s Heaven: Moneyblog

Billy Beane should have never written this comic strip.

Jonah Keri: The Myth of the Small-Market Window

We’re not selling blinds here.

There is a nugget of truth behind this Window obsession. Smaller-revenue teams have a tougher time signing premium free agents, or retaining their own top players past their initial six years of team control. That puts extra pressure on these poorer teams to bring up a bunch of great prospects all at once, then hope they get good at the same time before they get expensive.

But far more often it’s a bullshit excuse. It’s a vague, faraway goal that always seems several years out of reach. It’s a cover for cheap, greedy ownership, lousy scouting, drafting, and player development, and myopic trades. It’s a weak attempt to placate a fan base screwed over by years of management incompetence and indifference.

Or in the case of the Oakland A’s, their recent fire sale and justification for said fire sale, it’s a bold-faced ploy by one opportunistic owner to win territory from another opportunistic owner so that another city can hand out another $500 million check for another boondoggle stadium.