Free agents and ballpark
by jaylans on Nov 17, 2009 5:56 AM PST
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How about a little discussion on the direction of this team on and off the field since it appears to be the A's most monumental offseason in more than 40 years. We are on the cusp of a new city, new ballpark perhaps as well as key decisions on free agents.
What are your opinions on San Jose being the A's new home? Is it far enough away from San Francisco and the Giants' giant reach and marketing? Is a 32,000 seat ballpark big enough? (No). What about a bigger ballpark? Where else could the A's move to (Vancouver, New Jersey, Norfolk)? Not since the A's moved to Oakland has there been a bigger offseason set of questions. Actually, this move is even more crucial given the state of the lousy economy and Caifornia's particular economic challenges including its crowded baseball, sports and recreational offerings. Personally, I think the A's are better off out of California. The proposed 32,000 seat stadium is too small. The whole decision to move to San Jose and into relatively small ballpark seems self-defeating and myopic. This franchise deserves a grand slam approach, not some limited 'let's accomodate the Bay Area.'" The Bay Area has never fully supported this grand franchise and team, save for a few years in the 1980's under Wally Haas. This franchise has done the best job of developing players over the years. How many of you ANer's keep saying look at the All-Star team we would have if we kept our players. That has been the complaint for the last 40 years. It is time to end this nonsense and move on literally.
If you are going to compete, then compete. There is no model in baseball except the perpetual scouting, drafting and retaining. We do well in the first two phases and then cannibalize ourselves in trying to retain and reinvent.
Stop the madness. Move out of California altogether. As far on the field, Miguel Tejeda should be brought back along with Jermaine Dye and a few others, so that the team can at least compete.
Any thoughts?
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That rug really tied the room together...
by Streams Of Whiskey on Nov 17, 2009 6:08 AM PST reply actions
So, Canada isn't where the SURVIVORS are buried?
by LowcountryJoe on Nov 17, 2009 6:08 PM PST up reply actions
Ugh
I hated that joke as a kid. For some reason as an adult it strikes me as a lot funnier.
by el generico on Nov 18, 2009 10:28 AM PST up reply actions
Jose is the way
says Lew Wolff.
Jersey would never support a new team. The market is extremely saturated and there are no key cities you’d want to stick a ballpark in. If you’re North Jersey it’s Yanks/Mets, and South Jersey is Phillies. Sports are huge in the north east and kids live and die by their parents influence.
Vegas is a terrible place for a team – despite being a “growing city” the economic slump has shown the huge vulnerabilities and lack of core corporate development.
Let’s not mention anemic areas like Norfolk which houses a lot of military but they rotate and keep their childhood alliegences as they leave five years later.
And Vancouver is way off the map.
I feel The Bay has enough to offer as fans go. I think when you look at the exciting product Oakland had when Giambi was hitting his MVP pace (ya offer the guy $90M and he spits in your soup as he secretly drew stripes on the A’s home white jersey) you could expect 27,000 to 33,000 on those dollar days and 35,000 on the weekends. A high powered offense with some local roots does well in a working city like Oakland.
I think the Bay Area (including Jose) represents the most stable market to field a professional team – maybe Portland, but rain sucks – over the next 40 years. With the way cities in the rust belt have fallen away you have to look to the future industries of america and we are right on top of it.
It's just more exciting with Billy Beane running the team.
Good analysis of NJ sports, I don't think a new team would fit....however
I am born and raised Joisey, and my parents and grandparents are Mets fans…But I’m an A’s fan. Exception to the rule I suppose.
What you fail to understand in your joyless myopia is that baseball is the key to life-- the Rosetta Stone, if you will. If you just understood baseball better all your other questions your, your... the, uh... the aliens, the conspiracies they would all, in their way be answered by the baseball gods.
I take this opportunity to remind people
that New Jersey is not one big suburb of New York City.
There’s farmland and cows and meth labs too.
"Flea Markets aren't just for blind dates anymore!"- The Reverend Billy Lard
by Gaijin_Suketto on Nov 17, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions
I think Charlotte would be a good spot...
not sure if the Braves have territorial rights, but it is one of the fastest growing cities and it has NBA, NFL and NHL franchises.
"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane
by athleticsBB4life on Nov 17, 2009 8:15 AM PST reply actions
Sacramento is the 25th largest media market in the US.
"Flea Markets aren't just for blind dates anymore!"- The Reverend Billy Lard
by Gaijin_Suketto on Nov 17, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions
I know Charlotte has already lost 1 NBA team
and the Bobcats have struggled at times with their attendance.
I believe the Hurricanes have bellow average attendance as well so I’m not sure if MLB would be all that excited about putting a team in what may be a soft market for professional sports.
As far as my beloved home town of Sacramento you always hear there just isn’t the corporate base to buy all the suites that teams love to try and get big revenue from.
Add in the fact that the Kings haven’t been able to build a new arena and it’s hard to see where the money would come from to either revamp Raley Field or build a new baseball stadium.
I hope at the end of the day the A’s can stay in the Bay Area and Oakland would be my first choice if it’s at all possible.
The Hurricanes are located in Raleigh.
The Hornets led the NBA in attendance for 7 straight years before leaving over an inability to get a new stadium. The Bobcats got the stadium but have been mismanaged to a remarkable degree. I’ve had the misfortune of following both teams.
The Panthers have been fairly successful by comparison.
I live in Raleigh and don’t think either area could support a baseball team. Plus both markets are highly unlikely to vote for a publicly financed stadium again.
"We've come a long way, and I'm not talking about Virginia Slims, either." - Art Howe
Thanks for the info
I didn’t know the NHL team was in Raleigh as I don’t follow hockey at all.
I was just going off the attendance numbers for the Bobcats as to be honest I don’t follow the NBA nearly as much as I used to although I’ve heard mostly bad things about Michael Jordan’s running of the team.
As far as the stadium I wonder if any area right now would vote to fund a stadium. It’s pretty hard to make the case right now with the way the economy is.
I agree regarding the stadium vote.
"We've come a long way, and I'm not talking about Virginia Slims, either." - Art Howe
I lived in Charlotte for a while...
… the place is a cess pool for sports. Except Nascar. The Knights play right outside of town and have problems. Their big debate now is putting a stadium downtown and NO ONE thinks its a good idea. No one. And you’re right… the Bobcats never sell out. George Shin really messed with the sports physche of the town… the Hornets still have the longest sell out streak in the NBA. So Charlotte is more or less a horrible idea.
by Tim Blekicks on Nov 18, 2009 5:57 PM PST up reply actions
Wow, I hardly know where to start.
For one thing, this is not the most monumental offseason in 40 years. It’s not really monumental at all. Sure, there are some things going on, but no more than usual, and we’re not on the cusp of anything.
To the extent that California’s economy is bad, it’s more due to the state government being f***ed up and bankrupt than anything more fundamental, and if that’s the standard New Jersey isn’t far behind.
And Tejada and Dye? Let’s get the band back together? Only if you have a time machine.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
“I don’t see anywhere in these blueprints the portal into 1976 2001.”
Linda's in the cold ground, won't see her anymore
Somewhere out on the highway tonight, the drunken engines roar
It's just one of those things, one of those things
-- Al Stewart, "Accident on 3rd St."
In memory of Nick Adenhart and all victims of drunk driving
+100000000000000000000000000
The Town, or no town.
Let the Kids play Billy!! No More Rent-a-Vet in Oakland!!
by s0sNe@kYbUtY? on Nov 17, 2009 9:27 PM PST up reply actions
So I take it that you and Tambo45 are OK with the A's being contracted out of existence
The chance of a new park in Oakland is pretty iffy at best – without a new park, the A’s will never have the revenue to compete against the big boys. If the A’s are losing money in Oakland, MLB would have a reason to start talking about contraction again. I still think San Jose is the best option, unless someone can work a miracle for a site in Oakland that won’t require huge amounts of public funding.
Hey Al, just go away, baby.
Most monumental offseason and why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I made some working assumptions about readers knowing some of the off-field happenings: Major League baseball’s committee will probably make recommendations about the literal direction of the Athletics this offseason, whether or not they can move to San Jose or not. San Jose is expected to decide later this offseason then to put the issue on the ballot for voters.
Hence, not since 1968 when the team moved from Kansas City to Oakland has there been such a sharp fork in the road for this franchise.
Give the A’s management credit for sticking to a youth movement as was stated at yesterday’s press conference. I don’t have a problem with A’s management, but more or less frustration with seeing such well-planned fruition (drafting and developing) transforming to just that, ultimate frustration over a period of time as we lose players to free agency and or trades to trim salary.
If a new ballpark is built in Oakland and fans turn out to support the team and the team therefore is able to keep its players as well as add players, then fine.
But I would like to see the franchise move ahead with a new baseball-only site.
All in all, I would to see Miguel Tejeda return along with another veteran bat this offseason.
Some might say you mean "Tejada and a veteran bat."
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
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