San Jose is moving closer...
There were two pretty small stories that came out this week that caught my eye. First, MLB and Lew Wollfe had lunch with the San Jose Mayor's office on Monday.
http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_14832024
Today, it was announced that San Jose has sold two downtown properties to Sobrato for $20 million. It says this money will be used to purchase the final two parcels needed for the downtown ballpark site.
http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2010/04/05/daily61.html
One can pretty easily connect the dots. The mayor's office wouldn't spend $20 million to secure the needed parcels if it didn't have some assurance from MLB that San Jose was the leading contender...
I personally just want MLB to say ANYTHING on the issue. And yes for the record, I am pro San Jose. (Even though I live in SF and it will be a HUGE pain to get to SJ.) Please don't use this thread for another back and forth fight over the merits of the different cities. I simply find the backdoor politics fascinating and wanted to pass this along.
55 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Darn...
I thought that this post was actually going to announce that the entire City of San Jose was moving closer to Oakland and is now located in Alameda County and that this territorial rights issue fiasco has been painlessly resolved.
Oh well…one can dream…
I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!
plate tectonics just need to speed up a bit...
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones."
-BB 07/27/05
There are the San Jose Earthquakes
Okay, more like Santa Clara Bronquakes.
Follow on Twitter - @MAD_Marvin
The FairWeather Channel - Sports Comics and Bandwagon Forecast
If San Jose REEEEALLLY wanted the team
They could just succeed from Santa Clara and join Alameda.
Leopold Bloom on why he loves Mr. Peter Gammons, his best buddy:
"Peter Gammons systematically ignored and/or ran down the A’s in the pages of Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News for a good ten year stretch in the late seventies and early to mid-eighties. Trust me, the c**ksucker hates our team."
secede
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones."
-BB 07/27/05
dude, the first attempt to reply failed miserably
stupid javascript was off for testing a survey. Just be glad it was semi-coherent.
Leopold Bloom on why he loves Mr. Peter Gammons, his best buddy:
"Peter Gammons systematically ignored and/or ran down the A’s in the pages of Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News for a good ten year stretch in the late seventies and early to mid-eighties. Trust me, the c**ksucker hates our team."
That...
would be an epic “F-you” to Bud Selig and the Giants.
Where do we sign-up to start the petition?
I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!
Seriously. It's on the border more or less
Redraw the boundaries, then let them cry foul. The A’s can be like, what?, we GAVE you Santa Clara, now you want more? How ungrateful are you?
Leopold Bloom on why he loves Mr. Peter Gammons, his best buddy:
"Peter Gammons systematically ignored and/or ran down the A’s in the pages of Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News for a good ten year stretch in the late seventies and early to mid-eighties. Trust me, the c**ksucker hates our team."
Sounds like a movie script.
He steps to the left, he steps to the riiiiiiight. That Amos Roberts, he'll make you look shite!
I wouldn't read that much into it
I mean this specifically:
One can pretty easily connect the dots. The mayor’s office wouldn’t spend $20 million to secure the needed parcels if it didn’t have some assurance from MLB that San Jose was the leading contender…
Not that it isn’t easy to connect those dots, it just might not be correct.
This is true, until they officially say anything its still speculation
BUT…there is far more movement in SJ than on the Oakland or Fremont fronts…
"I was right and you were wrong." - Ray Fosse
True, at least publically
Although Fremont’s City Council will be reviewing a staff report for a ballpark at the former NUMMI site on the 13th at 7 PM.
They're trying to discuss anything in that site
That whole section of town is going to be hugely affected by the plant’s closure. I work .5 mile from there, I can tell you, we already see the effects.
"I was right and you were wrong." - Ray Fosse
I see it as the city of SJ continuing to have their act together on this so when/if the time comes they can act. The ducks are in a row - even if the dots don't connect!
Chris Townsend was saying today on the post-game show that once the Marlins have their new place (2012 or 2014?) Oakland will be the only team that does not have it’s own dedicated stadium.
It's fake turf though, so I expect the problems related to football and baseball at the same time are less
than what we have here at the Coli with the grass all torn up.
I tried to find something that mentions if the seats are reconfigured or added for football, but I couldn’t find anything, so it sounds like a decent sharing situation.
OakSi
Do you know anything that is going on at Oakland City Hall in regards to this? I have tried to contact a few folks from their and get an interview but they aren’t much interested in talking to a “citizen journalist.”
there, not their.
Despite Mrs. Lee’s pained attempts to fix me back in 8th grade, grammar eludes me to this very day.
From Florida...?
Leopold Bloom on why he loves Mr. Peter Gammons, his best buddy:
"Peter Gammons systematically ignored and/or ran down the A’s in the pages of Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News for a good ten year stretch in the late seventies and early to mid-eighties. Trust me, the c**ksucker hates our team."
I think the more interesting tidbit is....
this little portion of the article:
Paul Rose, spokesman for Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, said DuPuy also contacted Dellums on Monday, but he would not discuss details.
For as vocal as Oakland’s City Hall has been of late to prevent the A’s moving, this is more of a sign that SJ is gaining traction than a mere lunch meeting.
"Twenty minutes," says Jack Sr. "Thank god for Billy Beane."
"Any fan that wants us to do that is going to be disappointed because that just isn’t us." - Wolff
Would San Jose keep the "A's" name?
I haven’t heard anything about this and perhaps it hasn’t been discussed. But with the long history of Philadelphia, KC and Oakland all bearing the proud Athletics banner, it would only make sense to keep the team as the San Jose A’s. Anyone heard anything on this?
(of course I’m hoping the A’s stay in Oakland but that miracle probably ain’t going to happen)
The greenmachine
Yes
Philadelphia > Kansas City > Oakland > San Jose
One of the American League’s eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1901. Then the Philadelphia Athletics, the team moved to Kansas City in 1955 and became the Kansas City Athletics. In 1968 the team moved to Oakland.
I am betting on this sequence of events in regards to the name
All speculation:
If San Jose comes through this season, the A’s will begin next season as:
The Silicon Valley Athletics @ Oakland
and then in 2014 they will become:
The Silicon Valley Athletics @ San Jose
Silicon Valley A's?
Really? Does anyone see the possibility of “Silicon Valley” becoming a dated term? San Jose A’s maybe, but dear god, do not call them the “Silicon Valley A’s”.
I would agree though, it would seem against baseball history to change the name from “Athletics” there is WAY too much history there, rergardless of what city they play in.
I don't see any way they become Silicon Valley A's
They’d be the Bay Area A’s before they became Silicon Valley
"I was right and you were wrong." - Ray Fosse
Just as long as the mascot isn't changed to a sheep or goat.
(No, your opinion doesn’t count, Nico!)
by LoneStranger on Apr 9, 2010 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't know
It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the A’s become the Silicon Valley A’s. Wolff has hinted that he likes the Blank Athletics at Blank. The obvious first choice would be Oakland Athletics at San Jose but I would think Silicon Valley would be the second choice.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
It would surprise me if they kept Oakland as a name unless they are at JLS
For folks like me, Oakland doesn’t have a negative connotation. But, outside of the Bay Area (and even inside of it to some degree) being branded “Oakland” is a negative thing.
I didn't say I thought it was a good idea
I think two things are true… First, Wolff loves Arte Moreno and has copied him a few times already (most recently lowering beer prices). Second, Wolff has indicated his preference for a “regional name” followed by @ (insert city of residence here).
I could also see some marketing types looking at this as a way to start the re-branding of the franchise right away. Shovel hits dirt in San Jose, Silicon Valley A’s @ Oakland take the field.
Plus, when I listen to BBC news they always refer to the South Bay as Silicon Valley. I take that to mean the name Silicon Valley has an international recognition that Oakland, Fremont and San Jose don’t really have. Maybe they can sell more t-shirt’s if they say “Silicon Valley” on the front of them? I read once that selling more gear was one of the reasons, not the primary reason, Arte Moreno wanted “Los Angeles” in his teams name.
Personally, I think it is a terrible idea. But I also think the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is a dumb name, and the Golden State Warriors and even Colorado Rockies. I’d prefer Oakland A’s, San Jose A’s or something like that. A city and a team name and nothing more. Denver Rockies, Oakland (or San Francisco) Warriors, etc.
your are right
Silicon Valley is pretty well known to be the East Bay area, however, I just think at some point “Silicon Valley” becomes dated. Maybe not for awhile, but at some point. I can’t think of any examples off the top of my head but I’m sure some regions known for some commodity eventually run out of said commodity, or it becomes unused so the name loses it’s meaning.
I wouldn’t mind “California A’s” actually, it’s better than “Bay Area” (whose bay area?) or “Silicon Valley”. I think they’d sell a ton more “Bay Area” shirts than “Silicon Valley” though (they sell “Bay Area” shirts at Rasputin music). Still the idea of an interlocking “SV” logo (for third or alt jerseys/hats) seems pretty interesting.
I don't mind the Colorado Rockies as a name.
It’s not like Colorado is going to get a second team, and the Rockies is something that the whole state can relate to, not just a city. The California Angels was kinda dumb, since there were four other teams that someone from California could potentially call their own.
I've avowed to stay...
…out of stadium discussions while the season is under way, but, Jeff, the idea of “Silicon Valley Athletics” is quite possibly your worst suggestion yet. Not only are the “Silicon Valley Athletics of San Jose” redundant to the rest of the country, it’s not really a “regional” name. You’ve cut out approximately three-quarters of the Bay Area.
I don’t doubt there will be some move towards a regional name, but if Wolff really wants to emulate Arte Moreno, the logical suggestion is “The Bay Area Athletics of Oakland or San Jose”. Rather than have “Bay Area” on the road jersey, stick with some form of “Athletics” like the slegnA do. Maybe even use the black alternates as the preferred road jersey.
"With Chance on first, and Evers on third,
Great things from the Cubs will soon be heard."
Oh, and I should read...
…further down the page; you’ve clarified yourself. And while Silicon Valley has some international cachet — President Sarkozy has said he wants to turn a segment of Parisian suburbs into France’s “Silicon Valley” — the “Bay Area” is definitely used in the national conversation; i.e., I’ve heard it frequently on the Weather Channel.
"With Chance on first, and Evers on third,
Great things from the Cubs will soon be heard."
Yeah, it is a horrible suggestion :)
Bay Area might not be so bad I guess. I have heard Tampa Bay/St. Pete referred to as the “Bay Area” before, but I don’t think most folks would be confused about which bay and which area the A’s are from.
Like i said, I prefer things like “Chicago Cubs” or “Detroit Pistons.” And the Pistons don’t even play in Detroit, ha.
The only problem with the "Bay Area"
is that if you have to clarify to people, the way you would do it is by saying “San Francisco Bay Area.” It seems like this is something the A’s wouldn’t want to do. Silicon Valley, however, is unambiguous (even if I think it sounds ridiculous, as if our fans all work for a high-tech outfit).
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
Everything is better with bacon.
by cuppingmaster on Apr 10, 2010 7:19 AM PDT up reply actions
how about the "south bAy's"
If Pennington manages 17 HRs, I’ll vow to consume an article of clothing to achieve a humorous effect --Joey C.
by cityplANner on Apr 10, 2010 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions
how about San Jose A's
There is no way that the countries 10th largest city will provide $50M worth of land to build a new ballpark and not have their name on the jersey’s—-note it is also part of the negotiating parameters that the city council outlined back in April of 2009—specifically—the name must be San Jose—-
Have you read up much on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim?
The highlights:
There is similar deal between the City of Anaheim and the Angels.
When the Angels changed their name to LA A of A, the city sued.
The Angels won the lawsuit because of the “of Anaheim” part.
Again, I don’t think is it is a good idea, just speculating.
But I’d add… There is nothing in the negotiating principles that will make the A’s wear road uni’s with “San Jose” on them.
I suspect if the city wants it
They’ll negotiate more explicitly, especially after the Anaheim failure. The Angels got by on a loophole.
Leopold Bloom on why he loves Mr. Peter Gammons, his best buddy:
"Peter Gammons systematically ignored and/or ran down the A’s in the pages of Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News for a good ten year stretch in the late seventies and early to mid-eighties. Trust me, the c**ksucker hates our team."
I agree.
With the Angels history out there I’m sure the city of SJ can fashion it so that their name gets on the team in the more traditional way as opposed to the way it is in LA. Which I also suspect won’t be a problem. Lew appears to want the San Jose name on his team’s jerseys as opposed to the Oakland name. San Jose is quickly becoming a very well known quantity nationwide and is almost synonymous now with Silicon Valley (which should nip that lame brain idea in the butt).

by 
























