Slusser's latest report: Giants may block A's move

The feeling in the Giants' camp is that the A's think if they just keep saying they're optimistic about a new stadium, it will happen.

"I think it's wishful thinking," said Peter Magowan, the Giants' former managing general partner. "I don't think they'll get anywhere with it. I'd be surprised if a different result were to come about."

Major League Baseball is apparently in no hurry to alter the Bay Area's baseball landscape, either. According to multiple sources, including A's owner Lew Wolff, the A's stadium issue is not on the agenda for the owners meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., in two weeks.

"That's my understanding," Wolff said.

Also interesting...

"We had a drink at the Fairmont hotel, and Lew assured me ... that he was never going to San Jose," Magowan said. "I kept notes of the conversation and made a memo for my files while it was fresh in my mind: He said they had interest in Las Vegas but they had no interest in San Jose. Bud knows all of this."

Wolff said that he doesn't remember such a conversation, but, he said, "At that time, we did not consider San Jose. This verifies that we weren't thinking that because we thought we'd get a new stadium in Oakland."

via farm7.static.flickr.com

More from Slusser: A's are interested in Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler

Soler, seven years Cespedes' junior, fits better into the A's long-term plans for putting together a strong young team ready to contend in a potential new ballpark.

The Yankees, Phillies and Rangers are among those expected to bid on Soler, however, and it's believed that he might receive a contract worth $20 million or more. Baseball America has projected that Soler would have been a top-five pick had he been available in the 2010 draft.

Unlike Cespedes, there's no YouTube video for him. Sad. Also... Soler? Barely knew her? (It was a stretch.)

In Festivus fashion, the blog Baseball Oakland aired a timeline of grievances against the A's ownership, dating back to 1995.

The NFL recently announced Pro Bowl rosters.

Of local interest:

Oakland: K Sebastian Janikowski, P Shane Lechler, DL Richard Seymour

San Francisco: K David Akers, FS Dashon Goldson, RB Frank Gore, P Andy Lee, CB Carlos Rogers, DL Justin Smith, OT Joe Staley, LB Patrick Willis

Jeff Sullivan has a hilarious study of Randy Johnson's prowess with a bat in his hands.

The Mendoza Line was named after shortstop Mario Mendoza. Randy Johnson's OPS was 202 points lower. Randy Johnson's OPS+ was 63 points lower. Randy Johnson's batting average was just 30 points higher than Jim Abbott's batting average, and Jim Abbott had one hand.

Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, ignoring warning from Sandy Alderson.

But on a team perpetually beset by injuries, Dickey's planned expedition has also caused some consternation in the front office. A few months ago, the Mets sent a letter to Dickey's agent warning him that they reserve the right to void the remaining year on his contract if he is injured on the mountain. They can't stop him from going, but they clearly would prefer he did not.

"If we thought it was a good idea, we wouldn't have sent the letter," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "Beyond that, have we tried to dissuade him from going? It seems to me that the letter is enough of an effort to dissuade him, and he intends to go on nonetheless."

Can the A's please sign Brandon McCarthy to a lifelong contract?

@BMcCarthy32

Just wondering, but are we all done saying 'phat'?

Vote for him in a CBS Sports contest.