Elephant Rumblings: A’s working toward opening Coliseum; fans might be allowed in Texas stadiums

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

The S.F. Chronicle interviewed Oakland A’s President Dave Kaval on Thursday, marking the first time that fans have heard from him in a while. One topic of discussion involved the team’s rent payment on the Coliseum, which they chose to defer rather than pay by its April 1 due date. Kaval explains the legal justification for that move, as well as how the two sides are working together to find a solution.

The interview also brought up the related topic of opening the Coliseum for use by the team. After offering a thorough plan for how to operate the facility safely amid the coronavirus pandemic, Kaval hopes to have approval soon, perhaps even by Monday. Check out Susan Slusser’s full writeup for all the details.

While the A’s hope to begin training at their stadium soon, some other clubs might get to do far more than that at their own parks. According to Even Grant of the Dallas Morning News, MLB might let local governments decide whether to allow fans at games once the season gets started. That’s especially important news to the state of Texas, whose governor announced this week that stadiums can start filling to half of their normal capacity. Finally, the Houston Astros might have the benefit of a home-field advantage that is against the rules for most other teams.

Of course, for that to matter, the actual season will have to get going at some point. To that end, the MLB Players Association “resoundingly rejected” the league’s latest demand for further financial concessions, leaving the two sides at a continued deadlock. If progress is to be made toward playing games in 2020, then someone will have to blink at some point. For context on how toxic this owner-labor relationship is, of the five major pro sports in the country (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS), baseball is the only one yet to get this figured out, as all the others have come to various agreements that pave the way for them to resume play.

A’s Coverage:

• Slusser: A’s President Dave Kaval: Team close to gaining Coliseum use; short season ‘makes sense’; stadium update
• Hall: MLBPA rejects league’s demand for further concessions
• Round 2 vote: Best jersey design in Oakland A’s history
• Hickey: Athletics’ Radio, Television Announcers May Wind Up Calling Road Games From Home
• Hickey: Is it Time for Athletics to Get Semien’s Name on a Contract Extension?
• Hickey: For Fantasy Players, Luzardo, Laureano, Manaea, Puk Could Be Worthwhile Picks

MLB News & Interest:

• Rosenthal and Glanville: A conversation: Retired African American MLB players on race, baseball, America ($$$)
• McCullough and Carig (podcast): What Systemic Racism Looks Like in the Press Box
• Zolecki: McCutchen speaks out on police accountability
• Drellich and Rosenthal: After call with 100 players, MLBPA position is reinforced: Union won’t take cuts ($$$)
• Grant: Sources: MLB inclined to allow local governments to decide if fans are allowed at potential games
• Kyodo News: 2 Yomiuri Giants players test positive for virus but NPB to move forward
• Dierkes and Byrne: Check Out The Rosters From Our Mock Expansion Draft
• Harrigan: Drafting legends: The most HOFers taken in 1 year
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

The clock is ticking

MLB makes an official statement

DeShields offers a personal story of an experience with the police

“When we said to keep the ball down in the zone, we meant after you’ve thrown the pitch.”