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Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!
The A’s won, 23-2! No, that wasn’t the score of last night’s ballgame. Things are still pretty grim on the field for the A’s this year. But A’s fans and the organization alike have cause to celebrate after the Bay Area Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) overwhelmingly voted to remove 56 acres at Howard Terminal from port designation.
Losing the vote would have stopped the project dead in its tracks. So this was a big victory, but significant hurdles lie ahead. As Casey Pratt at ABC 7 News Bay Area tweeted yesterday, Commissioner John Gioia summarized the process with a pretty nice analogy in comments he made ahead of yesterday’s vote:
He says City Council vote on DA/CBA would be 3rd base and final BCDC permit approval would be home. #BindingVoteSZN #BCDCMtg
— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) June 30, 2022
Our waterfront ballpark dreams may be in scoring position! The next major milestone would be for the A’s and City of Oakland to come to terms on a development agreement and community benefits package. Sarah Ravani at the San Francisco Chronicle recently provided some details on the state of these negotiations. These terms will require final approval from Oakland’s City Council. Ravani also reported yesterday that per A’s President Dave Kaval, both sides are meeting weekly to reach an agreement, and the team is pushing for a final vote by late September or early October.
If the City Council votes to approve the development, the final stretch will involve getting a development permit from the same BCDC that voted on Howard Terminal’s port designation yesterday. Some members of the commission indicated that “robust” discussion will take place on whether or not to grant final approval.
There are other potential wrinkles along the way. On July 5th, the City Council will decide whether to put the project to an advisory ballot measure this November. The project also faces legal challenges from interested parties including the Union Pacific Railroad.
Oakland’s dream ballpark still has that 180 feet to go before it can be assured that shovels will hit the ground. But after decades of going in circles, this stadium quest seems akin to meaningful baseball. Brodie Brazil at NBCS tweeted another apt analogy: we’re in the playoffs now and each contest is a win or go to Vegas affair.
When I see complacency about the A's stadium journey (it's taken too long already, or it has too many votes)... I'd just like to remind everyone..
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) July 1, 2022
1) It's in the playoffs now...
2) and it just advanced a round.
3) this is the hard/worthwhile part of the whole process
And to extend the analogy:
Ultimately getting Alameda County's binding vote, another BCDC approval, and beating a handful of lawsuits... that's the World Series.
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) July 1, 2022
(Putting shovels in the ground is the championship parade.)
For now, savor yesterday’s win—the next big development could be just a few days away.
Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend, AN!
A’s Coverage:
- Hall: A’s stadium news: BCDC vote passes, Howard Terminal project takes another step forward
- Hall: Game #78: A’s score some runs but not quite enough
- Hall: A’s shuffle roster again with 7 moves
- Ravani: A’s waterfront ballpark wins key state agency vote for Howard Terminal ($)
- Berman: A’s get another needed approval for Howard Terminal ballpark project ($)
- Wirth: A’s Oakland ballpark project gets ‘huge victory’ with key vote
- Gallegos: A’s get ‘huge win’ in vote regarding new Oakland stadium project
- Higuchi: Fans rally, cling to hope that A’s, Oakland get new ballpark as BCDC votes ‘yes’ ($)
- Franco: A’s Designate Adam Kolarek, Option Cristian Pache
- Wirth: Kaval, Schaaf explain significance of latest Howard Terminal vote
- Adams: Athletics To Select Vimael Machin
MLB News & Interest:
- Rosenthal: Paul Goldschmidt: Man, machine, MVP? ‘This guy’s a robot’ ($)
- Franco: Nationals Made Extension Offer To Juan Soto This Spring
- Franco: Rob Manfred Discusses Automated Strike Zone, Pitch Clocks And Potential Expansion
- Heyman: Mets among teams interested in Orioles’ Trey Mancini
- Adams: The Orioles’ Waiver Claim All-Star (And Trade Candidate)
- Heyman: Freddie Freeman clearly wanted Braves return, regardless of who’s to blame
- Sarris and Buchanan: A top MLB coach left the first-place Twins for a college gig. Will others do the same? ($)
- Today in Baseball History
Best of Twitter:
This pretty much captures the zeitgeist.
The A's have lost 4 in a row, are 24.5 GB of first place, have MLB's worst record (25-53) and worst run differential (-116) but how bout that @sfbcdc vote
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) July 1, 2022
New lows (or perhaps new highs?) in strike calling achieved.
Lol yeah we need robot umps asap pic.twitter.com/9GPT5jz99N
— Ben Ross (@BenRossTweets) July 1, 2022
Already missing Cristian.
Skye Bolt couldn’t handle this one. Brutal misplay pic.twitter.com/HcfF8xzXB3
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) July 1, 2022
Kotsay on Pache being optioned to Triple-A.
Mark Kotsay on sending down Cristian Pache: "I think he's at a place where he understands who he needs to be as a player to have success and what to do to get back here, which is consistent at-bats and line drives. I think it's the right time to give him a breather as well."
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) July 1, 2022
The Elvis countdown.
311 PAs til Elvis’ $15M player option for 2023 becomes guaranteed. 84 games after tonight so that’s like 3.7 per game from here on out https://t.co/krNyztcv90
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) July 1, 2022
Trifecta!
For it's 1, 2 ... 3 home runs for Jared McDonald!
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 1, 2022
The A's prospect cleared the fences three times and drove in seven runs for High-A Lansing: https://t.co/PSqsnZt5r9 pic.twitter.com/4daZ4pHZ1K
Guy Sliwinski lends his talents to the cause!
Today is the day! Hang on everyone!!! Asking @sfbcdc to please vote “Yes”! #keeptheasinoakloand #rootedinoakland #DrumTogether pic.twitter.com/QO4xKKGhtj
— Guy Sliwinski (@GuySliwinski) June 30, 2022
Hal the Hot Dog Guy absolutely killed it in 60 seconds. 11/10!
Here's @AsHotDog making a non-so-bold prediction about the near future. #BindingVoteSZN #BCDCMtg pic.twitter.com/Mvnea19Nz5
— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) June 30, 2022
Yeah, but that was literally last century.
Let me tell ya a story from 1989… https://t.co/arKQKzQdPx
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) July 1, 2022
Shohei, you are amazing. But you signed with the wrong team!
Over the last three weeks, Shohei Ohtani has put up 2.5 Wins Above Replacement. He has been the single best pitcher in baseball and the 15th-most-productive offensive player.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 30, 2022
So many take for granted what he's doing. Don't. This is a once-in-a-lifetime show. Relish greatness.
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