Elephant Rumblings: MLB owners’ meetings begin tomorrow

Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!

MLB owners will convene in Arlington, TX tomorrow for their annual meetings. A vote has been called and is expected to take place on the A’s relocation plan to move the team to Las Vegas. There are plenty of reasons that the plan should be rejected, but there has never been any expectation that owners will act in the best interests of baseball and its fans.

Despite a flurry of last-ditch efforts by A’s fans and Oakland leadership to compel some “no” votes this week, we should owners to look after their own and approve the plan. But as Nico suggested over the weekend, the vote probably isn’t as crucial as it may seem.

The real tragedy for Oakland and A’s fans will be the same as it was before: that last April, owner John Fisher decided that he definitely wants to move the team out of Oakland. A billionaire’s will will probably find its way.

But a “yes” vote this week will hardly make the move a fait accompli. Many aspects of the A’s “plan” seem haphazard at best, leaving an abundance of potential failure points that we can all hope undo Fisher’s designs in weeks and months to come.

Be sure to check out Nico’s accounting of all the stumbling blocks that will remain for the A’s regardless of the owners’ vote. Jason Mastrodonato at The Mercury News also wrote a nice primer on how we got here and what’s ahead for the A’s as their decades-old stadium saga continues.

A’s Coverage:

• Why Owner’s Upcoming Relocation Vote Isn’t As Crucial As It Seems
• 2023 Athletics Season in Review: Zach Neal
• 2023 Athletics Season in Review: Spencer Patton
• 2023 Athletics Season in Review: Rico Garcia
• 2023 Athletics Season in Review: Austin Pruitt
• MLB owners will vote this week on Oakland A’s bid to move to Las Vegas; here’s what’s happened and what’s next
• Athletics Re-Sign Yohel Pozo
• Only in sports’ twists of fate could John Fisher stop Steve Kerr presidency
• Oakland mayor, A’s fans implore MLB owners to reject Vegas relocation

MLB News & Interest:

• Astros Reportedly Complete Managerial Search, Expected To Promote Joe Espada
• Latest On Shota Imanaga’s Posting
• Phillies Notes: Nola, Castellanos, Front Office
• Red Sox Notes: Turner, DH, Kluber
• AL East Notes: Blue Jays, Donovan, Nootbaar, Watson, Judge
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

A’s AFL bats.

A’s AFL arms.

Parallels.

Another Japan League star may cross the Pacific soon.