Elephant Rumblings: Mayor, City Council, fans show resolve to keep A’s in Oakland

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

MLB owners are expected to vote on the A’s Las Vegas relocation plan next week, and conventional wisdom suggests that A’s owner John Fisher can count on his counterparts around the league to back his interests. But Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, the City Council, and A’s fans all converged on City Hall yesterday to make one last appeal ahead of the vote.

Per Sarah Ravani at the San Francisco Chronicle, Mayor Thao appealed directly to owners to vote “no” on the relocation plan, touting the work she and other city leaders had done to help the A’s succeed in getting a new ballpark built at a proposed Howard Terminal development site before the team abruptly pulled out of negotiations with the city. Those efforts included securing more than $400 million for essential offsite infrastructure.

A’s fans packed the City Council chambers to show solidarity with the mayor, dressed in green and gold t-shirts emblazoned with the word “STAY.”

The City Council capped off the proceedings by voting 7-0 in favor of a resolution that the A’s belong in Oakland and that the council supports all of the approvals the city has secured for the Howard Terminal development.

Yesterday’s event felt like a Hail Mary, but it’s definitely a shot worth taking. If the relocation plan is approved next week, yet another major hurdle between John Fisher and his goal to move the team to Las Vegas will have been cleared. So we may as well hope for a miracle.

A’s Coverage:

• Athletics exercise Mark Kotsay’s option for 2025
• 2023 Athletics Season in Review: Domingo Acevedo
• 2023 Athletics Season in Review: Jeurys Familia
• ‘This is our team’: Oakland mayor urges MLB to reject A’s Las Vegas relocation ($)
• Nevada educators’ bid to block A’s ballpark funding takes legal hit ($)
• Forst explains A’s ‘obvious’ decision to pick up Kotsay’s 2025 option
• Could the A’s Sign Former Chicago White Sox All-Star Shortstop?

MLB News & Interest:

• David Ross’ downfall as Cubs manager? He isn’t Craig Counsell ($)
• 2023-24 MLB offseason: Bowden’s 24 predictions for signings, trades, hirings and more ($)
• Latest On Brewers’ Managerial Vacancy
• How Shohei Ohtani would fit 12 potential suitors with free agency getting underway ($)
• Zaidi: Giants Plan To Pursue Rotation Help, Defensive Upgrades In Outfield
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Kotsay will stay, but coaching changes are expected for 2024.

Two dozen-plus A’s minor leaguers became free agents.

Strong showings for Muncy, Salinas yesterday.

Money never an object for the Mets.

Don’t do it, Wash!