Comments on: The other kind of walkoff

By: duffer

duffer — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 05:07:46 +0000

ru155 FYI: the giants “do not have a tough case.” Jason Stark is not the last word as an MLB source. Stark enjoys stirring the pot – his comments are rarely relevent. One doesn’t need to be a legal wiz to know that the ATE is on wobbly ground. The current Tampa Bay Rays owners group have pierced it twice in court (and that is likely why Selig awarded them the Rays franchise) The A’s case (one would believe) is much stronger than the Tampa Bay group’s was. The A’s haven’t moved to SJ yet because Selig likely wishes to avoid opening a legal can of worms by either the A’s or giants management. Also, Lew Wolff, Selig’s frat buddy, doesn’t wish to offend Selig and the MLB club members.

Besides, Wolff is doing quite nicely with the current arrangement, the A’s are profitable because ot the MLB revenue sharing arrangement, and the A’s have likely more than doubled in value from the $170 that Wolff bought the team in ’05.

This link will explain that the ATE has more holes than a brick of swiss cheese: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1905748.

The giants managment appears to be bluffing with a weak hand. If and when Wolff decides to sue MLB and/or the giants – the A’s stand a good chance of winning.

By: Tony D.

Tony D. — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 02:17:05 +0000

@Carl,
Thanks for enlightening us all.
Re “negotiations,” when Larry Baer declines to comment on the situation and states it’s in the hands of the commissioner and committee; when Lew Wolff states, albeit long, that the process is fair; considering the committee completed its work earlier this year, turned in its report to the executive council, which put the process on the “front burner,”…..this all leads me to believe a resolution is being formulated and negotiations are occurring. Just my opinion of course, but that’s how I interpret the aforementioned.

By: TW

TW — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:22:00 +0000

RU155 writes: “”I’m sure all the MLB owners have the dollar-sign-eyes when SJ is brought up, but enough of them have to be hesitant about precedent – otherwise we would have had a resolution by now. “”
Totally agree. The only certainty that can be drawn from the delay is that MLB believes no decision best serves them.

RU155 writes: “”I think i missed the point where the Giants and A’s started negotiations, any info on that?”"
It was a story blurb posted here which quoted about the teams negotiating. Sorry I don’t have the blurb handy. However, I wouldn’t take it as ‘ the teams are now negotiating’ and a resolution is coming. The negotiation appeared to simply be MLB trying to have the decision made for them (made easy). Though I have heard nothing further, the CW says the A’s and SF are miles apart — and the issue is entirely in the hands of BS.
My bringing up of the negotiation was solely about refuting a post that said SJ “was a negative for MLB”.

By: Carl Elftman

Carl Elftman — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:08:35 +0000

The A’s will never get a staduim because the giants wants the A’s to leave the Bay Area and this why they are stopping the A’s from building.

By: Marine Layer

Marine Layer — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:59:14 +0000

@anonasfan – Lovely. Another group interested in a team that’s not for sale with no clear path to a new stadium (which you disingenuously did not point out in your links). Get in line. BTW, this is a niche site covering a niche subject matter for a fringe team. Nitpicking is our stock and trade, if you haven’t noticed.

By: LoneStranger

LoneStranger — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:28:47 +0000

@anonasfan – I’m interested in buying the team. Should I call up the newspapers to get it reported?

By: anonasfan

anonasfan — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:17:15 +0000

ML – They’re the ones talking about it, it’s not my idea. I imagine they would be partners with others. The takeway isn’t to nitpick the group, it is that interest exists.

By: Tony D.

Tony D. — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:56:46 +0000

Santa Barbara sure is beautiful. Agree with GoA’s, its looking more like Cisco Field Opening Day 2017. If its a sure thing, I can wait.
@ru155,
This thing is to complicated to simply state that it would have happened a long time ago if BS wanted it to happen. Read up on the Expos to DC saga for how difficult there things can be. Difficult yes, but not impossible.

By: Marine Layer

Marine Layer — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:45:22 +0000

@anonasfan - Er, no, their revenue is $9.4 billion. Their market cap is $2.2 billion. They don't have the cash to pull off anything big. That is the very definition of small potatoes. John Fisher alone has about as much money as Quebecor and he's probably not tied up in $3.6B in debt like Quebecor.

By: GoA's

GoA's — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:16:21 +0000

I for one dont believe that bs has tried to push it through so I think for anyone to question the support of lack of support for the A’s moving to SJ is premature. I am going to say again that early on in this process (2009) I was told that bs didn’t want it to happen until 2017–not sure why but it does coincides with their payoff of the ATT mortgage. Its obvious to all that if bs is working to try and negotiate a TR settlement that the BRC thinks SJ is better for MLB—my timeframe again for decision–early 2013 before season starts—vote in SJ in November of 2013–design and construction of ballpark takes next 3 years—opening date in SJ –2017—