Now that the season has started, things are settling down a bit.
- John Moores announced that he is reopening bidding for the Padres after the collapse of the Moorad & Co. deal. Moores has retained two brokerage firms to assist in the process, which could take the rest of the season and beyond to complete. Chances are that the bidding will start no lower than $600 million, in my estimation. The overvaluing of the Dodgers and the impact of the new TV deal will only help Moores.
- The sale of the Dodgers to Guggenheim Partners is expected to receive approval in bankruptcy court Friday, with minimal objections. TV rights could fetch as much as $5 billion (over 20 years? 25?).
- Today’s home opener at Dodger Stadium looks quite full, at least on TV. According to Magic Johnson, it’s a sellout. Update 5:10 PM – announced crowd of 56,000.
- I just purchased a new book on MLB ballparks by Cleveland writer Matt Lupica. It’s titled The Baseball Stadium Insider: A Comprehensive Dissection of All Thirty Ballparks, the Legendary Players, and the Memorable Moments. Cover price is $39.95, but you can get a Kindle edition for only $3.99. The 483-page book covers the history of each venue, plus notes on amenities and features. Look for a review here soon. Lupica was interviewed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer yesterday.
- The City of Oakland is not alone in looking at EB-5 (immigrant visa) funding for a stadium. Tampa interests are looking at that source as well for a Rays stadium, though as Neil de Mause has noted in his coverage of the Barclays Center development, it moves into rather shady territory.
- The Royals tried to sell Kauffman Stadium’s naming rights to US Bank in anticipating of hosting next year’s All Star Game, but failed.
- The 100-year anniversary of Fenway Park will be celebrated on April 20, with a cavalcade of events throughout the season.
- Speaking of anniversaries, Camden Yards is 20 this year and is ever evolving.
- Added 5:10 PM – Susan Slusser spoke with A’s Stadium Operations VP David Rinetti, who said that the team is considering ways to open the stadium earlier to allow fans to watch home team batting practice. A’s BP usually ends around the time the gates open. If the policy changes to have the gates open two hours prior to first pitch, fans should be able to catch just about all of an A’s BP session.
Special thanks to reader Stomper00, who rustled up four sweet tickets behind the plate yesterday and invited me to join him. I brought a buddy, we gave the remaining ticket to another fan in the parking lot, and a good time was had by all. This was the view:
Yoenis at the dish
newballpark.org 
ML, won’t the Padres sale be for less since as I understand it only 51% of the team is up for sale since Moorad’s group still holds the other 49%.
I wonder why Sprint does not buy the naming rights to Kauffman Stadium. Sprint is very big in Kansas City. Sprint Stadium would give them some more exposure.
Looks like u and your buddies had the whole place to yourselves.
@Joel – Hard core night lives up to its reputation. Should be even worse tonight if they get the game in. If they don’t, looks like I’ll be twi-night doubleheading it tomorrow.
ML no worries about the amount. The talking heads in San Diego are still not clear on that either as they’re reporting the 600-700 million number as well ignoring the fact that Moorad’s group still holds the 49% they bought and have so far not indicated they’re selling their piece of the team. Though it’s largely irrelevant since Moorad’s partners are and will remain silent partners that have no control over the franchise activities.
Warriors make pitch to Santa Cruz Council
http://capitola.patch.com/articles/warriors-make-pitch-to-santa-cruz-council
@ML True story, only the very hard core. https://twitter.com/#!/townsendradio/status/189911082989649920/photo/1
Nico, It is raining off and on tonight. Not really surprising. Even AT&T Park would be that barren on a night like tonight.
I don’t think AT&T would be THAT barren given the same weather conditions.
You’re right, it’d be worse. None of those pansy Giants fans would want their Panda hats getting wet.
Haha! Classic.
@dan I know and it’s the royals. Still, it’s sad. Maybe these images will have some affect on Selig to act. But who knows.
Anyone seen this custom NewEra cap by Headliners in SJ? It the Sang Jose Giants cap in A’s colors:
http://swagsyndicate.com/2012/04/10/headliners-x-new-era-custom-san-jose-giants-golden-state-warriors-59fifty-fitted-caps/
Interesting…
Bill, or it’s the first San Jose A’s cap you’ll ever see depending on your view of it 😉
The A’s are not going to change their hat to move to SJ, Only time they had a hat with city letters was KC. 95 years of A or A’s on the hat.
I could accept it as an alternate road cap maybe (replace the current green-billed/gold A’s embroidery one)
Oh I agree it’s not likely that the primary/home cap will be changed. It’s had an “A” or “A’s” for most of the team’s history and that won’t change. But I can see the away cap possibly getting a change since it doesn’t have the history the primary cap does, or possibly a third alternate cap (that most teams have and the A’s have even had on occasion with their 2 black caps) with an “SJ” being created.
^ Yes, especially if some of the future A’s green/gold/black alternate jerseys down the line with have just simply “A’s” on the left chest area (like their current gold alternate jerseys which were worn on the road a few times last season)…having the (potential) city at least recognized on the cap when an “A’s” alt jersey is worn would make sense if a move was made to SJ….
even if the team still wore the green, script “Athletics” tops on the road, I’d be fine with an “SJ” cap worn along with it
I actually really like the Road hat a lot and would prefer they don’t change it. I like tweaking around the edges with the Alternate jersey, but I do like that we have had some consistency with the home and away jerseys. I’d love for the A’s to have the green alternate more like the Gold jersey with A’s on the left side. San Jose should be just fine with the Road jersey.
ML, looks like there was some clarification on the Padres situation. The whole team is indeed for sale. Moores is organizing the sale of Moorad group’s portion as well through Greenberg.
@Dan – Thanks.
@Bill Walsh – Like the hat, though if the A’s were to use an alternate hat it shouldn’t use the same color scheme. Maybe the 60’s-70’s white hat with green logo.
@ML
thought only the manager/coaches wore the white caps back then?
+ dunno if white caps would work in road games ;P
I could see a SK logo on the BP hats more than any of the game hats.
SK?
South Korea?
Here’s a bigger picture of that San Jose A’s (Giants) cap.
Very pretty that cap… I want it.
SK being a typo of SJ of course