Baseball

[Ulysses]

Just got this email from the Oakland A's:

February 19, 2022 View Online

On Thursday, the Oakland City Council voted to certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for our waterfront ballpark project at Jack London Square.

This is a significant milestone for the project and comes after years of work with the City, local community members, and organizations to analyze and outline how our project will adhere to the highest of environmental standards. The project will clean up an industrial site with private dollars and return public access to the waterfront with more than 18 acres of public parks and open greenspace.

Our waterfront ballpark is a once-in-a-generation project, creating transformative environmental and community benefits for Oakland, and setting the stage for more World Championships for our fans.

We thank our fans, community members, and civic leaders who shared their support during the EIR process and in public meetings. While this is the furthest we have come in securing a new ballpark in Oakland for the Athletics, we have more work to do. We now look forward to finalizing the development agreement and community benefits agreement before a vote later this year.

Go A’s!

[Ulysses]

More from the A's. There's been a sort of player strike (not sure) and this is an announcement that spring training has been delayed a week:

As negotiations between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue, the league announced Friday that the first week of exhibition games will not be played.

“We regret that, without a collective bargaining agreement in place, we must postpone the start of Spring Training games until no earlier than Saturday, March 5,” the league said in a statement. “All 30 clubs are unified in their strong desire to bring players back to the field and fans back to the stands.

“The clubs have adopted a uniform policy that provides an option for full refunds for fans who have purchased tickets from the clubs to any Spring Training games that are not taking place. We are committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to each side. On Monday, members of the owners’ bargaining committee will join an in-person meeting with the Players Association and remain every day next week to negotiate and work hard toward starting the season on time.”

...

The MLBPA made its latest proposal on Thursday, responding in just two core economic areas: Super 2 eligibility and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. The union lowered its ask regarding Super 2, proposing that the top 80% of players with two-plus years of service time become arbitration-eligible. MLB has been clear for months that expanding eligibility is a non-starter, but agrees with the goal of increasing pay for younger players.

The MLBPA had been asking for all two-year service-time players to be eligible for arbitration, though the 80% figure would still be a sizeable jump from the current system, which awards Super 2 eligibility to the 22% of two-plus players with the most service time.

Thursday’s proposal also included an increase in the MLBPA’s figure for a pre-arbitration bonus pool, from $100 million to $115 million. The union had initially proposed a $105 million pool, lowering that number to $100 million two weeks ago before raising it Thursday.

MLB has offered a $15 million pool, up from its initial $10 million offer. The concept for such a pool was initially the union’s, though the league came on board in an effort to satisfy the MLBPA’s desire to get top young players paid earlier in their careers.

MLB’s most recent proposal covering the entire CBA included movement on a number of core economic issues including minimum salary, the pre-arbitration bonus pool, the Competitive Balance Tax and service-time manipulation.

Meetings will resume Monday, with both players and owners expected to be in attendance. MLB has set Feb. 28 as the date by which a deal must be done to ensure that Opening Day will take place as scheduled on March 31.

[GoCubsGo]

It's a lockout.

[Ulysses]

Lewis: Don't forget who locked the doors during 2022 MLB lockout negotiations

...The baseball world has been shut down since Dec. 2, when the owners locked out the players. That's an important distinction; it was the owners' decision to implement a lockout and it is the owners' decision, still today, to continue it. Although both sides cannot agree, it was not a mutual decision to impose the lockout.

Both the owners and the MLB Players Association are negotiating their terms for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. Many of the more formidable obstacles to an agreement revolve around the economic systems that govern baseball — revenue sharing, free agency, arbitration, service time manipulation and so on.

To boil it down a bit, the players want to speed up the path to free agency and disincentivize tanking, whether it be through teams no longer holding top prospects in the minors for the first few weeks of the season to manipulate service time or not spending any money on the major league roster.

Neither side has budged much in what is already the second-longest work stoppage in the game's history. But, again, it was not a mutual decision to risk the beginning of the season with a lockout — that was the owners' call....

Now what I have to decide is whether or not to try to get tickets...

[Ulysses]

Lewis: Don't forget who locked the doors during 2022 MLB lockout negotiations

...The baseball world has been shut down since Dec. 2, when the owners locked out the players. That's an important distinction; it was the owners' decision to implement a lockout and it is the owners' decision, still today, to continue it. Although both sides cannot agree, it was not a mutual decision to impose the lockout.

Both the owners and the MLB Players Association are negotiating their terms for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. Many of the more formidable obstacles to an agreement revolve around the economic systems that govern baseball — revenue sharing, free agency, arbitration, service time manipulation and so on.

To boil it down a bit, the players want to speed up the path to free agency and disincentivize tanking, whether it be through teams no longer holding top prospects in the minors for the first few weeks of the season to manipulate service time or not spending any money on the major league roster.

Neither side has budged much in what is already the second-longest work stoppage in the game's history. But, again, it was not a mutual decision to risk the beginning of the season with a lockout — that was the owners' call....

Now what I have to decide is whether or not to try to get tickets...

I'd really like to get season ticket, since:

1) The Oakland Coliseum is a great place to see games
2) The A's are my favorite BB team
3) I have plenty of time now that I'm retired
4) Probably good weather the rest of the year
5) If I buy now, possibly the owners will discount tickets
6) Anything else? Oh, I like baseball.

[Vrede too]

I'd really like to get season ticket, since:

1) The Oakland Coliseum is a great place to see games
2) The A's are my favorite BB team
3) I have plenty of time now that I'm retired
4) Probably good weather the rest of the year
5) If I buy now, possibly the owners will discount tickets
6) Anything else? Oh, I like baseball.

Wouldn't buying a ticket now be supporting the owner over the players? Is that the side you want to pick? Why?

[GoCubsGo]

I'd really like to get season ticket, since:

1) The Oakland Coliseum is a great place to see games
2) The A's are my favorite BB team
3) I have plenty of time now that I'm retired
4) Probably good weather the rest of the year
5) If I buy now, possibly the owners will discount tickets
6) Anything else? Oh, I like baseball.

Wouldn't buying a ticket now be supporting the owner over the players? Is that the side you want to pick? Why?

I thought the Coliseum was a dump with bathrooms that backed up into the corridors and clubhouses, dead vermin found in the kitchens as well as a shitty place to watch a game as foul territory is so huge you're watching from the next zip code.


https://sports.yahoo.com/oakland-colise ... p_catchall

[Ulysses]

I'd really like to get season ticket, since:

1) The Oakland Coliseum is a great place to see games
2) The A's are my favorite BB team
3) I have plenty of time now that I'm retired
4) Probably good weather the rest of the year
5) If I buy now, possibly the owners will discount tickets
6) Anything else? Oh, I like baseball.

I thought the Coliseum was a dump with bathrooms that backed up into the corridors and clubhouses, dead vermin found in the kitchens as well as a shitty place to watch a game as foul territory is so huge you're watching from the next zip code.


https://sports.yahoo.com/oakland-colise ... p_catchall

Yeah, I never experienced any of that nonsense.

The huge foul territory is probably due to the dual nature of the Coliseum - big enough for both football and baseball.

In any case, the A's just got a step closer to building a new baseball specific ballpark a few miles away. It promises to be even better.

I still enjoy the Coliseum.

PS-Your linky no worky...

Update: it's working now. No idea why.

[Vrede too]

Wouldn't buying a ticket now be supporting the owner over the players? Is that the side you want to pick? Why?

I thought the Coliseum was a dump with bathrooms that backed up into the corridors and clubhouses, dead vermin found in the kitchens as well as a shitty place to watch a game as foul territory is so huge you're watching from the next zip code.

https://sports.yahoo.com/oakland-colise ... 56403.html

... PS-Your linky no worky

The link works fine for me. Anyone else?

Why are you cowering from my questions?

[GoCubsGo]

Guessing he hasn't been there since the 80's.

[Ulysses]

Guessing he hasn't been there since the 80's.

Oh, I was there a couple years ago, pre-pandemic. It seemed OK to me.

[Ulysses]

Guessing he hasn't been there since the 80's.

When were YOU ever at the Coliseum?

[GoCubsGo]

Never, I hear it's a dump.

Oracle is nice though.

[Ulysses]

Never, I hear it's a dump.

Oracle is nice though.

Well, that just about says it all.

GCG thinks he's an expert on a stadium he's never been to.

Figures.

[Vrede too]

( )

You fail comprehension, again. GoCubsGo never claimed expertise. He cited expertise. Pay attention.

[O Really]

Well, I'm certainly no expert on MLB stadiums, particularly having a preference for cozy minor league fields, but here's somebody who's ranked the MLB fields from worst to first. Oakland is 29/30, worsted only by Tampa.
https://athlonsports.com/mlb/ranking-be ... parks-2016

This one thinks Oakland is #27
https://www.denverpost.com/2020/05/15/m ... -saunders/

This one thinks Oakland is dead last.
https://www.simplemost.com/mlb-stadiums ... orst-best/

Nevertheless, a lousy stadium doesn't mean one couldn't enjoy a game there, with decent seats, and bringing ones own refreshments.

[GoCubsGo]

And I actually like some dumps, a lot depends on the vibe.

We had two here in Chicago. The bowels of Wrigley were pretty damn dumpy until the Ricketts spent a gazillion bucks rehabbing the place. But the field and atmosphere were (and still mostly are despite the video boards) can't be beat.

Old Comiskey smelled like piss and beer but I loved it. Great place to really watch a game.

Old Yankee Stadium felt like the way a ballpark should feel, the atmosphere was palpable.

I don't need to go to the Coliseum or whatever it's called now to know I'm missing nothing. Its the last of the dual purpose charmless concrete monstrosities still standing. Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and St. Louis dumped their dumps.

[Ulysses]

Well, I'm certainly no expert on MLB stadiums, particularly having a preference for cozy minor league fields, but here's somebody who's ranked the MLB fields from worst to first. Oakland is 29/30, worsted only by Tampa.
https://athlonsports.com/mlb/ranking-be ... parks-2016

This one thinks Oakland is #27
https://www.denverpost.com/2020/05/15/m ... -saunders/

This one thinks Oakland is dead last.
https://www.simplemost.com/mlb-stadiums ... orst-best/

Nevertheless, a lousy stadium doesn't mean one couldn't enjoy a game there, with decent seats, and bringing ones own refreshments.

Well, now, I've been to the SF Giant's new stadium on Howard Street in The City.

I prefer the Coliseum.

But then, if you listen to Neo, I also enjoy sticking each finger up the anus of a separate cat.

[GoCubsGo]

Some wildly divergent opinions of some of the parks on that list although there are some consistencies.

Wrigley is at least a top five experience.

Oracle is loved.

The Coliseum is a dump.

[O Really]

We used to enjoy going to the Blue Jays' spring training games in Dunedin. Nice cozy ball park, good seats for not a lot, good concessions, park pretty much anywhere in town and be in walking distance.


Tropicana Field, not so much.