MLB news roundup
Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!
A public hearing on Nevada Senate Bill 509 was held on Monday, which happened to also be a national holiday. It almost seems as if organizers wanted to keep participation at a minimum.
“You may be suckers of the week if you approve this deal.”@Ken_Rosenthal wonders if the Nevada Legislature held the A’s Vegas stadium bill hearing yesterday because they didn’t want the public really paying attention.
Fair Territory ▶️ https://t.co/ZsCRLi8YaA pic.twitter.com/NCrtDHVaJS
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 30, 2023
Two individuals who didn’t participate, per Angelina Martin at NBC Sports Bay Area, are A’s president Dave Kaval and owner John Fisher. Several Nevada lawmakers did participate, however, and many expressed skepticism or outright opposition to funding the proposed stadium development at the Tropicana with taxpayer money.
Tristi Rodriguez at NBC Sports Bay Area noted that nearly 80 percent of publicly submitted opinions on the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau website oppose SB 509. These aren’t necessarily the opinions of Nevada voters who could hold their representatives accountable for providing huge subsidies for the development despite public opposition. Anyone can submit feedback on the site (hint: that includes you).
However, even if all of that opposition is coming from angry fans of the Oakland A’s, it still matters that it greatly outweighs support for the bill, whether from Nevada voters or elsewhere. Perhaps by some miracle, this saga will somehow ultimately play out in favor of the public interest despite the array of monied interests pushing it forward.
A’s Coverage:
- Polito: Athletics take second straight from the Braves at home 2-1.
- Rodriguez: A’s Las Vegas stadium bill strongly opposed by public voters
- Kawahara: A’s Lucas Erceg’s first MLB win another ‘milestone’ after path to sobriety ($)
- Brazil: Five telling moments in A’s Las Vegas ballpark bill hearing
- Martin: Report: Why Fisher, Kaval skipped latest Vegas stadium hearing
- Martin: Nevada lawmakers shockingly watch Knights game during A’s hearing
MLB News & Interest:
- Kaplan and Drellich: Diamond Sports to stop broadcasting Padres games; MLB to produce San Diego’s next game ($)
- Franco: Looking Ahead To Upcoming Club Options: NL West
- McDonald: Orioles Sign Aaron Hicks, Place Cedric Mullins On IL
- Johnson: Big Hype Prospects: Abbott, Brown, Encarnacion-Strand, Povich, Sheehan
- McGrath: Blue Jays’ Anthony Bass apologizes for sharing anti-LGBTQ+ social media post ($)
- McCullough: How Orioles star Adley Rutschman holds the team’s lofty aspirations in his hands ($)
- Gleeman: Fact or fiction: Have the Twins gotten the short end of the umpiring stick? ($)
- Today in Baseball History
Best of Twitter:
Roster moves.
A’S RECENT MOVES: C Yohel Pozo off LV development list, RHPs Joe Wieland & Norge Ruiz on LV development list, RHP Paul Blackburn off A’s IL, IF Jonah Bride to A’s, 1B Jesus Aguilar DFA’d, RHP Garrett Acton to LV, RHP Gunnar Hoglund off STK IL… https://t.co/joKXkyUAPy
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 30, 2023
There’s Waldo.
Kotsay said Ken Waldichuk is available out of the bullpen for the next 2 days: “With him on the roster, it gives us flexibility to go 6-man rotation. That hasn’t been really discussed yet. We’ll see how we get through these next two days and determine how we go forward with him.”
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) May 30, 2023
Harris to get an actual start.
Hogan Harris is the scheduled starter for Friday’s series opener in Miami for the A’s, per Kotsay.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) May 30, 2023
King Clutch.
Esteury Ruiz ties it up with a single to right, 1-1. He’s now batting .431 (22-for-51) with runners in scoring position this season.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) May 31, 2023
Watters with a gem in High-A.
#Athletics No. 26 prospect Jacob Watters yielded one hit over 5 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out four, in his eighth start of the season Friday.@ANG_Recruiting #ServeYourWay pic.twitter.com/Qljcq8qdVS
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) May 30, 2023
Kid Reporter Sam on the dog beat for Bark in the Park night.
Our kid reporter, Sam, had his most im-paw-tant interview yet
For more : https://t.co/hjvqwbfi2t pic.twitter.com/K99RTMqICd
— Oakland A’s (@Athletics) May 30, 2023