Last week, someone leaked private financial documents for MLB teams and the numbers therein proved that the owners for the Florida Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates have been lying about "losing money" while they got taxpayers to foot the bill for publicly-funded stadiums.
The info was so juicy and damning, particularly about Marlins owner Jeff Loria and his alleged dishonesty, that Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports penned a scathing column about it.
Meanwhile, MLB is investigating who leaked the information. Whoever leaked it, the report probably means that the upcoming labor battle between owners and players could turn really ugly for the first time since the '94 season, when Bud Selig made the most dubious kind of history by canceling the World Series.
The A's were not one of the teams whose finances were leaked. Those documents would be of interest to local sportswriters, such as Lowell Cohn, who has questioned why the A's keep crying poor when they're one of the richest ownerships in MLB.
We'll revisit this topic more and more in the coming weeks. Until then, check out Neil de Mause's analysis over at FieldofSchemes.com. Or read national sportswriter Dave Zirin, who offered his incendiary take on the MLB owners in question. This story fits right into Zirin's critical look at the greedy state of sports ownership today in his recently published book titled, Bad Sports: How Owners are Ruining the Games We Love.
This is a story that will only get juicier in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Cohn: A's Owner Spends on Art, Not Baseball
Lowell Cohn's Aug. 19 column was very critical of billionaire A's owner John Fisher and his brothers. Cohn noted the fortune that the Fisher family has spent on their 1,100 pieces of fine art. The art alone is valued at more than $1 billion. The Fisher brothers, each of whom are billionaires, have loaned their artwork to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. But Cohn compared the Fishers' pricey artwork spending to the penny-pinching ways that they (and co-owner Lew Wolff) run the Oakland A's. Here’s an excerpt:
This is about how the A's greedily take money from the so-called big-market teams, the A's grabbing for revenue-sharing dough when the A's primary owner is one of the richest owners in baseball. Forget that, he's one of the richest men in the world. I'm talking about John Fisher, a billionaire. His two brothers also have stakes in the A's. They're billionaires, too. Not poor.
Fisher's billionaire status is well-chronicled. The San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea reported that Fisher is just one of eight billionare owners in MLB. Coupled with his billionaire brothers, that makes the A's ownership one of the richest in MLB. Also, Fisher's A's play in the Bay Area — the fifth biggest market in the entire nation.
So, when people call the A's a "small-market team," they’re wrong. In the populous, wealthy Bay Area, there are no small market teams. There are only small owners. The Warriors' Chris Cohan was a small owner. Fisher and Wolff are small owners, too. After half a decade of incompetence, apathy, and neglect of the A's franchise and its loyal fans, Fisher and Wolff have more than earned that "small owners" title.
Cohn continued about the Fishers:
I'm told the entire collection is worth more than a billion. Poor? Is the A's ownership poor? Oh, I know what you're thinking. The fancy art represents the Fishers' personal money, but the A's don't generate squat.
Please. Team owners should be sportspeople. They should love the game and have passion for the game like George Steinbrenner did, and they need to spend money to make money. The Fishers had no trouble buying all that art, shelling out big bucks for the art which brings in no income I can see. But the Fishers have trouble shelling out the going rate for a shortstop or a first baseman or a left fielder. When it comes to that, they're too poor.
Cohn’s new column echoes two recent blogs, in which he ripped Fisher and A's ownership. The veteran sportswriter ended this latest column just as stridently as he started it:
If the A's had to write their personal philosophy, it would go something like this: "We are committed to producing a below-average product and blaming it on Oakland and the Giants. We plan to suck until they let us move to San Jose. Then we'll be a real work of art. Just wait and see."
What's interesting is how Cohn's disgust at Fisher & Co. is almost unanimously supported by A’s fans in the blog's comments section. Many other Bay Area sportswriters agree, too. Unfortunately, Oakland fans have had to deal with ownership like this for 15 years, ever since Steve Schott and Ken Hofmann bought the A's from the Haas family in 1995. Schott was a disaster.
The Fishers, who have been almost invisible as team owners, have been as bad or worse than Schott. But we'll let Cohn have the final word on John Fisher and his brothers:
They should get out of the baseball business and sell to someone who loves ball more than art.
This is about how the A's greedily take money from the so-called big-market teams, the A's grabbing for revenue-sharing dough when the A's primary owner is one of the richest owners in baseball. Forget that, he's one of the richest men in the world. I'm talking about John Fisher, a billionaire. His two brothers also have stakes in the A's. They're billionaires, too. Not poor.
Fisher's billionaire status is well-chronicled. The San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea reported that Fisher is just one of eight billionare owners in MLB. Coupled with his billionaire brothers, that makes the A's ownership one of the richest in MLB. Also, Fisher's A's play in the Bay Area — the fifth biggest market in the entire nation.
So, when people call the A's a "small-market team," they’re wrong. In the populous, wealthy Bay Area, there are no small market teams. There are only small owners. The Warriors' Chris Cohan was a small owner. Fisher and Wolff are small owners, too. After half a decade of incompetence, apathy, and neglect of the A's franchise and its loyal fans, Fisher and Wolff have more than earned that "small owners" title.
Cohn continued about the Fishers:
I'm told the entire collection is worth more than a billion. Poor? Is the A's ownership poor? Oh, I know what you're thinking. The fancy art represents the Fishers' personal money, but the A's don't generate squat.
Please. Team owners should be sportspeople. They should love the game and have passion for the game like George Steinbrenner did, and they need to spend money to make money. The Fishers had no trouble buying all that art, shelling out big bucks for the art which brings in no income I can see. But the Fishers have trouble shelling out the going rate for a shortstop or a first baseman or a left fielder. When it comes to that, they're too poor.
Cohn’s new column echoes two recent blogs, in which he ripped Fisher and A's ownership. The veteran sportswriter ended this latest column just as stridently as he started it:
If the A's had to write their personal philosophy, it would go something like this: "We are committed to producing a below-average product and blaming it on Oakland and the Giants. We plan to suck until they let us move to San Jose. Then we'll be a real work of art. Just wait and see."
What's interesting is how Cohn's disgust at Fisher & Co. is almost unanimously supported by A’s fans in the blog's comments section. Many other Bay Area sportswriters agree, too. Unfortunately, Oakland fans have had to deal with ownership like this for 15 years, ever since Steve Schott and Ken Hofmann bought the A's from the Haas family in 1995. Schott was a disaster.
The Fishers, who have been almost invisible as team owners, have been as bad or worse than Schott. But we'll let Cohn have the final word on John Fisher and his brothers:
They should get out of the baseball business and sell to someone who loves ball more than art.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Kaplan Talking Oakland Sports Wednesday at Linden St. Brewery
In case you haven't noticed, the race for the Oakland mayor's office is heating up. As Oakland residents and A's fans, we understand the importance that the Mayor's office will play in deciding the A's future in the coming years.
So, we're more than a little interested in what all 10 of the mayoral candidates have to say. At 8pm next Wednesday (Aug. 25), Rebecca Kaplan will be discussing the future of Oakland's sports teams at Linden Street Brewery, located at 95 Linden Street in Oakland.
Kaplan is an Oakland City Council member and a candidate in the mayor's race, which will be decided on Election Day, this Nov. 2. At Wednesday's event, Kaplan will pitch her ideas for using the retention of the A's and all of Oakland's teams for economic development. While we are not endorsing any candidate at this early stage, we are enthusiastic about this event. Linden Street Brewery is one of our favorite spots, and it's one of Oakland's homegrown business success stories. In addition, we are glad that the A's issue is being discussed in the mayor's race.
We also encourage the other Oakland mayor candidates to hold similar events on this issue that's so near and dear to the hearts of Oakland residents. In the weeks and months leading up to the election, we'll be sure to make space at Baseball Oakland for all of the candidates and their positions.
Until then, we look forward to this event and to the future political leadership that will lead Oakland into the 2010s. For more information, click here. Or go to the Facebook event page here. Look forward to seeing you there!
So, we're more than a little interested in what all 10 of the mayoral candidates have to say. At 8pm next Wednesday (Aug. 25), Rebecca Kaplan will be discussing the future of Oakland's sports teams at Linden Street Brewery, located at 95 Linden Street in Oakland.
Kaplan is an Oakland City Council member and a candidate in the mayor's race, which will be decided on Election Day, this Nov. 2. At Wednesday's event, Kaplan will pitch her ideas for using the retention of the A's and all of Oakland's teams for economic development. While we are not endorsing any candidate at this early stage, we are enthusiastic about this event. Linden Street Brewery is one of our favorite spots, and it's one of Oakland's homegrown business success stories. In addition, we are glad that the A's issue is being discussed in the mayor's race.
We also encourage the other Oakland mayor candidates to hold similar events on this issue that's so near and dear to the hearts of Oakland residents. In the weeks and months leading up to the election, we'll be sure to make space at Baseball Oakland for all of the candidates and their positions.
Until then, we look forward to this event and to the future political leadership that will lead Oakland into the 2010s. For more information, click here. Or go to the Facebook event page here. Look forward to seeing you there!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wolff & Fisher Never Tried
Here at BaseballOakland, we've written a lot about civic events, such as the Oakland Running Fest, Oaklavia, Best of the East Bay Party, the Art Murmur and First Fridays, and on and on. The high attendance at these events shows that Oakland is an active community with a lot of civic pride and that residents have the ability to spend the money to make these events a success for the promoters.
One group of people has been mysteriously absent from these events: The Oakland Athletics. While the A's are a private business and are under no obligation to participate in anything, that hasn't stopped the Raiders and Warriors from taking part in events here in Oakland. The Raiders and Warriors are smart to do so. It builds community, it shows that the teams care, and most of all, it sells tickets to sporting events and boosts their TV ratings. Likewise, the Giants across the bay have their logo attached at the many events that they sponsor in San Francisco.
However, the A's have usually shown up in just one city, San Jose. Over the weekend, the A's were a key sponsor for the San Jose Jazz Festival, according to the San Jose Mercury News. This caused us to scratch our heads a little. Why avoid Oakland almost all the time, but come to San Jose?
Here's a quote from the article:
Speaking of power, the Oakland A's and owner Lew Wolff made a big impact on the festival, too.
Willow Glen businessman Michael Mulcahy, who co-chairs the local grass-roots group that wants to bring the team to San Jose, represented Wolff at Mayor Chuck Reed's Jazz brunch Saturday morning at the Silicon Valley Capital Club.
The A's were a festival sponsor, and Mulcahy explained that their support allowed organizers to give away 2,000 tickets to East San Jose community groups that wouldn't have been able to afford the price of admission
So San Jose community groups are eligible for sponsored admission by the Oakland A's, but not Oakland groups? Wouldn't it be a nice gesture to sponsor 2,000 tickets to Oakland community groups to this weekend's Art & Soul festival in downtown Oakland? Especially considering that former A's bat boy MC Hammer will be performing.
What really grinds my gears about this is that this all files in the face of the dubious "I tried in Oakland" argument that Wolff/Fisher have been trying to sell to us over the years. From 2003-2005, when Wolff was "trying" in Oakland, the A's did little-to-none such outreach to the Oakland people. However, from 2006-2008, Wolff and the A's did a number of civic events in the Tri-City area and in San Jose, when he was trying to get Fremont site wrapped up.
Since then, of course, Wolff has focused entirely on the South Bay. Then again, it shouldn't surprise us. As the sign says, Wolff and Fisher never tried in Oakland.
One group of people has been mysteriously absent from these events: The Oakland Athletics. While the A's are a private business and are under no obligation to participate in anything, that hasn't stopped the Raiders and Warriors from taking part in events here in Oakland. The Raiders and Warriors are smart to do so. It builds community, it shows that the teams care, and most of all, it sells tickets to sporting events and boosts their TV ratings. Likewise, the Giants across the bay have their logo attached at the many events that they sponsor in San Francisco.
However, the A's have usually shown up in just one city, San Jose. Over the weekend, the A's were a key sponsor for the San Jose Jazz Festival, according to the San Jose Mercury News. This caused us to scratch our heads a little. Why avoid Oakland almost all the time, but come to San Jose?
Here's a quote from the article:
Speaking of power, the Oakland A's and owner Lew Wolff made a big impact on the festival, too.
Willow Glen businessman Michael Mulcahy, who co-chairs the local grass-roots group that wants to bring the team to San Jose, represented Wolff at Mayor Chuck Reed's Jazz brunch Saturday morning at the Silicon Valley Capital Club.
The A's were a festival sponsor, and Mulcahy explained that their support allowed organizers to give away 2,000 tickets to East San Jose community groups that wouldn't have been able to afford the price of admission
So San Jose community groups are eligible for sponsored admission by the Oakland A's, but not Oakland groups? Wouldn't it be a nice gesture to sponsor 2,000 tickets to Oakland community groups to this weekend's Art & Soul festival in downtown Oakland? Especially considering that former A's bat boy MC Hammer will be performing.
What really grinds my gears about this is that this all files in the face of the dubious "I tried in Oakland" argument that Wolff/Fisher have been trying to sell to us over the years. From 2003-2005, when Wolff was "trying" in Oakland, the A's did little-to-none such outreach to the Oakland people. However, from 2006-2008, Wolff and the A's did a number of civic events in the Tri-City area and in San Jose, when he was trying to get Fremont site wrapped up.
Since then, of course, Wolff has focused entirely on the South Bay. Then again, it shouldn't surprise us. As the sign says, Wolff and Fisher never tried in Oakland.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
"B" Shuttle Would Serve New A's Park
A new free shuttle serving downtown Oakland has started running on Broadway Street, going from Jack London Square to Uptown.
Any of the shuttle's Jack London Square stops are just a handful of blocks from the new waterfront ballpark sites identified by Oakland officials. And you can be sure that the free shuttle will expand to include a ballpark stop as soon as the A's choose one of the sites.
When a new A's ballpark is built on the waterfront, the shuttle will be yet another form of public transit that will ease stadium access for A's fans. The Oakland waterfront sites — especially Victory Court, located just south of Jack London Square — already are served by Lake Merritt BART, a ferry boat pier, an Amtrak station where Capitol Corridor and ACE commuter trains stop, and two freeways.
Until then, the free Broadway Shuttle — already nicknamed "The B" — arrives at each stop every 10 to 15 minutes, and it runs from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. on weekdays. The shuttle also will make stops in or near Chinatown, the City Center, the Kaiser Center, Old Oakland and Lake Merritt. The eastern-most stop is at Grand Avenue and Webster Street, where Uptown meets Auto Row. The western-most stop is on Embarcadero West, between Broadway and Franklin streets, at Jack London Square. Late-night and weekend service probably will be added soon to serve Oakland's burgeoning nightlife and restaurant scene.
Using clean diesel fuel, "The B" will be an environmental hit by removing 350 cars from downtown Oakland each day, and by removing five tons of greenhouse gases per year.
In other words, the bus shuttle could be a future green option for the Green-and-Gold.
Any of the shuttle's Jack London Square stops are just a handful of blocks from the new waterfront ballpark sites identified by Oakland officials. And you can be sure that the free shuttle will expand to include a ballpark stop as soon as the A's choose one of the sites.
When a new A's ballpark is built on the waterfront, the shuttle will be yet another form of public transit that will ease stadium access for A's fans. The Oakland waterfront sites — especially Victory Court, located just south of Jack London Square — already are served by Lake Merritt BART, a ferry boat pier, an Amtrak station where Capitol Corridor and ACE commuter trains stop, and two freeways.
Until then, the free Broadway Shuttle — already nicknamed "The B" — arrives at each stop every 10 to 15 minutes, and it runs from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. on weekdays. The shuttle also will make stops in or near Chinatown, the City Center, the Kaiser Center, Old Oakland and Lake Merritt. The eastern-most stop is at Grand Avenue and Webster Street, where Uptown meets Auto Row. The western-most stop is on Embarcadero West, between Broadway and Franklin streets, at Jack London Square. Late-night and weekend service probably will be added soon to serve Oakland's burgeoning nightlife and restaurant scene.
Using clean diesel fuel, "The B" will be an environmental hit by removing 350 cars from downtown Oakland each day, and by removing five tons of greenhouse gases per year.
In other words, the bus shuttle could be a future green option for the Green-and-Gold.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Local Sportswriters Tired of Wolff's Act
Last Friday, sportswriter Monte Poole wrote a column criticizing A's co-owners Lew Wolff and John Fisher.
Poole ripped Wolff and Fisher for being "brazen about their restlessness, even expressing a measure of contempt for their situation and insensitivity toward the most loyal core of their clientele. That would be the fans who accounted for more than 2 million in attendance five consecutive seasons (2001-05)."
Then Poole suggested that, as the roadblocks preventing them from moving out of Oakland continue to mount, Wolff and Fisher might get so frustrated they'll just sell the team instead. Poole added:
"Here is where we pause for robust cheers from die-hard fans in the East Bay ... these fans want nothing more than to see the A's go to folks willing to restore fan interest with baseball, rather than development, in mind. That would mean committing to Oakland."
We agree with every word. But it's not just us, Monte Poole, and the 41,000-plus A's fans at Let's Go Oakland who feel this way. Many other Bay Area sports scribes recently criticized Wolff and Fisher for being bad owners.
Like South Bay resident Ann Killion:
"The A's, in contrast, have run off most of their fans. ...Wolff's marketing strategy has been to not so subtly let potential ticket buyers know that they would be foolish to go to games at the rundown Oakland Coliseum. And the fans are listening. The A's aren't just losing their existing fan base and tradition, they've lost an entire Bay Area generation, who think that fun-plus-baseball means going to a Giants game."
Or Ray Ratto at CSNBayArea.com:
" ...the A's stopped promoting their team as the cool kids table the way they did in the '80s. ...they've been telling people Oakland is a sinkhole for five years now, and as the Giants discovered in the '80s, when you tell people not to come out until you have a new place, they'll start to agree with you. They A's can fix all these things, but it takes a will and a capacity to spend money and energy to change the perception. They did it once, they can do it again. But they have to want to."
Check out the Press Democrat's Lowell Cohn:
"The A's are always crying poverty. That's when they’re not crying small market team. We're supposed to feel sorry for them. ...The principal owner is John Fisher. John Fisher is a billionaire. The A's never should cry poverty because the A’s are very rich."
The next day, Cohn openly questioned Wolff's and Fisher's integrity and honesty:
"The A’s used to make money. The A's used to have big crowds. The A's used to win and be a factor. The current ownership, which doesn't seem to care about making a good team, has done many things to cut down on crowds and cut down on success. Have they done these things intentionally? I wonder. ...The Fishers are not sportspeople. They are businesspeople. They have the wrong attitude to own the A's."
And we haven't even gotten to local sports veterans, Art Spander, Dave Newhouse, and Glenn Dickey, and other local media, who also wrote very critical columns about Wolff and Fisher this summer.
What happens next for loyal A's fans is anybody’s guess. But the list of Bay Area sportswriters who are getting fed up with Wolff and Fisher has gotten long and it only continues to grow.
Poole ripped Wolff and Fisher for being "brazen about their restlessness, even expressing a measure of contempt for their situation and insensitivity toward the most loyal core of their clientele. That would be the fans who accounted for more than 2 million in attendance five consecutive seasons (2001-05)."
Then Poole suggested that, as the roadblocks preventing them from moving out of Oakland continue to mount, Wolff and Fisher might get so frustrated they'll just sell the team instead. Poole added:
"Here is where we pause for robust cheers from die-hard fans in the East Bay ... these fans want nothing more than to see the A's go to folks willing to restore fan interest with baseball, rather than development, in mind. That would mean committing to Oakland."
We agree with every word. But it's not just us, Monte Poole, and the 41,000-plus A's fans at Let's Go Oakland who feel this way. Many other Bay Area sports scribes recently criticized Wolff and Fisher for being bad owners.
Like South Bay resident Ann Killion:
"The A's, in contrast, have run off most of their fans. ...Wolff's marketing strategy has been to not so subtly let potential ticket buyers know that they would be foolish to go to games at the rundown Oakland Coliseum. And the fans are listening. The A's aren't just losing their existing fan base and tradition, they've lost an entire Bay Area generation, who think that fun-plus-baseball means going to a Giants game."
Or Ray Ratto at CSNBayArea.com:
" ...the A's stopped promoting their team as the cool kids table the way they did in the '80s. ...they've been telling people Oakland is a sinkhole for five years now, and as the Giants discovered in the '80s, when you tell people not to come out until you have a new place, they'll start to agree with you. They A's can fix all these things, but it takes a will and a capacity to spend money and energy to change the perception. They did it once, they can do it again. But they have to want to."
Check out the Press Democrat's Lowell Cohn:
"The A's are always crying poverty. That's when they’re not crying small market team. We're supposed to feel sorry for them. ...The principal owner is John Fisher. John Fisher is a billionaire. The A's never should cry poverty because the A’s are very rich."
The next day, Cohn openly questioned Wolff's and Fisher's integrity and honesty:
"The A’s used to make money. The A's used to have big crowds. The A's used to win and be a factor. The current ownership, which doesn't seem to care about making a good team, has done many things to cut down on crowds and cut down on success. Have they done these things intentionally? I wonder. ...The Fishers are not sportspeople. They are businesspeople. They have the wrong attitude to own the A's."
And we haven't even gotten to local sports veterans, Art Spander, Dave Newhouse, and Glenn Dickey, and other local media, who also wrote very critical columns about Wolff and Fisher this summer.
What happens next for loyal A's fans is anybody’s guess. But the list of Bay Area sportswriters who are getting fed up with Wolff and Fisher has gotten long and it only continues to grow.
Monday, August 9, 2010
A's Have Strong Record at Coliseum
Lew Wolff has said that the A's need a new stadium because it will help them win more games. In recent years, Wolff has even blamed the "atmosphere" at the Coliseum for hurting the team's ability to win.
As usual, Wolff's comments are not backed up by fact. First, Wolff is more responsible than anyone for creating the Coliseum's atmosphere. If he doesn't like it, he should point fingers of blame directly at a mirror.
More importantly, his claims are not backed up by cold, hard numbers. Here are some examples. After this latest home stand that concluded Aug. 8, Oakland's 34-24 home record at the Coliseum is neck-and-neck with teams that play at AT&T Park, Citi Field, Petco Park, Target Field, and Fenway Park — you know, all those kinds of stadiums that Wolff says he needs for the A's to win. In fact, the A's are winning at an even better clip than many other MLB teams who play in new ballparks — we’re looking at you, Milwaukee, Anaheim, and Houston.
And don't forget that during Oakland's great run from 2000-2006, the A's home record at the Coliseum often was No. 1, or second only to teams like the Yankees.
Which is why it's so strange that Wolff keeps blaming the Coliseum for his own mistakes. It's yet one more example of many where Wolff says one thing about the A's, but the facts say quite the opposite.
As usual, Wolff's comments are not backed up by fact. First, Wolff is more responsible than anyone for creating the Coliseum's atmosphere. If he doesn't like it, he should point fingers of blame directly at a mirror.
More importantly, his claims are not backed up by cold, hard numbers. Here are some examples. After this latest home stand that concluded Aug. 8, Oakland's 34-24 home record at the Coliseum is neck-and-neck with teams that play at AT&T Park, Citi Field, Petco Park, Target Field, and Fenway Park — you know, all those kinds of stadiums that Wolff says he needs for the A's to win. In fact, the A's are winning at an even better clip than many other MLB teams who play in new ballparks — we’re looking at you, Milwaukee, Anaheim, and Houston.
And don't forget that during Oakland's great run from 2000-2006, the A's home record at the Coliseum often was No. 1, or second only to teams like the Yankees.
Which is why it's so strange that Wolff keeps blaming the Coliseum for his own mistakes. It's yet one more example of many where Wolff says one thing about the A's, but the facts say quite the opposite.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Travel & Leisure: Jack London is "Next Great Neighborhood"
Last December, Oakland officials announced they'd identified two new waterfront ballpark sites near Jack London Square: 1) Jack London North, and 2) Victory Court. Both sites are in or near Oakland neighborhoods that are thriving with new restaurants and nightlife.
But don't take our word for it. These are the opinions of national reporters and experts, including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Now, Travel & Leisure magazine is just the latest national publication to take notice of Oakland's thriving entertainment scene. Hot off the presses is Travel & Leisure's August issue, featuring Oakland restaurant successes such as Pizzaiolo, Brown Sugar Kitchen, and Commis. It also mentions places set to open soon, like Plum in the Uptown district and the Jack London Market, which will be Oakland's answer to San Francisco's Ferry Building.
Most telling is a section that declares Jack London Square as "The Next Great Neighborhood." Reporter Oliver Strand writes: "A stretch of once decrepit waterfront has been transformed into Jack London Square, now Oakland’s go-to district, with a series of landscaped promenades, converted loft apartments, and an ever increasing number of restaurants."
Nestled within this neighborhood, of course, are the waterfront A's ballpark sites. The Jack London North location has great potential. But even better is the Victory Court site, which would connect the Oakland waterfront and the Estuary to Lake Merritt and downtown, which are just a handful of blocks away. Also, Victory Court's public transit access and transportation options are excellent: it's near Interstates 880 and 980/24, and it's just a few minutes from Lake Merritt BART, the Amtrak station where Capitol Corridor and ACE commuter trains stop, and the Jack London Square ferry boat pier.
All of these factors will make an Oakland waterfront ballpark as good as the Giants' AT&T Park — or even better.
As Strand writes, the thriving Jack London Square area is one part of Oakland's "new, edgier identity thanks to emerging neighborhoods, a buzzing nightlife, and a renovated waterfront that promises to become one of the most ambitious gastro-destinations in the country."
A new ballpark will make the Oakland waterfront one of the best sports destinations in the country, too.
But don't take our word for it. These are the opinions of national reporters and experts, including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Now, Travel & Leisure magazine is just the latest national publication to take notice of Oakland's thriving entertainment scene. Hot off the presses is Travel & Leisure's August issue, featuring Oakland restaurant successes such as Pizzaiolo, Brown Sugar Kitchen, and Commis. It also mentions places set to open soon, like Plum in the Uptown district and the Jack London Market, which will be Oakland's answer to San Francisco's Ferry Building.
Most telling is a section that declares Jack London Square as "The Next Great Neighborhood." Reporter Oliver Strand writes: "A stretch of once decrepit waterfront has been transformed into Jack London Square, now Oakland’s go-to district, with a series of landscaped promenades, converted loft apartments, and an ever increasing number of restaurants."
Nestled within this neighborhood, of course, are the waterfront A's ballpark sites. The Jack London North location has great potential. But even better is the Victory Court site, which would connect the Oakland waterfront and the Estuary to Lake Merritt and downtown, which are just a handful of blocks away. Also, Victory Court's public transit access and transportation options are excellent: it's near Interstates 880 and 980/24, and it's just a few minutes from Lake Merritt BART, the Amtrak station where Capitol Corridor and ACE commuter trains stop, and the Jack London Square ferry boat pier.
All of these factors will make an Oakland waterfront ballpark as good as the Giants' AT&T Park — or even better.
As Strand writes, the thriving Jack London Square area is one part of Oakland's "new, edgier identity thanks to emerging neighborhoods, a buzzing nightlife, and a renovated waterfront that promises to become one of the most ambitious gastro-destinations in the country."
A new ballpark will make the Oakland waterfront one of the best sports destinations in the country, too.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wolff: 'Business as Usual' After New Stadium
Lew Wolff likes to say that he needs to move the A's out of the Oakland Coliseum so that Billy Beane can have more revenue to sign more free agents.
But Wolff has publicly contradicted himself on this. A June 3, 2007 blurb by sportswriter Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reveals that Wolff plans to keep up his cheap, penny-pinching ways even AFTER they build a new A's stadium. Here's Berardino's blurb:
Like the Marlins, the A's don’t plan to jack up their $65 million payroll upon approval of a new stadium. Even once they make the move, perhaps by 2011, the A's will keep their player outlay in the range of 50 percent of total revenues.
"It will be business as usual," A's owner Lew Wolff said. "We have a staff, led by [GM] Billy Beane, that is very, very bottom-line oriented. Billy loves doing it that way. Frankly, it’s more fun."
In other words, Wolff is talking out of both sides of his mouth, even when it comes to one of the biggest reasons (supposedly) why he "needs" a new ballpark. Wolff says he needs a new ballpark to be a contender, but there's Wolff in the quote above, also saying that "it will be business as usual," even after a new A's ballpark is built. So, which version of Wolff is being honest? Well, Wolff's ownership history shows that fans should bet on the cheapskate path. The A’s under Wolff and John Fisher (a billionaire who is one of MLB’s richest men) have always spent the least amount of money and done the least amount of work, which has alienated their once-great Oakland fan base.
Why do they do this? Because if Wolff and Fisher keep their investment low, and their revenue low, too, then they're all too happy to collect $30 million each year in welfare checks from other MLB owners. That’s what Wolff seems to be saying to Berardino in the quote above: Nothing’s going to change, new ballpark or not.
“Frankly, it’s more fun,” Wolff said. For whom, Lew? Certainly not for the fans, who have been waiting 15 years for an A’s owner to be honest with them, not to speak out of both sides of his mouth.
But Wolff has publicly contradicted himself on this. A June 3, 2007 blurb by sportswriter Mike Berardino of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reveals that Wolff plans to keep up his cheap, penny-pinching ways even AFTER they build a new A's stadium. Here's Berardino's blurb:
Like the Marlins, the A's don’t plan to jack up their $65 million payroll upon approval of a new stadium. Even once they make the move, perhaps by 2011, the A's will keep their player outlay in the range of 50 percent of total revenues.
"It will be business as usual," A's owner Lew Wolff said. "We have a staff, led by [GM] Billy Beane, that is very, very bottom-line oriented. Billy loves doing it that way. Frankly, it’s more fun."
In other words, Wolff is talking out of both sides of his mouth, even when it comes to one of the biggest reasons (supposedly) why he "needs" a new ballpark. Wolff says he needs a new ballpark to be a contender, but there's Wolff in the quote above, also saying that "it will be business as usual," even after a new A's ballpark is built. So, which version of Wolff is being honest? Well, Wolff's ownership history shows that fans should bet on the cheapskate path. The A’s under Wolff and John Fisher (a billionaire who is one of MLB’s richest men) have always spent the least amount of money and done the least amount of work, which has alienated their once-great Oakland fan base.
Why do they do this? Because if Wolff and Fisher keep their investment low, and their revenue low, too, then they're all too happy to collect $30 million each year in welfare checks from other MLB owners. That’s what Wolff seems to be saying to Berardino in the quote above: Nothing’s going to change, new ballpark or not.
“Frankly, it’s more fun,” Wolff said. For whom, Lew? Certainly not for the fans, who have been waiting 15 years for an A’s owner to be honest with them, not to speak out of both sides of his mouth.
Friday, July 30, 2010
"Moneyball" Filming at the Coliseum
What a great experience. Reliving the magical 2002 season, while Hollywood stars roam the Coliseum.
But first, a few negatives: they don't really serve much food. A few of the stands inside the ballpark were open but they mostly served small snack-type foods. You can, however, bring your own food if you choose. Second, because there are rehearsals and several takes being filmed with different camera angles and such, there is a lot of "hurry up and wait," which I'm quite used to from my days in the Army.
I tried to go as vintage as possible with my clothing. I wore a jersey from 2000, which I donned fairly requently from 2000 until 2003. I wore a basic A's hat covered in pins. My ticket holder, which I harnessed with a lanyard around my neck, contained a ticket stub from 2002 (I've literally kept nearly every A's ticket stub since my first game in 1990), plus a 2002 pocket schedule. It's also worth noting that I weigh 35 pounds more than I did eight years ago. Yet, the jersey still fit perfectly. Win!
The scene that was being filmed on this day was a recreation of Game 20 of "The Streak", on September 4, 2002. After running a few takes, it was decided that more people were needed for the Diamond Level seats right behind home plate. Three other friends and I immediately jumped at the opportunity. We walked from our seats in the front of Section 115 (behind home plate, but slightly to the first base side and high above Diamond Level), down to the gate, across the field in front of the backstop (slapping high-fives, exchanging fist-bumps, and shaking hands with some of the actors in uniform), and to our new location within the padded-chair heaven of Diamond Level. We spent the rest of the night there, while those sitting in the main grandstand area had to move several times, depending on what angles the director wanted to shoot the scenes from.
For a good part of the time, the cameras were pointed in our direction; partly filming the action in the batter's box, with crowd (read: our) reactions in the background. Several takes were filmed like that. I won't be surprised of we are in a couple of them when the movie is completed. I will be sorely disappointed if we're not. I may have to ask for my money back. Wait ... what? It was free? Oh, yeah - that's right. Damn, there goes that idea...
It was quite a surreal experience. There they were, on the field: Tim Hudson, Ramon Hernandez, Jermaine Dye, David Justice, Ray Durham, Jeff Tam, Ricardo Rincon, Mark Ellis, John Mabry, Eric Chavez, Randy Velarde, Billy Koch and Terrance Long for the A's; Darrell May, Brent Mayne, Mike Sweeney, Carlos Febles, Carlos Beltran, Joe Randa, Michael Tucker, Neifi Perez, Raul Ibanez, manager Tony Pena, and coach Bob Schaeffer for the Royals. Only they were actors playing those people, wearing absolutely perfect replicas of the uniforms that were worn in 2002. Amazing.
As far as actor resemblances to the players, they're not really all that close. The guy playing Tejada was taller and leaner. Same for the guy playing Ramon Hernandez. John Mabry, in real life, looks a bit like Tom Green. The guy playing Mabry in "Moneyball" looked like neither John Mabry nor Tom Green. As it turns out, Tejada and Mabry are being depicted by a couple of ex-big leaguers. Royce Clayton, who made his debut with the Giants in the 1990s and was a part of the 2004 Red Sox, is playing Tejada, while Mabry is portrayed by former A's pitcher Jason Windsor.
The actor playing Terrence Long looked a lot like Long from a distance, same mannerisms and everything, but once he got closer and you could get a good look at his face, there was no resemblance at all. Marco Scutaro? Why is there someone dressed up as Marco Scutaro? He wasn't on the A's in 2002!
The actor playing Joe Randa is a bit of a jokester. During the rehearsals, he would go to the plate with a different batting stance each time. First he was Kevin Youkilis. Then he was Chuck Knoblauch. The third time around, he assumed a stance that looked similar to Gil McDougald (bat parallel to ground, held waist high). During a break in the action, much later on, the guy playing Michael Tucker stepped into the left-hand batter's box and did a perfect Ken Griffey, Jr. impression — stance, swing, follow-through, the works.
Stadium-wise, the eyesore tarps were off the third deck, a reminder of a Coliseum before Lew Wolff. The out-of-town scoreboard displayed the scores of the games held on September 4, 2002 — replete with "MON" for the since-departed Montreal Expos and "ANA" for since-rebranded Anaheim Angels. The old Fox Sports Net/Cable Channel 40 logo was back on the outfield wall.
At about 8:40, I had to use the restroom. A couple of others had the same idea at the exact same time. We were told to use the A's dugout restroom. Sure enough, there is a door near the water faucet that opens into a small, one-toilet restroom, which I had never noticed before. I'd been going to the Oakland Coliseum for 20 years and had never stepped foot into either dugout. Despite being 32 years old, I felt like an awestruck kid.
At one point two of the "umpires" strolled casually in front of the backstop. We booed them — in jest of course — and one of them reciprocated by firing off a comically-exaggerated ejection gesture. Good times.
Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt both made apperances on the field in between takes. On two occasions, Hill took the microphone and spoke to the crowd, thanking us for coming out and being supportive of their work. I'm sure he'll be a pretty good Paul DePodesta, but I can't help but wonder how Demetri Martin, who was originally slated to play the role, would have done it. Martin, who was once a regular on "The Daily Show" and currently has his own program, "Important Things with Demetri Martin", is one of my favorite comedians.
If you're planning on being a "Moneyball" extra, keep in mind, you are absolutely forbidden to bring cameras. I was able to smuggle one in by placing it in my jacket pocket and carrying the jacket. But there were too many security/crowd control types roaming around and I wasn't about to get it confiscated. I did take several cell-phone camera shots (which is actually forbidden, too - but you can disguise that pretty easily).
Also, make sure to bring your own pen. You will have to sign a couple of release forms while standing in the registration line. I suppose you can wait until you get to the table at the front of the line and use a pen there, but is it really worth tying up the entire line?
During the latter part of the filming, the guy portraying Tim Hudson had to leave. Not sure why. Injury? Anyway, he stripped off his jersey and gave it to the actor who was playing Jeff Tam. Twenty minutes earlier, a scene was shot involving Jeff Tam (he had entered the game for Ricardo Rincon — the script called for the cameras to follow Rincon to the dugout as Tam mysteriously appeared out of thin air on the mound). Then, after the Tam footage was shot, the director decided to jump back to an earlier point in the game and film another scene involving Tim Hudson — only by this time, the jersey had changed hands and now Jeff Tam was Tim Hudson. Not sure how that'll come out in the final product. Weird.
We left not long after that — it was getting close to 11:00 pm, the temperature was dropping, and a nice warm house did seem inviting.
But first, a few negatives: they don't really serve much food. A few of the stands inside the ballpark were open but they mostly served small snack-type foods. You can, however, bring your own food if you choose. Second, because there are rehearsals and several takes being filmed with different camera angles and such, there is a lot of "hurry up and wait," which I'm quite used to from my days in the Army.
I tried to go as vintage as possible with my clothing. I wore a jersey from 2000, which I donned fairly requently from 2000 until 2003. I wore a basic A's hat covered in pins. My ticket holder, which I harnessed with a lanyard around my neck, contained a ticket stub from 2002 (I've literally kept nearly every A's ticket stub since my first game in 1990), plus a 2002 pocket schedule. It's also worth noting that I weigh 35 pounds more than I did eight years ago. Yet, the jersey still fit perfectly. Win!
The scene that was being filmed on this day was a recreation of Game 20 of "The Streak", on September 4, 2002. After running a few takes, it was decided that more people were needed for the Diamond Level seats right behind home plate. Three other friends and I immediately jumped at the opportunity. We walked from our seats in the front of Section 115 (behind home plate, but slightly to the first base side and high above Diamond Level), down to the gate, across the field in front of the backstop (slapping high-fives, exchanging fist-bumps, and shaking hands with some of the actors in uniform), and to our new location within the padded-chair heaven of Diamond Level. We spent the rest of the night there, while those sitting in the main grandstand area had to move several times, depending on what angles the director wanted to shoot the scenes from.
For a good part of the time, the cameras were pointed in our direction; partly filming the action in the batter's box, with crowd (read: our) reactions in the background. Several takes were filmed like that. I won't be surprised of we are in a couple of them when the movie is completed. I will be sorely disappointed if we're not. I may have to ask for my money back. Wait ... what? It was free? Oh, yeah - that's right. Damn, there goes that idea...
It was quite a surreal experience. There they were, on the field: Tim Hudson, Ramon Hernandez, Jermaine Dye, David Justice, Ray Durham, Jeff Tam, Ricardo Rincon, Mark Ellis, John Mabry, Eric Chavez, Randy Velarde, Billy Koch and Terrance Long for the A's; Darrell May, Brent Mayne, Mike Sweeney, Carlos Febles, Carlos Beltran, Joe Randa, Michael Tucker, Neifi Perez, Raul Ibanez, manager Tony Pena, and coach Bob Schaeffer for the Royals. Only they were actors playing those people, wearing absolutely perfect replicas of the uniforms that were worn in 2002. Amazing.
As far as actor resemblances to the players, they're not really all that close. The guy playing Tejada was taller and leaner. Same for the guy playing Ramon Hernandez. John Mabry, in real life, looks a bit like Tom Green. The guy playing Mabry in "Moneyball" looked like neither John Mabry nor Tom Green. As it turns out, Tejada and Mabry are being depicted by a couple of ex-big leaguers. Royce Clayton, who made his debut with the Giants in the 1990s and was a part of the 2004 Red Sox, is playing Tejada, while Mabry is portrayed by former A's pitcher Jason Windsor.
The actor playing Terrence Long looked a lot like Long from a distance, same mannerisms and everything, but once he got closer and you could get a good look at his face, there was no resemblance at all. Marco Scutaro? Why is there someone dressed up as Marco Scutaro? He wasn't on the A's in 2002!
The actor playing Joe Randa is a bit of a jokester. During the rehearsals, he would go to the plate with a different batting stance each time. First he was Kevin Youkilis. Then he was Chuck Knoblauch. The third time around, he assumed a stance that looked similar to Gil McDougald (bat parallel to ground, held waist high). During a break in the action, much later on, the guy playing Michael Tucker stepped into the left-hand batter's box and did a perfect Ken Griffey, Jr. impression — stance, swing, follow-through, the works.
Stadium-wise, the eyesore tarps were off the third deck, a reminder of a Coliseum before Lew Wolff. The out-of-town scoreboard displayed the scores of the games held on September 4, 2002 — replete with "MON" for the since-departed Montreal Expos and "ANA" for since-rebranded Anaheim Angels. The old Fox Sports Net/Cable Channel 40 logo was back on the outfield wall.
At about 8:40, I had to use the restroom. A couple of others had the same idea at the exact same time. We were told to use the A's dugout restroom. Sure enough, there is a door near the water faucet that opens into a small, one-toilet restroom, which I had never noticed before. I'd been going to the Oakland Coliseum for 20 years and had never stepped foot into either dugout. Despite being 32 years old, I felt like an awestruck kid.
At one point two of the "umpires" strolled casually in front of the backstop. We booed them — in jest of course — and one of them reciprocated by firing off a comically-exaggerated ejection gesture. Good times.
Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt both made apperances on the field in between takes. On two occasions, Hill took the microphone and spoke to the crowd, thanking us for coming out and being supportive of their work. I'm sure he'll be a pretty good Paul DePodesta, but I can't help but wonder how Demetri Martin, who was originally slated to play the role, would have done it. Martin, who was once a regular on "The Daily Show" and currently has his own program, "Important Things with Demetri Martin", is one of my favorite comedians.
If you're planning on being a "Moneyball" extra, keep in mind, you are absolutely forbidden to bring cameras. I was able to smuggle one in by placing it in my jacket pocket and carrying the jacket. But there were too many security/crowd control types roaming around and I wasn't about to get it confiscated. I did take several cell-phone camera shots (which is actually forbidden, too - but you can disguise that pretty easily).
Also, make sure to bring your own pen. You will have to sign a couple of release forms while standing in the registration line. I suppose you can wait until you get to the table at the front of the line and use a pen there, but is it really worth tying up the entire line?
During the latter part of the filming, the guy portraying Tim Hudson had to leave. Not sure why. Injury? Anyway, he stripped off his jersey and gave it to the actor who was playing Jeff Tam. Twenty minutes earlier, a scene was shot involving Jeff Tam (he had entered the game for Ricardo Rincon — the script called for the cameras to follow Rincon to the dugout as Tam mysteriously appeared out of thin air on the mound). Then, after the Tam footage was shot, the director decided to jump back to an earlier point in the game and film another scene involving Tim Hudson — only by this time, the jersey had changed hands and now Jeff Tam was Tim Hudson. Not sure how that'll come out in the final product. Weird.
We left not long after that — it was getting close to 11:00 pm, the temperature was dropping, and a nice warm house did seem inviting.
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