The Athletics’ plans to build their new ballpark in the Howard Terminal area took a positive step forward when state officials unanimously voted that the State Lands Commission has the authority to decide whether a new stadium “is an appropriate use of the land,” Sarah Ravani of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Several other steps remain before the project is officially a go, such as two separate bills that have to be approved by California governor Gavin Newsom, plus an environmental impact report that should be completed by the end of 2019. If all goes well, the current timeline has construction underway in 2021, with an eye towards Opening Day 2023.
More items from around the AL and NL West….
- It’s been a tough season for Andrelton Simmons, who has battled ankle injuries while hitting .256/.301/.355 over 366 plate appearances. The timing of this down year is particularly poor for a shortstop who could well have been a prime extension candidate this winter, since Simmons is a free agent after the 2020 season. Now, however, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register wonders if the Angels could wait “until at least the middle of next season before deciding if they want to sign him to an extension,” to see if Simmons can rebound or if he is starting to decline. Simmons turned 30 just last week, and while he has never been a truly dangerous bat, he had at least posted above-average run production (as per wRC+) in both 2017 and 2018. Simmons also had the worst defensive season of his eight-year career, though “worst” is relative when discussing arguably the best defensive shortstop of all time — Simmons still posted +11 Defensive Runs Saved and +11.7 UZR/150. Trading Simmons seems like an unlikely option, though Fletcher wonders if the Angels could explore an extension that could overwrite his current 2020 salary ($15MM) and instead spread that money out over the length of the new deal in order to free up extra payroll space for Los Angeles to pursue pitching this offseason. Any extension talks, of course, would hinge on Simmons’ own thoughts, as he (like so many players did last spring) might prefer security now rather than deal with potential labor uncertainty at the end of the next collective bargaining contract. Then again, Simmons might likely feel he’s leaving money on the table by taking an extension in the wake of a down season, and might prefer to instead rebuild his value in 2020.
- It’s becoming more likely that Rockies outfielder David Dahl won’t play again this year, Nick Groke of The Athletic tweets. Even though Dahl’s progressing in his recovery from the ankle sprain he suffered Aug. 2, manager Bud Black admitted he’s “running out of time” for a 2019 return. Regardless of whether Dahl does come back, this will go down as yet another injury-limited season for the 25-year-old, who has combined for only 240 games since he debuted in 2016 (he didn’t play at all in ’17). A healthy Dahl, to his credit, has been an effective hitter – he got off to a .302/.353/.524 start with 15 HRs in 413 trips to the plate this year before landing on the shelf.
- Like Dahl, Padres righty Chris Paddack’s season could also be done, as AJ Cassavell of MLB.com observes. Paddack’s not injured, but the Padres have been monitoring the former Tommy John patient’s workload in his rookie campaign. The prized 23-year-old fired six shutout frames against the Cubs on Wednesday, raising his 2019 innings total to 135 2/3 – easily the most he has thrown in a professional season. Whether or not Paddack takes the mound again this year, this season’s sure to go in the books as a resounding success for him. Paddack has logged a 3.38 ERA/3.99 FIP with tremendous strikeout and walk rates (9.55 K/9 , 1.99 BB/9) in his first MLB action.
For the longest time, Paddack’s WHIP was beneath 1.000 while his FIP was hovering around 4.00. Looks like the WHIP has finally broken 1.000.
Chris Paddack is the TRUTH
He had a rough stretch for a month. That 6 man rotation helped him regain and refresh.
a’s proposed ballpark site is loaded with toxics … good luck getting that built – and better luck getting folks over the railroad track by way of a gondola that would move about 4 fans an hour … actually that would be more than fast enough to accommodate all their fans (both of them).
what a sad, sad boring life you must lead to post the same dribble…day after day…
What I would like to know, since I’m not an Oakland resident, is what he’s saying true? Not just a yes or no either, if there’s anything toxic in soil, bad logistics moving people to/from stadium. Can’t say it’s a great place for a stadium just because you want a new ballpark.
I’m a Canadian, Jays fan, but fan of all baseball to be honest (except NY and BOS of course). I’m not trying to be difficult, or siding with one side. I’m just saying if what he’s saying has a bit of truth to it, it’s a valid comment ( which “valid” puts it in the top 10% of comments per CommonSense.com )
There is a history of toxic materials being stored there, but I don’t think it’s as bad as many people think it is. They assume the worst because the word “toxic” is mentioned, but the levels of toxic materials being stored there still had to be in line with maritime standards. Clearly not bad enough to deter the A’s, that much is obvious, at least.
And it’s actually a very good place for a ballpark. It’s right next to a well known tourist attraction at Jack London Square and down Broadway from Downtown Oakland. A downtown ballpark is what the team wants and needs, that’s why it was the second option when the Lake Merritt plan ended up dead.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/12/19/dolich-oakland-as-howard-terminal-ballpark-plan-is-fantasy/
Dolich is also not an expert, nor can he tell the future. If you can’t tell the future, and you aren’t an expert, what are you?
In his case he’s just a salty old man upset that he isn’t the president of the A’s anymore. He gives his not expert opinion on matters that don’t concern him. This was an opinion panel with very little proof of claim, which is a theme in articles that include him.
And like the San Francisco Chronicle before this year, Mercury News had a very bad habit of spinning stories about the A’s to make them out as incompetent as possible.
Remember, everyone, being a journalist in 2019 doesn’t automatically make everything you say true. In too many cases nowadays they’re in it for the views so they can keep their jobs, not actually reporting facts.
It’s California. For better or for worse, it’s the land of litigation and government bureaucracy. They are able to get Roundup to pay billions for something that likely had nothing to do with the product.
I’d be more worried about lawyers looking for easy money than actual danger of toxins.
what a loser
No, that would be the two people that anonymously upvoted him.
You’re worse than Strike Four. That’s impressive.
it’s quite impressive that the A’s get under their skin so badly that they feel the need to post the exact same 2nd grade joke.every.single.day.
As I always say, I’m convinced Strike Four is a San Francisco Chronicle programmed bot that scours social media for negative comments made about the A’s, frankensteins them together and posts them here.
To what end? No idea. What I want for the A’s as an A’s fan is less important than what other people want for the A’s as fans of other teams.
In the hands of CA government employees this will take years to get approved, if ever. It’s a perfect combination of incompetence, bureaucracy, and just general not giving a crap.
Unless, of course, there’s some obvious corruption like the bullet train. It might get approved if Fienstein’s husband can build it at 3 times the cost of other bids.
Yeah the last thing you want to see is Dave Kaval once a week if you aren’t getting what he wants done, done. He’ll kill you with optimism and not even break a sweat doing it.
Right wing nut jobs are so clueless.
CA is the best run state in the USA.
You want incompetence, look at any number of poverty, obesity, lack of education, REPUBLICAN states.
Yeah but texas got them a new stafium up in three years. Have fun california dreaming.
Texas loves its taxpayer funded socialist endeavors.
Yes, it’s true!
Corporate
welfare
thrives in
Texas!
Off your rocker.
“CA is the best run state in the USA.”
You don’t have a clue. I moved out of California because it’s a horrible run state. I can’t imagine any state being worse.
Best run state? Why are so many residents and businesses leaving?!!
why do idiots watch fox fascist propaganda network and think they are watching news?
I watch Bloomberg. It’s a business news station. We lost over 15,000 companies to other states in the last decade.
And once we repeal 13, we’ll lose the few who stayed.
It’s not Faux News, it’s reality (and I know those 2 aren’t usually the same).
15,000 businesses over a decade? oh no!
“California has 3,320,977 small businesses, according to the most current federal data available.”
Fox’s cult viewers don’t know a damned thing about reality.
Try again. Just a businessman who has the “pleasure” of being taxed and regulated to death while my colleagues and clients leave for greener pastures.
I deal with this government way too much.
Let’s get the typhus, plague, and piles human feces off our streets before getting high and mighty, ok? Not to mention being ranked 50th in business environment, housing affordability, and taxation.
Where do you get this lunatic version of reality?
Are you drunk right now?
Bath salts?
Just stupid?
Hi Joe. I thought liberals preached “tolerance”. Maybe you didn’t get your coexist bumper sticker. You seem angry at anyone who doesn’t believe what you believe. I would love to debate you on the facts of California and socialism.
I’m tolerant of certain things.
Not of others:
Liars, like the current idiot in chief (12,000+ lies) isn’t one of them.
Traitors, like the current corrupt fool, isn’t one of them.
Dummies, who are victimized by fox fascist propaganda outlet? nope.
Best run state? We are taxed to death by these left wing whackos. DTLA looks like a 3rd world country. We have sanctuary city’s everywhere. We pay 60 cents in taxes on a gallon of gas. Hundreds of $$ a year on car registration. While other states pay $30.00 a year biannually. We are over burdened with immigrants that get everything for FREEE. Our Governor is Larry and her runs the state like it’s a Sit n Sleep mattress store
were you whining about those taxes when (R) arnold was gov, running up a historically high deficit?
taxes haven’t changed much since then, FYI.
but that republican budget deficit has been turned into a 30+ trillion dollar surplus, by those liberals fox news cultists despise so much.
Listen Joe Blow. The citizens of CA pay more taxes than any state in the union. Don’t tell me it’s not any more higher than when The Governator was in office. Go watch you Commie News Newtwork you fool
is this the only pic MLBTR has of Simmons?….seriously?!
Lol I was thinking the same thing
I’m an A’s fan and an Oakland resident. Oakland is a dumpster fire. The A’s would be better off moving to a nice area and then starting this decade long talk of an new stadium all over again.
How is oakland a “dumpster fire”?
Because people like you live there?
“The overall crime rate in Oakland is 165% higher than the national average. For every 100,000 people, there are 19.95 daily crimes that occur in Oakland. Oakland is safer than 1% of the cities in the United States. In Oakland you have a 1 in 14 chance of becoming a victim of any crime..”
It’s a great place to live.
HAHAHAHAHAHA! you quoted areavibes?! nice info from 1989
Oakland isn’t even in the top ten cities for violent crime.
Why don’t fox propaganda viewers whine about Missouri?
Because fox’s job is to keep you misinformed, so they ignore all the cities in red states with much higher crimes rates.
Yep, good point. St. Louis has the 3rd has murder rate per capita in the US, but you never hear the media complain about it like you do Chicago, which isn’t even top 30. East St. Louis ranks worst overall, and it’s only 4 miles from St. Louis.
With the A’s new Stadium, I would like to see a shovel in the ground. With any new Stadium, there are a lot of problems to work out. A’s fans that look through rose colored glassed think the every Stadium proposal is a done deal. Expensive toxic clean up. Not interfering with the Port. Transportation problems.
Simmons is the best. it was an excellent Eppler acquisition.