New MLB Commissioner Optimistic About New Oakland A's Ballpark; San Jose Still In Fight For The Team
SAN JOSE (KCBS) — The new commissioner of Major League Baseball said he is optimistic that the Athletics will be able to get a new ball park in Oakland. But those who want to see the A's move to San Jose say they're not yet ready to throw in the towel.
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During the first day on his new job Rob Manfred, the new MLB commissioner, told the Associated Press that with a new mayor in Oakland and a league victory in the San Jose litigation he's hopeful that progress can be made on a new stadium in Oakland in the relativity short term.
Santa Clara County assessor Larry Stone told KCBS, however, that he wants the San Jose lawsuit against MLB to go to the U.S. Supreme Court. He said that anything that threatens MLB's anti-trust exemption could open the door for an A's move and that San Jose would make a better home for the team.
"There's no question that everybody, including Major League Baseball, believes that the A's would be fabulously successful in San Jose—much more so than in Oakland," he said. "Oakland hasn't supported the team in any meaningful degree in 20 years. Why do you think they would do it now just because you built a ballpark?"
New Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf spoke about the A's on KCBS In Depth shortly after the election.
"I'm supportive of people bringing their private dollars and investing it in our city. I'm not supportive of spending public dollars on building sports stadiums. I've been very clear about that," she said.
Schaaf said she was hopeful that she could keep both the A's and Raiders in Oakland and will not pit the teams against each other.
