Oakland Ballers co-founders gear up for inaugural game at Raimondi Park
In the last few years, Oaklanders have suffered unfathomable sports losses. First, it was the Raiders, then the Warriors and most recently the A's. But that tide seems to be turning, thanks to two friends who are betting everything on the idea that if you build it, they will indeed come.
Ever since they were little kids, Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel have always thought of themselves as a winning team. But these days, they're focused on owning a winning team.
"I think we're both guys that probably have a pretty fair amount of chutzpah," Carmel said.
A year after the Oakland A's threw fans a major curve ball by skipping town, the two best friends decided to swing for the fences.
"We just thought, 'Why don't we do something about it? Let's start a new baseball team because this can't be the end of baseball in Oakland,'" Carmel recalled.
And so, the Ballers were born, a team they hope will become the next big chapter in Oakland baseball history.
"When we first came up with the idea, I think people were skeptical that we were serious. We told some of our friends and they laughed at us," Freedman said.
It all started in high school, after Carmel, a baseball junkie, moved to Oakland from Chicago not knowing a single soul. It was during those games in the Coliseum, watching the A's, that he met Freedman and the two hit it off.
"It's amazing the connections that you make through sports, through baseball. you keep them for life," Carmel said.
Affectionately called the B's, the Ballers are in a whole other league, literally. They'll be playing ball in the independent Pioneer League, an MLB partner based out of the Mountain West.
Since the league requires an even number of teams, Freedman and Carmel also created the Yolo High Wheelers, based in Davis, California.
But if you think owning two teams is all fun and games, wait until they play each other. On Tuesday, all eyes will be on the inaugural game, when the Ballers and High Wheelers face off.
"It's going to be hard; Paul cries a lot," Carmel said.
