Oakland A's

Pomeranz, A’s Shutout Mariners

Published

9 years ago

April 10, 2015

Oakland, CA – Off to a great start. The A’s scored a season-high twelve run including six runs in the fourth inning, their most in an inning this season. Oakland also snapped their season-opening four-game streak of committing ay least one error. The streak matched the longest by an A’s team over the last 39 years.

“That’s a pretty tough lineup to navigate your way through, and he had everything working,” said Oakland manager Bob Melvin. “You could see in the first inning with the strikeouts, elevated when he had to, was on the corners when he needed to, the curveball was going, just had it all working tonight.”

The A’s wasted no time in scoring their first three runs off righty Taijuan Walker in his first start of the season. Drew Pomeranz tossed a career-high tying seven innings and shutout the Mariners 12-0. Mark Canha went 3-for-5 while Oakland put up the hits to back their ace who is 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA.

“Honestly, I got a little tight when I was in between innings because we were scoring so many runs,” Pomeranz said. “I think it really made me pitch, really made me go out there and have to pitch to guys.”

Canha got the first hit to get things started, Ben Zobrist followed with a RBI double to give the A’s a 1-0 lead. Ike Davis hit a bloop single to center field and scored in Zobrist. Stephen Vogt got in on the action with a RBI single making it a 3-0 game. Vogt has now hit safely in each of the four games he’s played in.

Canha is now 6 RBI’s and seven hits through his first three games. He was hot tonight, blasting a two-run homer to left field in the second. Canha recorded his first home run in the Major Leagues. He went 3-for-5 in the cycle with three runs, a home run and two RBI’s.

“It’s good to get the first one off your back,” said Canha referring to his first home run. “It’s three games, it’s a long season, and I’m just going to come to the park each day and prepare the same way and try to replicate swings.”

The RBI’s an hits by Canha ties the most by an Oakland player since 1920 for RBI’s. And hits in the first three games since 1914 along with Jim Poole (7), Spook Jacobs (7), Ramon Hernandez (7), and Ben Grieve (7).

By the fourth the A’s put on a hitting clinic scoring six runs. Davis with a two-run double and Semien scored in another two runs on a single advancing to second on an error in right field. Oakland leading by 11-0 in the fourth is a true testament that this team can hit while providing excellent defense at the same time.

“He pitched really good,” Cano said. “He was throwing strikes. It gives you more chances to throw pitches the way you want when they score early. They scored five and it gives you a breather to your starter. And, boy, you have t give him credit for the way he pitched tonight.”

Pomeranz left nothing over the plate and as a result only gave up one hit to Austin Jackson in the third. He hit a single to left field but the A’s defense shut that down quickly. Robinson Cano followed by grounding into a double play ending the inning and leaving Seattle frustrated by not getting on base.

By the seventh Jackson singled on a ground ball to center field but Cano grounded into a force out, pitcher Pomeranz to shortstop Semien. Jackson was out at second and Cano was safe at first. Nelson Cruz popped out to first baseman Ike Davis in foul territory to end the threat.

Pomeranz allowed two hits and struck out six. His performance was another spectacular outing for opening up a series. This is Oakland’s second win and shutout on a series opener. The bullpen came in the eighth giving up a leadoff hit to Kyle Seager and a free pass to Justin Ruggaino. But a force out, pop out, and a ground out sent the Mariners back to the outfield leaving runners stranded.

“Hopefully we’ll come out tomorrow and do what we’ve been doing and score 10 and not one,” said Davis.

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Oakland Welcomes a New Baseball Team to Compensate for Oakland A’s Departure

Before a City Council meeting in early November, Mayor Sheng Thao held a rally with fans to call on the A’s owners to vote to stay in the Bay Area. In a show of solidarity, the City Council voted to approve a resolution that asserted its support for the A’s and appealed to MLB owners to keep the team rooted in Oakland. Despite the appeals, the owners decided to go ahead with their plan to move to Las Vegas, making this Oakland’s second major sports team since the Raiders exited in 2020 to play at Allegiant Stadium.

Published

4 months ago

December 10, 2023

Oakland Post

The Oakland Ballers, or Oakland B’s logo. Courtesy image.

By Magaly Muñoz, Post Staff

The city of Oakland is welcoming a new baseball team, the Oakland Ballers, only weeks after the Oakland A’s unanimously decided to relocate to Las Vegas.

The team’s owners, Bryan Carmel and Paul Freedman, who refer to themselves as the Oakland B’s, held a press conference in late November to announce their new minor league team with the intention to “steal back Oakland’s baseball legacy.”

“In Oakland, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but we always bring it,” Carmel said.

Despite the appeals, the owners decided to go ahead with their plan to move to Las Vegas, making this Oakland’s second major sports team since the Raiders exited in 2020 to play at Allegiant Stadium.

Thao was present at the press conference, alongside others, including City Council President Nikki Fortunato-Bas and Oakland rapper Mistah F.A.B. There, she expressed her enthusiasm for the new sports team.

“The Ballers will be ambassadors for the town and demonstrate our spirit, hustle, and resilience to the world. Let’s play ball, Oakland!” said Thao.

The B’s will be a part of the Pioneer League, an independent baseball league that operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. The team will play at Laney College starting May 2024.

Tyler Peterson, assistant general manager for the B’s, said the team coming to Oakland brings opportunities for everyone involved.

Ball players who weren’t drafted straight out of college or who did get drafted but aren’t performing up to expectations have the opportunity to join the B’s and build up their skills with the team.

“We want to be able to offer them [players] high visibility, opportunities to get themselves in front of Major League scouts,” Peterson shared.

Peterson told the Post that nine players have already been signed onto the team, and over 60 inquiries have come through from players all over the country. The names of the players will ~~soon~~ be announced to the public soon.

The B’s will have one of the lowest contract buyouts for players in the league — $5,000 — making it more enticing for major league teams to scout players from their roster. Peterson revealed that the Ballers also intend to give back to the community by donating a portion of the buyout money to local charities.

Oakland sports has taken massive hits over the last decade, with major teams relocating one after the other. The Golden State Warriors moved in 2019 to Chase Stadium in San Francisco, the A’s are set to leave as early as 2025, and the Raiders left in 2020. Oakland was among several cities considered for a WNBA expansion team but was also passed up in favor of San Francisco.

Peterson said they reject the idea that Oakland isn’t a pro-sports town, and although they can never replicate the A’s impact, he affirmed that the B’s are here to stay for good.

“We aren’t going to dictate to the fans what we are because we’re supposed to be for Oakland by Oakland,” Peterson explained. “We want this to be something for Oakland to celebrate and something that we all need.”

Peterson revealed that the team has received an overwhelmingly positive response since their announcement, and they are excited to get started.

The B’s have secured $2 million in seed funding from investors, and fans will have the opportunity to become part owners of the team through a public crowdfunding campaign.

The Oakland Ballers‘ inaugural home game is scheduled for June 4, 2024.

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Mayor Thao, Rebecca Kaplan Back Resolution Endorsing Barbara Lee’s “Moneyball Act” Legislation

On June 28 the Oakland City Council will vote on Mayor Sheng Thao and Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan’s resolution in support of Congressmember Barbara Lee’s “Moneyball Act” legislation at the 3:30 p.m. Special Council meeting. The Moneyball Act would require any professional baseball club that relocates more than 25 miles from its previous location to compensate the state and local authorities they relocate from; and subject Major League Baseball (MLB) to Anti-Trust Laws if professional baseball clubs do not comply.

Published

10 months ago

July 5, 2023

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao (left) and Oakland Councilmember at-large Rebecca Kaplan. Post file photos.

The Moneyball Act would require any professional baseball club that relocates more than 25 miles from its previous location to compensate the state and local authorities they relocate from; and subject Major League Baseball (MLB) to Anti-Trust Laws if professional baseball clubs do not comply.

“The Moneyball Act will ensure that no city and community is left behind when billionaires decide that Lee. “The Oakland Athletics have been an institution of the East Bay for over half a century. I want to thank Mayor Thao and Councilmember Kaplan for supporting our federal efforts to keep the A’s rooted in Oakland and for their commitment to our community.”

The current antitrust exemption granted to MLB is a direct result of the unique value that individual sports teams bring to their communities. However, the incentivization of professional baseball clubs to leave their home cities and relocate to other markets has raised questions about the continued validity of the legal and public policy bases for MLB’s antitrust exemption.

“I commend Congressmember Barbara Lee for defending the rights of communities like Oakland, along with many others across the nation, that are struggling to fight corporate greed in sports. The Moneyball Act will rectify Oakland’s current situation by ensuring fair compensation as a result of losing revenue, jobs, and commerce should the A’s relocate, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan states.

As the Councilmember who represents the entire city of Oakland and Chair of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, we have worked diligently to bring about a thriving future, including sports, entertainment, job opportunities, and more. This includes providing substantial opportunities for the A’s. Communities, taxpayers, workers, and fans all deserve to be treated with respect,” said Kaplan.

The relocation of clubs to new cities can sever the bonds established between franchises and their communities, leading to adverse economic effects and a loss of revenue, jobs, and commerce for the former host communities.

As demonstrated in the relocation of the Oakland Athletics (A’s), which was supported and encouraged by MLB, there are deep and inequitable impacts on the local community, especially the East Oakland community where the A’s have called their home for 50 years.

Thao states: “The A’s have been a treasured part of the Oakland community for more than a half century, and the City and fans have repeatedly shown our commitment to keeping the A’s ‘rooted in Oakland.’ That history and deep commitment shouldn’t be thrown aside lightly.”

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Bay Area

Oakland Mayor Thao, Councilmember Kaplan Announce Resolution in Support of Representatives Lee and DeSaulnier’s ‘Moneyball Act’ Legislation

Mayor Sheng Thao and Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan announced their resolution in support of Congressmembers Barbara Lee and Mark Desaulnier’s “Moneyball Act” legislation that would require any professional baseball club that relocates more than 25 miles from its previous location to compensate the state and local authorities they relocate from; and subject Major League Baseball (MLB) to Anti-Trust Laws if professional baseball clubs do not comply.

Published

10 months ago

June 26, 2023

Oakland Post

On Thursday day, the Rules and Legislation Committee approved the resolution to be scheduled for a vote at the June 28 City Council meeting.

The current antitrust exemption granted to MLB is a direct result of the unique value that individual sports teams bring to their communities.

However, the incentivization of professional baseball clubs to leave their home cities and relocate to other markets has raised questions about the continued validity of the legal and public policy bases for MLB’s antitrust exemption.

Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan stated: “I commend Congressmembers Barbara Lee and Mark DeSaulnier for defending the rights of communities like Oakland, along with many others across the nation, that are struggling to fight corporate greed in sports.

“The Moneyball Act will rectify Oakland’s current situation by ensuring fair compensation as a result of losing revenue, jobs, and commerce should the A’s relocate,” she said.

“As the Councilmember who represents the entire City of Oakland and chair of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, we have worked diligently to bring about a thriving future, including sports, entertainment, job opportunities, and more,” Kaplan said. “This includes providing substantial opportunities for the A’s. Communities, taxpayers, workers, and fans all deserve to be treated with respect.”

Mayor Sheng Thao states: “The A’s have been a treasured part of the Oakland community for more than a half century, and the City and fans have repeatedly shown our commitment to keeping the A’s ‘rooted in Oakland.’ That history and deep commitment shouldn’t be thrown aside lightly. Once again, Congressmembers Lee and DeSaulnier are bringing plain common sense to the table, and we appreciate their steadfast support.”

From the media relations offices of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and City Councilmember at-Large Rebecca Kaplan.