Monday, January 30, 2012

The A's, Giants, and San Jose

The Oakland A's have made it clear they want out of Oakland. They have refused to renovate the Coliseum at all. I went to an A's game two years ago and the stadium was terrible (I was able to see Ken Griffey Jr. pinch hit though). Furthermore, the A's have traded all their talent, just like Billy Beane does when his stars start to shine. Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, and Andrew Bailey are all out of Oakland. This is Oakland's way of protesting to MLB to let them move. Their obstacle: the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants own the territorial rights to San Jose, and as a result, the A's would have to make an agreement with  the Giants in order to play there. The Giants have a lot to lose, including their most valuable asset, the fans. However, here in the Bay Area, we feel like the Giants won the World Series yesterday. the Giants are the best show in town, not the Oakland A's. Giants fans outnumber A's fans approximately 10:1 based on my observations. And that is enough consolation, in my opinion, for the Giants to give up their territorial rights (for a fee), and let the A's move to San Jose.

Right now, the Giants need a big bat. However, Brian Sabean has been extremely reluctant to spend, even with players like Prince Fielder on the market (not anymore of course). Experts are estimating that the Giants could get up to $200 million for selling off their territorial rights to the A's. $200 million is approaching New York Yankee type money. That could buy the Giants a deep postseason run and possible (hopefully) another World Series title. The Giants have always had the pitching, they just need the bats, and by selling their rights, they would have the money to buy those big bats.

The Giants have to do it. They simply must. Money is a very hot commodity and here is an opportunity to get a lot of it. And for the A's, this is an opportunity to escape from their dilapidated stadium and start anew in Silicon Valley. The A's need a restart, the Giants need the money. Am I smelling a win-win deal here?

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