MLB news roundup
Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!
Professional baseball won’t be over in Oakland when the A’s move, as a new team of Ballers is coming to town in 2024.
Introducing a new team for The Town
— Oakland Ballers (@OaklandBallers) November 28, 2023
The Oakland Ballers ⚾️
Our team was ripped away from us. Now we’re stealing baseball for the people of Oakland.
Built by Oakland. For Oakland. Forever Oakland.#OaklandBallers pic.twitter.com/E8Wu4dNve9
The Oakland Ballers introduced themselves on Tuesday as the newest Pioneer Baseball League team. They will be the first West Coast team in the PBL, which currently includes teams from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Utah. I still have a foul ball I snatched from the 28th consecutive game won by former Pioneer League team the Salt Lake Trappers back in 1987.
Melissa Lockard at The Athletic did a fine writeup on the new team yesterday. The Ballers were founded by East Bay natives Paul Freedman and Brian Carmel, who have secured $2 million in seed funding from more than 50 investors, and plan to roll out a public ownership offering similar to that of the Oakland Roots soccer franchise.
“Baseball is a sport with deep roots in this country and a rich legacy in the East Bay. That could never be owned by one person,” said Freedman in a team release.
The Ballers are clearly following a far more community-engaged—or rooted, if you will—mode of operation than any MLB franchise. They have worked closely with leaders of the “Sell” movement like Oakland 68’s president Jorge Leon.
Somewhat ironically, the Ballers are in talks to play their home games at the Laney College Baseball Field. Before Howard Terminal, building at Laney was another of several plans that never came close to fruition for the Oakland A’s.
Mayor Thao was credited as supporting the team’s efforts to get off the ground; she congratulated the team on Tuesday.
Excited to support @OaklandBallers with amazing community leaders like @MistahFAB @lateefahsimon @Jorgeleon17 and many, many others. JOIN US!! https://t.co/OtWcFz8Ycn
— Mayor Sheng Thao 盛桃 (@MayorShengThao) November 28, 2023
Can the “Sell” movement make a grand statement next year by getting more fans out to B’s games than the A’s can draw to the Coli? We shall see.
Oakland fans, this is our goal: Have the Oakland Ballers attendance in 2024 be higher than the A’s attendance in 2024. It’ll probably be pretty easy to do. Let’s pack the house for every B’s game. Don’t give John Fisher’s A’s a cent of your money this year.
— Sell The Team (@jvb43) November 28, 2023
Congratulations and thanks to everyone who brought the Ballers to Oakland are in order! Here’s to a successful inaugural season in 2024.
A’s minor league signees.
So far this offseason, the A’s have signed the following players to minor league deals:
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) November 29, 2023
IF/OF Hoy Park
OF Daz Cameron
OF Jeisson Rosario
RHP Vinny Nittoli
LHP Jack O’Loughlin
LHP Domingo Robles
Robles assigned to AA Midland, all others to AAA Las Vegas…https://t.co/joKXkyU300
