Elephant Rumblings: Manfred to step down in 2029, “confident” in A’s relocation

MLB news roundup

Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!

“You can only have so much fun in one lifetime.”

That’s what MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said yesterday in discussing his plans to step down from his post in January 2029, when his current term ends per Evan Drellich at The Athletic.

MLB owners approved an extension for Manfred last July, and the commissioner said that he was open about his intentions before being elected to serve four more years. Manfred has been commissioner since Bud Selig left the office in 2015.

Darragh McDonald at MLB Trade Rumors noted in reviewing Manfred’s tenure that he has been “incredibly unpopular” with fans while being consistently met with owners’ approval.

Among the reasons cited for fans’ disapproval are Manfred’s handling of the Astros’ cheating scandal, the lockout that owners imposed after the 2021 season, and of course, Manfred’s support of A’s owner John Fisher’s plan to move the A’s to Las Vegas.

The commissioner has also overseen a number of rule changes that have been met with mixed reactions but demonstrably quickened the pace of play and possibly factored into increased game attendance.

Manfred projected record revenues of $11 billion in 2022 and franchise valuations continue to skyrocket, so the commissioner’s popularity with owners is no surprise: it comes down to dollars and cents.

Manfred is 65, an age at which many hope to retire, but instead he will stick around just long enough to see through the spiriting away of the A’s from Oakland. Manfred spoke on that topic yesterday, continuing to express support for Fisher’s plan.

“I am confident that the deal in Las Vegas is solid, that the A’s will build a stadium in Las Vegas and play there in 2028,” Manfred told reporters.

Have a wonderful weekend, AN.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s, City of Oakland have “positive” first meeting
• Sean Newcomb, Freddy Tarnok ‘slightly behind’ other pitchers after offseason surgeries
• Three Athletics prospect rank in FanGraphs’ Top 100
• MLB commissioner confident Oakland A’s will move to Las Vegas on schedule ($)
• Ballers to play at West Oakland’s historic Raimondi Field, make $1.6M in upgrades ($)

MLB News & Interest:

• Rob Manfred says he’ll step down as MLB commissioner in January 2029 ($)
• Orioles Have Shown Interest In Jesús Luzardo
• MLB power rankings: Braves, Dodgers, O’s are 1-2-3 as spring training starts, season beckons ($)
• Explaining MLB’s new push to enforce obstruction rule and curb base-blocking ($)
• Al Downing gave up Hank Aaron’s 715th home run, but his career wrote its own history ($)
• Moreno: No Plans To Sell Angels, Team Likely To Operate On “Lower” Budget In 2024
• MLB players dressing down Nike, Fanatics over new uniforms that look ‘like a replica’ ($)
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

I’ll take the over.

Still time to bring Chappy back.

Add SLC to the list of places that released renderings while we were waiting on the A’s to share theirs.