ThirdGen

I actually don't like it there either and pay more to be downstairs. I have been to a lot of parks and often wander up to the upper deck before the game just to check it out and I don't like it in those either. Think it's just something you need to get used to if you are going to do it regularly. Now the original version of the upper deck, with the extra rows and nothing above to give a feeling of being somewhat enclosed, that was seriously screwed up compared to lots of other parks. It didn't help that it was next to the old park at first, that really emphasized the height difference. Detroit did it right- field is underground so it only takes one escalator to get to the upper deck from street level, ramps are in the middle so the climb to the top isn't so intense, roof. I don't think its much closer to the playing field, but the perception is completely different. You would still be dead if you fell off however as you would be at old Comiskey as well.

He would have had the same reaction in almost any park built after 1990. The upper deck at GRF is within 10 or 15 feet of every other UD, after the renovation. They should have had the entrance at the top or middle instead of the bottom as many do. At this point it's more perception than reality.

I doubt there is enough money on the planet to get him to sign here. The range he is going to sign for is so ridiculous that his next six generations of family at least will be well taken care of. So he can give up a little to avoid playing for this poorly performing franchise in a location that probably has no appeal to him and not feel it at all.

I don't own a baseball team, but if I did own a baseball team that had maybe 40% market share in a very large market, but that market was getting smaller and was not economically what it used to be, I think I would consider a move to get 100% market share in an area with growth and better overall economic prospects. Particularly if I had a lease expiring in 6 years, very little chance of the government building me something new in the location of my choice, and other locations willing to help build a revenue generating baseball palace. I actually think that decision is almost simple. Think Brooklyn Dodgers.

He currently has the power to sell or not sell, absolutely, but if he passes that power obviously ceases to exist. And he probably won't sell for tax reasons. His son has shown great interest in baseball, he builds stadiums and has had ownership and control of a minor league team. And now executive experience in the NBA. No reason to believe he is beholden to a comment his father made. If he inherits his father's stock, as Pete Townshend famously wrote, "meet the new boss, same as the old boss".

Back in the old days players were often discouraged from weight training. The idea being that the extra bulk would only slow down their swings and contibute to fatigue and injury. Obviously strenth training has come a long way, but maybe today's current jacked players do have a disadvantage in a game that demands more than just pure strength.

And as far as the Oakland fans demanding a sale, is there even a group interested in buying the A's and keeping them in Oakland? Sell to who?

As disturbing as a thread wishing death on another human being is, it should also be pointed out that he only has a minority interest in the team. His passing may not cause a sale. It could be that a new managing parter is selected, one of his buddies who has agreed with his methods over the years and will continue in his tradition. I haven't heard much about dissent among the various owners over the years. They may be all on the same page.

Dolan was also one of the bidders for the Sox before Debartolo was selected by Veeck.

WFLD 32 wasn't interested in sports at the time, they dumped the Sox around 1973 which forced them to WSNS 44. WFLD 32 was doing well with syndicated programming. Veeck talked about it a lot his last year or two of owning the team, and ended up signing a deal with Cablevision to take all home games and some road games, with the remaining games on WGN 9 when they didn't conflict with the Cubs. No way Veeck would move games off free TV if 32 was interested. And actually no way they would ever have been on 44 if 32 still wanted them, 44 paid next to nothing for rights. Einhorn was able to void that contract somehow after they bought the team and tried the scrambled OTA channel thinking at least more people would have access. But the cost was stupid high.

The original version of SportsVision was broadcast over the air (on 60 or 66 I think). It was a scrambled broadcast and you needed a converter box to view it. OnTV was a movie channel that operated the same way on 44 (and also carried some Sox games for a while). It was just way too expensive for one or two channels and the Cubs were still free. It moved to cable as the area become wired for it. It did provide way more Sox, Hawks and Bulls than any free over the air channels were willing to air but wasn't even remotely cost effective.

And if you read the replies James confirms it.

From what I've read they very well may not replace him. They are having massive layoffs and moving somewhat away from the concept of every team having a beat writer. Which is what made them great. They supposedly came to the conclusion that football and EPL soccer drives their subscriptions.

Sox writer James Fegan was fired by The Athletic today per his twitter account. He was very good.

The alternative to the trade wasn't great anyway- Alvarez and Hernandez were rumored to have no interest in re-signing with the Sox and were rumored to be headed to TB (which is what happened). And Darwin was at the end of his career. None of them help SF much in that Alvarez and Hernandez were bad in the NLDS and left for TB after, and I don't think Darwin even made the postseason roster. Only Hernandez had a good career after 1997. And to the point of the Sox giving up, the team was slightly below .500 when the trade was made. And was actually slightly below .500 for the prior 162 games. They were basically the 2022 White Sox. A lot of it was media blow up about a team that those who actually watched play weren't particularly excited about. And Cleveland was a damn good team in that era. JR shouldn't have said out loud that the Sox couldn't catch Cleveland but prior to the trade I don't think many Sox fans thought it was possible.

I've seen Landon Thome play on his travel team and it is not surprising that a D1 college team is watching him. He can probably do better than NU actually. He is a freshman, so time will tell. Athleticism tends to be genetic so claiming nepotism is kind of silly in sports.

Kopech, Giolito and Cease were all considered top prospects. Taking a full season to get Giolito back on track not once, but twice already in his career isn't really anything to brag about, considering his talent level. Rodon put it together because he didn't get hurt. He looked damn good before Katz got here for the brief periods that he pitched healthy. Kopech is what he is. But development at the big league level is non existent. Not a win for Katz, but probably not a loss either. Until recently Cease has been Katz's one big success story. That isn't enough. Coop may have been a jerk and outlasted his welcome, but he certainly didn't have only one success story every three + years.

If Giolito is really 100% likely to be gone one way or another, I don't understand why Katz is still here. They should be looking for a pitching coach that can help the rest of the staff not pandering to Lucas.

If JR does sell his piece of the team it will have nothing to do with the win loss record or attendance. It will be based on how he plans to spend his final years and his family's preferences for the future. It will also be based on tax considerations. Remember that there are many owners, so it's conceivable he could leave but ownership would remain somewhat the same, just with a new managing partner.

I don't have any real hope of them being a playoff team this year but I do have hope of them at least being a competitive enjoyable team to watch the remainder of the season, which they haven't been for a while.

Do we know if TLR is getting paid this year? Technically he quit didn't he?

You have to figure a team that draws 30,000 average per game which is reasonable is bringing in over 100 million in ticket sales alone. Add parking, concession profits, etc it ends up being a load of money, probably enough to cover most of payroll. Cut that by two thirds if only 10000 buy tickets and the difference is huge. Regardless of TV money that is a lot of cash to walk away from.

He didn't know it at the time but being forced to hire TLR was the best thing to happen to Hahn. TLR averaged 87 wins per season and took all the heat off Hahn's roster moves.

He should head on down to the ticket sales office and ask what the now former season ticket holders told the reps over the offseason. I'm guessing they haven't sold a lot of packages since the season started also.

In theory regardless of the partnership agreement the managing partner has a legal obligation to act in the financial interest of the other partners. Again in theory only the other partners could attempt to sue JR if there is proof he has not done so, which could force JR to relinquish his managing partner status to another owner to avoid this action. Mark Cuban has a similar agreement with minority partners with the Mavericks and they attempted such a suit some year ago. They however got nowhere.