Bombshell allegation suggests MLB forced Athletics out of Oakland

The Oakland Athletics are an utter embarrassment. And that's a shame.

For such a historic franchise to be marred in disarray is bad for the league, for the sport, and most importantly, it's bad for the fans. Oakland fans are among the most loyal and enthusiastic in the country. Now, they're watching their team leave for shiny, sunny Las Vegas while commissioner Rob Manfred spews condescending, often empty statements.

John Fisher and A's ownership have been completely disrespectful toward their fans from the start of this loooooong process. A simple rundown of the Athletics' new stadium plan in Vegas is full of holes. There's no parking. It's the middle of the desert, outdoors, in the summer heat. Those are tough conditions in which to produce the ideal fan experience.

There isn't a strong baseball rooting interest in Las Vegas either. Fans will show up, it's a pro sports league, but the Athletics are dropping a die-hard, long-tenured fandom for untrod territory. It will take decades to come close to the atmosphere of a vintage A's crowd in Oakland.

Money talks, though, and that appears to be the only motivating factor behind this decision. More damning information was brought forth by Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday. Not only has Athletics ownership and the MLB fumbled this transition at every turn — it appears as though the league is haphazardly covering its tracks in the process.

Athletics' move to Las Vegas comes despite prospective investors in Oakland

As Rob Manfred deflected and sidestepped questions about the A's during the All-Star break, he made one comment essentially blaming Oakland residents and their elected officials for pushing the A's out of the city.

"Look, our Oakland decisions have been made. What happens in Oakland is between the citizens of Oakland and their elected officials.”

Not the best look. And, to make matters worse, Ostler's report reveals that multiple prospective buyers have come forth in attempts to either keep the A's in Oakland or to bring an expansion team to the city. The league's response? Ship the A's to Sacramento for a few years while telling these potential buyers 'no thanks and keep quiet.'

"Why is it, then, that various Bay Area groups interested in buying the A’s and keeping them in Oakland, or bringing an expansion team to Oakland, have been warned to keep quiet about their interest or risk being crossed off the list of potential buyers?

That warning has come to prospective buyers from Oakland officials, who say they have tried to get MLB to lift that gag order so the world can know that there are folks with money who believe in Oakland as an MLB city.  

Could it be that MLB is worried that a local potential buyer who publicly expresses interest in such a project in Oakland would make Fisher and Manfred look foolish?"

As Ostler posits, this all sounds like one roundabout effort from A's ownership to avoid looking foolish. Or worse, selfish. It's one thing to leave Oakland because the city supposedly can't support an MLB team. It's another matter entirely to leave in favor of deeper pockets and a more scenic locale. Then the optics are torched (and, friends, the optics have been rough for a while).

There appears to be hard proof that Oakland baseball can survive in Oakland. If there are buyers, or potential expansion owners, why is the league working so hard to launch this god-awful Vegas plan into effect?

As many A's fans have suggested over the last few years... maybe, just maybe, it's time to sell the damn team.