Contraction??

[love_that_reefer]

Rosenthal: A's, Rays must relocate or face contraction - MLB News | FOX Sports on MSN

Relocation seems to be the key here. I don't want a team like the Rays to be contracted. MLB really needs to look into relocated these teams and find real solutions to the problem. San Jose would work if the Giants would quit being pansies and just let the A's move. Giants fans aren't to just jump ship because the A's are closer. People already have their mind made up who they are going to root for. The Rays just need to go to a more urban area and get a better ballpark. Orlando would be a great spot for them I think.

[Trendy Bastard]

I doubt there will ever be a contraction, but the possibilities are eye opening. A contraction would change things up for a lot of teams.

[Providence A's]

If they ever contracted the A's, I'd quit being a baseball fan. The A's are one of the original MLB franchises. You don't get rid of those teams.

[Kingdom]

Since no one goes to Marlin games, why keep them around. Loria free baybee!

[realmofotalk]

Since no one goes to Marlin games, why keep them around. Loria free baybee!

But at the same time, why give him the satisfaction of having removed baseball in two separate cities?

[Kingdom]

Who says we can't do something fun with him? What better punishment then have him clean Donald Sterling's toilets?

[catman]

There are several cities that could be good destinations for the A's. Las Vegas could work. San Antonio, Texas is another. There are other cities as well.

[love_that_reefer]

According to that fan map that was posted, nevada isn't a good baseball state.

[Hammer]

well presumably, since selig would make sure the yankees get the best players from any contraction... contract seattle and give us felix. preferably before this upcoming season. thanks bud.

[Tobywan]

Ah yes, the old "It's time to threaten contraction/relocation because the CBA is up for negotiation soon" ploy.

The Rays are going to get their new stadium........eventually........ on the other side of the bay. Even though the rail was shot down by the governor THIS time, the agenda will still be hashed out and likely given the green light sometime down the road, which is to link the TB area with Orlando and vice versa. The Trop is leased until 2027, but the bond is up in 2017, look for a lot of sparing by 2014-15 to get a deal in place for the Rays to have a new home by the time the Trop is paid off.

If this can't be managed in 5 years then everyone is right, we don't deserve this team.

[realmofotalk]

The Trop is leased until 2027.

Brutal lease. I can't believe the Giants almost moved in there once upon a time.

[Providence A's]

More contraction "talk"...

3UP: Contraction, Hughes, A-Rod

I presented what I call my Michael Corleone theory to a person involved in baseball labor and I expected this person to laugh in sorrow for me and move on to the next subject. Shockingly, he told me that the theory – not associated with Michael Corleone’s name – has actually been discussed. However, he said as much sense as it might make it would be difficult to make happen because it would initiate war with the union at a time when baseball has had relative labor peace, especially compared to the other major team sports. The war would be about contracting teams.

Anyway, I call this my Michael Corleone theory because it would enable Bud Selig to “settle all family business” – to take care of who he likes, eliminate his problems and put his sport in a better financial place. It essentially would mean contracting the A’s and Rays, and allowing current Oakland owner Lew Wolff to buy the Dodgers and current Tampa owner Stu Sternberg to buy the Mets.

How about we try moving the teams first? As I said before, if they ever get rid of the A's as a franchise, then I'm done with baseball.

[Slyder]

This is just the monster in the closet to get things going on new stadiums. And it works everytime.

[realmofotalk]

Anyway, I call this my Michael Corleone theory because it would enable Bud Selig to “settle all family business” – to take care of who he likes, eliminate his problems and put his sport in a better financial place.

What the fuck is he talking about? The last couple of times Selig "settled business" within his baseball family, he stuck the Marlins with Jeffrey Loria and the Dodgers with the McCourts. Neither club has been in a better financial place, and the McCourts have presented even bigger problems for Selig.

[Tobywan]

Brutal lease. I can't believe the Giants almost moved in there once upon a time.

As I said though the length of the lease isn't the focus, it's when the bonds will be paid off, which is only 6 years away.

Everyone keeps going on about the Mets and many reporters still keep linking Sternberg. Selling 25% of shares is NOT selling a team, it is a minority stake with no controlling interest. Why would any current princpal owner go to the majority of control to virtually none? There have been reports that Randy Frankel, who is a minority shareholder in the Rays, is part of a group that has applied to view the Mets' financial records. If this is true it doesn’t have to mean that he is doing this on behalf of Sternberg, it may be for himself.


If I have learned anything from observation of local politics in the past 35 years of living here, come hell or high water the high speed rail & a new stadium WILL get built.

Only time will tell though if it will actually become financially self supportive or end up like PNC, a beautiful park that has poor attendance because they still can’t manage to put a viable team on the field. The Marlins stadium is likely to be the same, a new beautiful building that echoes, with the exception of the first year or two. It happened here with the Bolts, after seasons at the Trop to record attendances just a few short years after moving to the Ice Palace (now the ST Pete Times Forum ) in downtown Tampa they couldn’t even get people to take all of the 2,000 tickets given away. It has improved slowly the last few seasons but overall they still rank in the lower half in the NHL. There is no reason why the Rays can’t also have their boondoggle. The city will just do what they did with the Bucs stadium fill the referendum with backwards wording so people won't really understand what they are and aren't voting for and it will all pass.