Pictured: Wall Street, Present Day

Someone may want to tell Bud Selig that the glory days of billion dollar new baseball parks are likely gone, what with the economic apocalypse we’re currently dealing with here in the heartland. Nonetheless, MLB is absolutely determined that the Athletics are going to get a new stadium, one way or the other!

“Lew Wolff and the Oakland ownership group and management have worked very hard to obtain a facility that will allow them to compete into the 21st century,” Selig said. “To date they, like the two ownership groups in Oakland before them, have been unsuccessful in those efforts, despite having the significant support of their corporate partner Cisco. The time has come for a thorough analysis of why a stadium deal has not been reached. The A’s cannot and will not continue indefinitely in their current situation.”

If I may make a recommendation to the committee, please read any business news website or the business section of your local paper, assuming it hasn’t been shut down.

Source.

Rick Vaughn athletics, bug selig, seattle times

Connie Mack knew how to build a ballclub.

Frank Fitzpatrick at the Philadelphia Inquirer put together a pretty compelling article comparing the great Athletics team of the early ’30s to the ‘08-and-on Phillies. The 1930s A’s were outshadowed by the Yankees of a similar time, even though they beat them for the pennant three years in a row. If it wasn’t for the Great Depression hitting, Fitzpatrick and others believe that the A’s could’ve been a force to be reckoned with for even longer than the three-year span in which they were dominant, but budgetary constraints caused Connie Mack to cut back on the team.

Fitzpatrick sees parallels to the ‘08 Phillies in the early-’30s A’s. He says:

“If the 2009 Phillies are to emulate the 1930 Athletics and repeat, they will do so in a far-different era but with a very similar formula.

“Like those A’s, these Phillies remain virtually unaltered from the previous October. They too will rely on a potent lineup that mixes speed and strength, will be powered by a monstrously strong first baseman, will have a dominant lefthander at the head of their rotation, will have a 46-year-old veteran on their staff, and will play solid defense.”

That, and Great Depression II: Electric Boogaloo is extremely nigh.

Source.

Joe Blancato athletics, connie mack, frank fitzpatrick, philadelphia inquirer, phillies

Duchscherer is out for at least a month with elbow surgery.

ESPN has the news about Justin Duchscherer’s impending elbow surgery. The starter has been battling elbow soreness all Spring Training, and now he’s going under the arthroscopic knife to repair the problem.

As’ manager Bob Geren told ESPN, “Anytime you lose a guy it’s disappointing, especially when the player is a possible No. 1 guy.” Huge bummer for the team, but this is his second injury in as many years. Between Duchscherer and former A Rich Harden, you gotta wonder if something’s going on in the As’ program lately.

Source.

Joe Blancato athletics, bob geren, espn, justin duchscherer, rich harden