A day after MLB "essentially killed a sale that would
have kept the A's in Oakland, team officials tried to
relieve fears they will relocate the team," according to
Holbrook & Brewer of the CONTRA COSTA TIMES. A's President
Mike Crowley: "We don't have any intention of going anywhere
right now. First of all, there's nowhere to go" (CONTRA
COSTA TIMES, 9/17). Meanwhile, A's co-Owner Steve Schott
said the team is unlikely to extend its September 20 sale
deadline to the group led by Andy Dolich and Save Mart Chair
Robert Piccinini. Schott: "If [MLB] didn't want to make a
decision, this thing could go on until next year. I don't
know what the incentive is to continue this." In San Jose,
Howard Bryant writes that it "isn't clear" why MLB "refused
to vote" on Piccinini's $122.4M bid. AL sources "had long
suggested that the Piccinini group had lacked the financial
necessities and management structure required for approval."
While some felt that MLB wants only the Giants in the Bay
Area, both Schott and Dolich did not feel the Giants "were a
factor in killing the deal." Schott: "I'm not sure I buy
that." Crowley: "There was clearly, something within their
presentation that the owners didn't like, or something that
made them uncomfortable." Dolich: "Our group is having a
difficult time understanding the rationale and logic of this
decision" (MERCURY NEWS, 9/17). Oakland City Council
President Ignacio De La Fuente said that local officials
"are looking at whether they have legal grounds" against
Schott and co-Owner Ken Hofmann for not making "a good faith
effort" to close the sale (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/17). In S.F.,
C.W. Nevius reports sources who said that Piccinini's group
had the A's payroll "going down, not up," and MLB owners
"apparently felt that they were being played for suckers"
(S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/17). Matier & Ross report that in the
"eyes" of MLB, the investment group "were financial
lightweights." A source said Commissioner Bud Selig
"basically told the other owners" that the group "didn't
have the money to do this" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/17).
