The A's are "languishing in a dreary, antiquated stadium, desperate to leave but held hostage by Major League Baseball's protracted study of its ballpark options, now in its 36th month," according to a sports section cover story by Jorge Ortiz of USA TODAY. A's VP & GM Billy Beane, facing an "increasing monetary gap with the competition, is tilting at ever-bigger windmills." His latest "desperate attempt at keeping the A's viable" in the AL West was to sign free agent DH Manny Ramirez. The move comes in a "hectic offseason highlighted by the stunning signing of Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year, $36 million contract but characterized more by the trades of All-Star pitchers Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey for prospects." A's P Brandon McCarthy said the moves make "team-building and the competitive aspect that much harder here." McCarthy: "It's not even being a small-market team. It's being a dead-market team." Ortiz reports with more resources "allocated to signing amateur players, the payroll has shrunk from $67 million in 2011 to $57 million in 2012, prompting the wave of trades." The A's "retrenchment comes at a time when their division rivals are spending freely," as the Angels and Rangers are "flush with cash from new local TV contracts valued at $3 billion each." However, A's Owner Lew Wolff thinks that a new ballpark and the "ensuing corporate support from Silicon Valley companies could make the A's competitive again." Wolff: "Our revenues would be significantly higher even with our current TV agreement. Our budgeting is based on having a new ballpark with a market for more sponsors." He estimated that the increase would be $80-100M per year. Ortiz notes the A's ranked last in MLB "in attendance last season with an average of 18,232 -- actual head count was considerably lower -- and have seen their total turnout hover below 1.5 million each of the last three years" (USA TODAY, 2/23).
MANNY BEING MANNY: In San Jose, Mark Purdy wrote the Ramirez signing may sell the A's "a few extra tickets this summer," but Ramirez' recent history "shows that it's only a matter of time before he becomes a liability rather than an asset, or is suspended, or gets lost on the way to the Coliseum" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/21). SI.com's Ann Killion wrote A's fans "have no idea what's going on" with the team. Killion: "Are they trying to win? Trying to sell tickets? Trying to send a message about their desired move to San Jose? Or simply trying to stuff the clown car?" Killion: "Manny hasn't been Manny for a very long time. Now he's going to be asked to help lead a team of kids in a decrepit stadium with a few thousand people in the stands. It's not exactly Fenway in October" (SI.com, 2/22). However, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick said of the deal, "There's no real downside on this. If the guy can hit anywhere close to where he used to be and he's motivated, we have a Hall of Fame-caliber hitter and if he doesn't, I haven't lost any money and maybe they even sell a few tickets in the process" ("Outside The Lines," ESPN, 2/22).
