In S.F., Bruce Jenkins notes the A's are "winning big" despite the "ongoing conflict" between A's Owner Lew Wolff and MLB over the team's proposed move to San Jose. Tailgaters filled the O.co Coliseum parking lot "well before" Saturday's victory over the Rangers. With the first two decks "largely occupied, the announced attendance (28,304) actually seemed a few thousand short." The place "looked, felt and smelled like baseball." As the A's "jack up the coolness factor, we find a burgeoning, hard-core fan base with few complaints." Jenkins: "Would these folks prefer a spiffy new ballpark in downtown Oakland? Undoubtedly" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/8).
SELIG STICKS UP FOR TWINS: In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman notes MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was not concerned "if there might be a big loss in attendance" for the Twins at Target Field after the team's poor record the last three seasons. Selig said, "I have a lot of faith in (Twins General Manager) Terry Ryan. Every year you’re going to have some teams struggle, but I have faith. ... I wouldn’t bet against Terry Ryan." Meanwhile, Selig said of awarding the '14 All-Star Game to Target Field, "Oftentimes I struggle with making that decision, but given the struggle that [late Owner] Carl and the Pohlads took getting a ballpark and getting everything else, given the support of the fans here, this is like a second home to me and it was a pleasure to do it" (Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE, 8/8).
LORIA STILL DEFIANT: MLB reporter Peter Gammons noted Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria is a "somewhat controversial figure" in South Florida after trading away some top players over the years. However, Loria said, "I do not run scared, and because of the very good, talented baseball people we have in the organization, I am very happy with where we are." He added, "I feel very good about what we are building, and what it will be for the long haul." Gammons noted if the Marlins are "really going to be something more permanent than snowbirds, they are going to have to convince" their fans that RF Giancarlo Stanton, P Jose Fernandez and LF Christian Yelich are "long-term residents of Marlins Park, not building blocks for the next round of dreams out on the horizon" (GAMMONSDAILY.com, 8/7).
