MLB Close to Deciding on A's/San Jose: Report

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig could talk to Giants in next few weeks.

The long and bumpy road to try and move the A's to San Jose could be nearing an end. Mercury News columnist Mark Purdy says multiple sources tell him, a decision is coming in mid-January.

Purdy says there are a number of reasons why.

One, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has cleared a few items off his to do list. He finally has things squared away with the Dodgers now that Frank McCourt has agreed to sell the team. He has also avoided a collective bargaining mess. Players and owners have reached an agreement that will take them through 2016.

Two, Selig is meeting with both parties. Purdy says the commissioner and his "Blue Ribbon Panel" met with A's executives in Arizona two weeks ago. The talk surrounded the San Jose ballpark plan and didn't even touch on Oakland's latest proposal. There are also rumors Selig has scheduled a meeting with the Giants for sometime in the next few weeks. Purdy says he checked, but neither the Giants nor Selig are talking.

The third is a little inside baseball. At the last owner's meeting, the A's did not stand in the way of the Giants transfer of power. In order for Larry Baer to take over the Giants, 75% of owners had to agree. The A's voted yes with everyone else, maybe meaning the Giants won't stand in the way when there's a vote on the A's move.

Purdy speculates the whole thing could come to a head on Jan. 11-12, when the owners meet in Phoenix.

Contact Us