Dallas Braden: "we don't do much talking in the 209" - MLB

Dallas Braden sat for an interview with CSN’s Mychael Urban and the subject of the whole A-Rod-on-the-mound thing came up:

Urban: What people do want to see is what’s in your
head regarding Alex Rodriguez. I was on the air the day it happened, and
I said, “I just fell in love with Dallas all over again.” I pitched in
college; if somebody did that to me I would have done the exact same
thing. After the game, when you said, “If he does it again, there’s
going to be repercussions…” I don’t want to put words in your mouth, but
I said, “Where Dallas comes from, the 209, they don’t settle things
with message pitches, they settle them with knuckles.” Is that what you
were talking about?

Dallas Braden: Well, I mean that’s pretty much the long and
the short of it. You know, on a serious note, obviously there’s things
that are going to have to happen–just out of respect for my teammates,
out of respect for the game. I think he’s probably garnered a new
respect for the unwritten rules, and people who hold them close to their
game. But yeah I think you’re right–we don’t do much talking in the
209.

I realize people disagree about this incident. Some people think A-Rod was out of line, some people think that Braden was being way too touchy, some people think a little of both was going on.

But I think we can all agree on one thing: referring to where you come from as “the [area code]” is impossibly lame. Especially when your area code covers freakin’ Modesto, California.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — A bill introduced in the Nevada Legislature would give the Oakland Athletics up to $380 million for a potential 30,000 seat, $1.5 billion retractable roof stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

The bulk of the public funding would come from $180 million in transferable tax credits from the state and $120 million in county bonds, which can vary based on interest rate returns. Clark County also would contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

The A’s have been looking for a home to replace Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. The team had sought to build a stadium in Fremont, San Jose and finally the Oakland waterfront, all ideas that never materialized.

The plan in the Nevada Legislature won’t directly raise taxes. It can move forward with a simply majority vote in the Senate and Assembly. Lawmakers have a little more than a week to consider the proposal before they adjourn June 5, though it could be voted on if a special session is called.

The Athletics have agreed to use land on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, where the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort sits. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has said he is disappointed the team didn’t negotiate with Oakland as a “true partner.”

Las Vegas would be the fourth home for a franchise that started as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-54. It would become the smallest TV market in Major League Baseball and the smallest market to be home to three major professional sports franchises.

The team and Las Vegas are hoping to draw from the nearly 40 million tourists who visit the city annually to help fill the stadium. The 30,000-seat capacity would make it the smallest MLB stadium.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said a vote on the Oakland Athletics’ prospective move to Las Vegas could take place when owners meet June 13-15 in New York.

The plan faces an uncertain path in the Nevada Legislature. Democratic leaders said financing bills, including for the A’s, may not go through if Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoes the five budget bills, which he has threatened to do as many of his priorities have stalled or faded in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Under the bill, the Clark County Board of Commissioners would create a homelessness prevention and assistance fund along the stadium’s area in coordination with MLB and the Nevada Resort Association. There, they would manage funds for services, including emergency rental and utility assistance, job training, rehabilitation and counseling services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The lease agreement with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority would be up for renewal after 30 years.

Nevada’s legislative leadership is reviewing the proposal, Democratic state Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement.

“No commitment will be made until we have both evaluated the official proposal and received input from interested parties, including impacted community members,” Yeager said.