Pablo Sandoval has lost ten pounds? I’ll believe it when I see it

By Dec 1, 2010, 8:22 AM EST
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Last year I closely followed Camp Panda, Pablo Sandoval’s allegedly intense workout regimen that was intended to get the portly young superstar in shape.  That didn’t happen.  Sandoval reported to spring training in more or less the same shape he had been in in 2009 and got larger as the season progressed, ultimately losing his starting job. Which worked out fine for the Giants, of course, because with him on the defacto DL (15 days; gravy), Juan Uribe moved to third, Edgar Renteria returned to shortstop and they carried the team to the title.

And while yesterday’s signing of Miguel Tejada was occasioned by reports that Sandoval will be the Giants starting third baseman, you can bet that Bruce Bochy is more than willing to slide Tejada over to third and find a cheap glove man for short in the event that Sandoval, once again, fails to do the one thing completely within his control: report for duty in shape to play baseball.

You can bet that Sandoval’s agent is well-aware that Miguel Tejada can play third base. Because last night, soon after the news broke, he or someone close to him told Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News that Sandoval has lost ten pounds so far this offseason.

I’m off the Camp Panda beat this winter because last year it was a dud. As such, I will merely pass along reports of Sandoval’s weight loss rather than dwell on them.  Good for him if he’s lost the weight.  Forgive me, however, if I don’t get excited about it until a relatively thin version of the man shows up for camp in Arizona in February.

New bill to build Athletics stadium on Las Vegas Strip caps Nevada’s cost at $380 million

Associated PressMay 27, 2023, 12:14 PM EDT
D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
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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.