White Sox GM debating whether to “turn over entire roster”

By Jul 26, 2011, 1:18 PM EDT
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Ken Williams is never shy about making big moves and the White Sox general manager said yesterday that he’s considering whether to “turn over the entire roster” if the third-place, 50-51 team doesn’t show signs of improvement between now and Sunday’s trade deadline.

Williams told Doug Padilla of ESPN Chicago that the White Sox have some proposed deals on the table that would kick-start a rebuilding effort by trading away veterans, but denied specific reports about offering Edwin Jackson and Matt Thornton to the Cardinals for Colby Rasmus.

I don’t want anyone to feel as though anything imminent is coming. I want the focus to be on these next number of games so we can put ourselves in position to maybe add rather than to subtract. I would much rather continue to fight the fight, but we need a little more consistency.

On one hand, you can look toward potentially adding. We’d have to add creatively because of the financial situation right now. And on the other hand, maybe this is the most opportune time to turn over the entire roster and get some young, exciting players in here and go that route.

An interesting subplot to Williams potentially dealing away multiple veterans is whether he’d still want Ozzie Guillen around to manage the rebuild and/or whether Guillen would want to go elsewhere rather than suffer through some lean times with a much younger roster.

In addition to Jackson and Thornton, some other White Sox veterans who could potentially appeal to contenders include Carlos Quentin, Gavin Floyd, A.J. Pierzynski, Omar Vizquel, and Jesse Crain. Paul Konerko and Mark Buehrle presumably aren’t going anywhere and it’s tough to imagine any teams pursuing Juan Pierre, Jake Peavy, Alex Rios, or Adam Dunn.

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.