MLB, Yankees and Mets to donate replicas of stolen items from Yogi Berra Museum - MLB

We learned earlier this month that thieves took MVP Awards and World Series rings from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center at Montclair State University in Little Falls, New Jersey. The items are priceless and will never be replaced, but MLB (and the Yankees and the Mets) are doing their part to help with the situation.

Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York writes that MLB, the Yankees, and the Mets are donating exact replicas of the stolen items. Here’s a statement from the museum:

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, we are pleased to announce that Commissioner Allan H. [Bud] Selig and Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees and the New York Mets are graciously donating exact replicas of the items recently taken from the Museum,” reads the statement. “In addition, they also are donating several new items to our existing collection, ensuring that the Museum will be an even better place for fans to visit in honor of Yogi’s legacy. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Commissioner Selig and Major League Baseball, the Yankees and the Mets for their generosity, as well as to all of the fans and friends of the Museum for their concern and support during this difficult time.”

That’s a really cool gesture by all involved. Sadly, Berra had two of his three American League MVP Awards taken as well as all 10 of his World Series rings. The investigation into the robbery is ongoing and there’s a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest(s) of those responsible for the crime.

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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.