Evan Gattis lost 18 pounds, wants to be more nimble - MLB

Gattis be nimble, Gattis be quick. MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reports that the Astros’ slugger lost 18 pounds this offseason in an effort to become more nimble. He didn’t say he’s in the best shape of his life, but we’ll still count this. Gattis has yet to steal a base in the major leagues, but perhaps 2016 will be his year.

The 29-year-old Gattis, who’s listed at 6’4″ and 260 pounds, hit .246/.285/.463 with 27 home runs and 88 RBI last season. While the power was nice, his low batting average and on-base percentage out of the DH spot limited his value. Oddly enough, despite his lacking speed, Gattis was able to crank out 11 triples, trailing only Kevin Kiermaier of the Rays in that category.

Gattis and the Astros weren’t able to reach an agreement prior to the arbitration figure submission deadline in his first year of eligibility. Gattis filed for $3.85 million and the Astros countered at $3 million.

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CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Senate adjourned Thursday without voting on a financing bill for a proposed $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip stadium for the Oakland Athletics, extending the special legislative session into the next week amid negotiations over whether to contribute $380 million in public funding to the project.

The measure can still be amended by lawmakers, and if it passes the Senate it would still need approval from the Assembly before going to the desk of Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has expressed support for it. Both the state Senate and Assembly are adjourned until Monday.

In a hearing that began Wednesday and stretched into the early morning hours Thursday, lawmakers peppered tourism officials and a representative from a firm partnering with the ball club with questions about the feasibility and benefits of financing such a deal.

Public funds for the stadium would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.

The A’s would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

A’s representatives and some tourism officials say a deal would further grow Las Vegas’ developing sports scene and act as an economic engine, but a growing chorus of economists and some lawmakers warn that the project would bring minimal benefits for the hefty public price tag.