What’s on Tap: Previewing Thursday’s action

By Jul 21, 2016, 4:05 PM EDT
Denis Poroy/Getty Images
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As tends to be the case on Thursdays, we have an abbreviated schedule tonight. We already had two afternoon games and only seven in the evening.

Andrew Cashner will start one of those games as the Padres take on the Cardinals at Busch Stadium in a 7:15 PM EDT start. He’ll oppose veteran Adam Wainwright.

Reports indicated early Wednesday evening that the Padres were looking to capitalize on Cashner’s most recent start last Friday and trade him prior to Thursday night’s start. Last week, he yielded just one run on four hits with no walks and nine strikeouts in six innings against the Giants. Cashner has had a rough year, as he is carrying a 5.05 ERA with a 53/27 K/BB ratio in 67 2/3 innings. He also missed nearly a month between June 11 and July 2 with a strained neck.

Injuries are nothing new to Cashner, as he has battled shoulder and elbow injuries since debuting with the Cubs in 2010. So you can understand the Padres’ clamor to move him while the iron’s hot. The Padres have already moved two starters this season, sending James Shields to the White Sox in early June and Drew Pomeranz to the Red Sox last week.

The rest of Thursday’s action…

Miami Marlins (Tom Koehler) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Jerad Eickhoff), 7:05 PM EDT

Milwaukee Brewers (Matt Garza) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (Francisco Liriano), 7:05 PM EDT

Minnesota Twins (Tyler Duffey) @ Boston Red Sox (Steven Wright), 7:10 PM EDT

Detroit Tigers (Mike Pelfrey) @ Chicago White Sox (James Shields), 8:10 PM EDT

Atlanta Braves (Mike Foltynewicz) @ Colorado Rockies (Chad Bettis), 8:40 PM EDT

Tampa Bay Rays (Matt Moore) @ Oakland Athletics (Sonny Gray), 10:05 PM EDT

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.