Kyle Freeland’s season deserves more attention

By Sep 13, 2018, 7:10 PM EDT
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
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Rockies starter Kyle Freeland pitched into the seventh inning on Thursday afternoon against the division rival Diamondbacks. Ultimately, the lefty was on the hook for three runs over 6 1/3 innings on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts. The Rockies went on to win 10-3, increasing their lead in the NL West over the Dodgers to two games and the D-Backs to four games.

Freeland improves his season stats to 15-7 with a 2.96 ERA and a 159/64 K/BB ratio in 182 2/3 innings. He isn’t the best pitcher in the National League and he won’t win the NL Cy Young Award, but we should be talking about his impressive season more than we currently are.

When a hitter has an outstanding season with the Rockies, the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field are used as a cudgel against any argument that that player should earn an award or just praise in general. This is the case for shortstop Trevor Story, who has catapaulted himself into the NL MVP conversation. It was true for Charlie Blackmon, who won the batting title last year. Rarely do people apply Coors credit in reverse: praising pitchers for succeeding in the toughest park for pitchers.

Freeland could become just the third Rockies pitcher to pitch enough innings to qualify for the Cy Young Award and finish the season with an ERA under 3.00. Ubaldo Jimenez did it last in 2010 (2.88) and Marvin Freeman accomplished it in 1994 (2.80). What makes Freeland’s success even more impressive is that his home/road splits are the opposite of what we would expect: he pitches better at Coors Field. His home ERA is 2.21 with 76 strikeouts and 29 walks in 81 1/3 innings. His road ERA is 3.51 with 77 strikeouts and 34 walks in 95 innings.

Freeland also sticks out like a sore thumb compared to his rotation mates. German Marquez is the only other pitcher with a respectable ERA, at 3.94 over 29 starts. Tyler Anderson is at 4.89 in 29 starts, Jon Gray 4.80 in 28, Chad Bettis 5.23 in 19 starts and five relief appearances, and Antonio Senzatela 5.01 over 10 starts and 10 relief appearances. One wonders where the Rockies might be without Freeland.

Jacob deGrom should win the Cy Young Award in the National League. He probably will. For whatever it’s worth, however, Freeland is worthy of consideration for second-, third-, and fourth-place votes along with Max Scherzer, Aaron Nola, and Mike Foltynewicz. And, in general, his season is worthy of a lot more respect and attention than he’s currently getting.

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.