Commissioner: 'I want the A's to stay in Oakland'

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Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred came out and said something his predecessor never did: "I want the A's to stay in Oakland."

In an interview this week with the Los Angeles Times' national baseball writer Bill Shaikin, Manfred was asked about the A's situation:

On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to hear San Jose's appeal of its lawsuit against MLB. You had said you would not hold any discussions with San Jose about its interest in building a ballpark for the Athletics so long as the city was suing the league. Now that the suit is done, would you talk with San Jose, or do you want the A's to stay in Oakland? I want the A's to stay in Oakland. It's a very fundamental policy of baseball. We favor franchise stability. I think it is possible to get a stadium done in Oakland, and that remains my preference.

The statement is in contrast to the pronouncements of former Commissioner Bud Selig, who retired in January. Selig established a blue-ribbon commission to study a situation he called "very complicated," partly because of shared territorial rights with the Giants, but never was able to resolve it.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred wants the A's to remain in Oakland. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred wants the A's to remain in Oakland. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Photo: Carlos Osorio, Associated Press Photo: Carlos Osorio, Associated Press Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Commissioner: 'I want the A's to stay in Oakland' 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

New A's Ballpark blog author Rhamesis Muncada (a.k.a. Marine Layer) calls Manfred's statement "the most public support Oakland has gotten from a pro sports commissioner in 25 years. It's meaningful. Most importantly, it's a message to both the A's and Oakland to git er done."

Manfred made similar pro-Oakland statements while talking to Giants employees in June, John Shea reported.

It's also in contrast to National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell, who in May slammed Oakland for not making progress on a new stadium for the Raiders.

The A's might be able to build a new stadium at the Coliseum site without public financing other than infrastructure improvements, unlike the Raiders, because baseball teams play many more games than football teams. Could we be headed for an A's-only Coliseum project?