A’s Still Waiting On Bud Selig

The Oakland Athletics play in one of baseball’s worst stadiums, and while the team has tried valiantly to build a new ballpark, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has been working at a snail’s pace in addressing Oakland’s stadium situation. A’s owner Lew Wolff, a friend of Selig, has tried to get the A’s a new ballpark, and has even explored relocating the team.

It’s been known for a while now that Wolff wants out of Oakland, but his attempts to do so haven’t gone very far. The Athletics, strapped for cash seemingly every season, are “treading water,” as general manager Billy Beane suggests, and they’ll continue to do so until a new stadium is built.

Beane hasn’t put together a winning ball-club for a few seasons now, with 2006 being the last year Oakland made the playoffs. The A’s top-thinking mind says that until a new stadium is reached, long-term planning will not be possible. In fact, there is a lot of speculation that Beane might leave Oakland.

It must be extremely frustrating for Beane that MLB is taking this situation regarding Oakland’s stadium options in a very slow working manner. Perhaps Selig would like it best if Oakland was just wiped completely off the map altogether.

Wolff wants to relocate the team in San Jose, but unfortunately San Jose falls under the San Francisco Giants’ territorial rights. And by the looks of it, the Giants are unwilling to let go of those rights. Selig appointed a special committee to analyze all of Oakland’s options for a new stadium, but it’s been a long, long, long time since anybody’s heard anything.

This slow moving attitude displayed by Major League Baseball is very poor show, and it’s a disservice to the Athletics organization and its fans. At this point, I’d be happy for just a plain “yes” or “no” answer from Selig.

C’mon, Mr. Selig. Billy Beane, the Oakland Athletics, and the fans that support the Oakland Athletics are growing increasingly tired of your slow moving antics. Please gives us an answer.