MLB/NBA/Sacramento/Portland

This article was also in today's Oregonian...
http://www.oregonlive.com/mlb/index.ssf/2012/07/sacramento_to_pursue_mlb_team.html#incart_river_default

In summary, Sacramento is giving up on the Kings in hopes to lure a baseball team.

My background: Two teams are up for relocation right now (Tampa Bay and Oakland). Oakland is the more promising move right now, although they want to go to San Jose, which is in the Giants territory. San Francisco will not give up San Jose to Oakland. I just don't see it. Other locations to consider are Portland, Salt Lake City, and Montreal (might as well add in Vancouver, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Charlotte which I add because they are major metro areas without a team). Of those cities, Portland is the largest US market without a team (not a complete argument, I know). What does this mean for the Kings? A move.

My opinion: I want Portland to get a baseball team (if only the city leadership... oh wait). Kings to Seattle (King County anyway, eh? eh?). LA does not need a third basketball team.

Another interesting tidbit: the Golden State Warriors are moving across the Bay to San Francisco (old, I know). http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7959099/golden-state-warriors-unveil-plans-san-francisco-move

It's worth pointing out that a bill was passed in 2003 that guarantees $150 million in state bonds (to be paid back by funnelling the income tax from players and executives) in perpetuity for any MLB team that decides to relocate to Portland.

The downtown post office site was always the dream location when I volunteered for that campaign way back when.

Lots and lots of hurdles would still need to be cleared, but still... it's fun to think about.

In Oakland yesterday watching the Oakland Oaks and Seattle Rainiers in their retro uniforms, but of course I can remember when those two teams played in the PCL along with the Portland Beavers, San Francisco Seals, and Sacramento Solons; the cities mentioned in the article. Oh, did they mention LA, well then the LA Angels, Hollywood Stars, and San Diego Padres of the PCL should also be mentioned.

The baseball we watched back in those days was definitely major league quality; the kind of quality Portland deserves, but as Stoney said: "Lots and lots of hurdles would still need to be cleared, but still... it's fun to think about."

My paternal grandfather was the president of the Beavers back in the '20's; I'm sure he and his cronies perched up on the hill at Mt. Calvary Cemetery would welcome a downtown ballpark and MLB team.

Well, the memorial colosseum site may be back in the mix. It seems that after the big cry for preserving the building, there is no money, and first estimates to do even preliminary work and bring the building up to the green standards that the city code demands for public spaces came in several times higher than expected.

Stonehouse wrote:but still... it's fun to think about.

Along those lines, it would be a boost to our baseball program because players want to go where they will be noticed. There is no high level team to notice anyone in Oregon. Also, we would maybe get to play a game or two each season in an MLB stadium like the Dons do. Again, all fun to think about.