Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg pitched his city as a landing spot for the A's before completing their move to Las Vegas, as before the S.F. Giants’ game against Triple-A affiliate Sacramento River Cats Sunday he “proceeded to extol Sacramento’s virtues for becoming at least a temporary landing spot for the A’s.” Steinberg couched his pitch by saying, “It’s always important for me to say -- and say it with real conviction -- that I hope the A’s stay in Oakland.” He said that he has “been in touch” with Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao about the “possibility of the A’s moving to Sacramento.” He said that he is “particularly sensitive to Oakland’s plight because the Sacramento Kings had plans to move to Seattle in 2013.” In S.F., Steve Kroner noted Steinberg was “asked if Sacramento does get the A’s on a limited basis, would he consider it an audition for the area to get an MLB expansion team at some point?” Steinberg: “It absolutely would be an audition -- and we would pass it with flying colors” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/24).
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DRESS CODE: In San Jose, Evan Webeck noted the Giants are “reinstating a dress code for travel days that had been absent in the ultra-lax clubhouse run” by former manager Gabe Kapler. Suits “aren’t a requirement,” but sweats “won’t be permitted.” The shakeup “carries a similar motive to other changes” implemented by manager Bob Melvin this spring, such as “lining up on the field for the national anthem to reflect their readiness for first pitch.” But the manager “didn’t have his hand in” this rule change, as it was actually veteran players who held a meeting to “set the team’s sartorial standard.” Giants 1B Wilmer Flores said, “We’re a big-league team. We should look professional all the time” (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 3/23).
