Drayage Brokersin Oakland, CA

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Oakland Athletics executive Billy Beane hired Farhan Zaidi and Bob Melvin, and developed deep friendships with both when all three worked for the A’s.

Now, with Zaidi and Melvin the top baseball bosses for the San Francisco Giants, it’s “getting tougher and tougher to root against the Giants,” Beane said in a Chronicle interview. Zaidi “went over there, and now Bob. Before you know it, I’ll be wearing black and orange and grinding over every game.”

Before A’s fans consider staging a reverse boycott against Beane, let it be known this simply was his way of suggesting he’s thrilled for Melvin getting the opportunity to live out a dream and manage the Giants after managing the A’s.

Melvin worked out well in Oakland as his low-budget teams reached the postseason six times in 11 years. Not so much in San Diego, where Melvin’s big-budget Padres reached the 2022 NLCS but underperformed in 2023, and a rift with general manager A.J. Preller led to their breakup and the Giants swooping in and snagging their new skipper.

The Zaidi-Melvin partnership started in Oakland, as Melvin managed and Zaidi served as assistant GM. And with Zaidi doing the hiring, his first choice to replace Gabe Kapler was Melvin, so long as the Padres would let him out of the final year of his contract.

Now the question is whether the Zaidi-Melvin team will work out as well as or even better than Beane-Melvin in Oakland — or at least better than Preller-Melvin in San Diego.

“It’s great Bob and Far are back together. I’m happy to see it from the other part of the bay. It’s a great match,” Beane said. “Far will be good for Bob, Bob will be good for Far. The fact it worked out like this, it couldn’t be better. I was obviously keeping an eye on everything — Bob and I keep in touch, and Far, too — and it seemed to be well received, as it should be. Bob is the real deal, and they’re perfect for each other.”

Beane spent 25 years heading the A’s baseball-operations department before he stepped back after the 2022 season to become a senior adviser. He wouldn’t discuss owner John Fisher’s plan to relocate the team to Las Vegas, but Beane has gone on record many times with his desire to keep the team in the East Bay, saying as recently as October 2022 that he was optimistic the A’s would get a new ballpark in Oakland: “I think the organization, the city deserve it, and it’ll happen.”

In retrospect, Beane would have been a fabulous point man for a new stadium in Oakland, along with Dave Stewart; who doesn’t believe they could have made a positive impact? But with Fisher and Dave Kaval in charge, the team’s attempts to build a ballpark in Oakland have been disastrous.

The advisory role allows Beane, who remains entrenched in the East Bay with his family, including two teenage children, to engage in other sports interests including soccer overseas. He returned from Europe on Sunday and said Monday he’s confident the Giants got the right man in Melvin.

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“So many things with Bob you don’t have to worry about that he takes care of, which makes the front office’s job a little easier,” Beane said. “The thing I always respect about Bob is, he’s still as interested in this as he always has been. He’s not doing this because he wants to make more money but because he loves the job. He managed us for 11 years, and from his first day to his last day, he had the same exact attitude. It never changed.

“I’ve seen guys who might say, ‘Well, you know, I’m a little burned out. It’s time.’ With Bob, that’s not the case. He’s the same guy every day, and that’s a credit to him. That’s hard to find.”

Kapler, Melvin’s predecessor, was extremely analytics-driven, working in concert with Zaidi, which was a shock to many Giants fans in the wake of the Bruce Bochy/Brian Sabean administration. Zaidi has produced just one playoff team in five years. In recent weeks, he has said he’s open to new ideas and philosophies and is expected to give Melvin more autonomy than Kapler had.

“Bob understands and utilizes analytics, but first and foremost, he’s a relationship manager,” Beane said. “In our 11 years, I don’t recall one player ever really disliked Bob or came to us with an issue, and that’s pretty unique. There might be one out there, but Bob has that perfect balance that earns respect from players. Part of managing is managing the front office, too, and he’s going to be inquisitive and ask questions, which is always good.

“We gave each other space and enjoyed each other’s company. You think that’s a given, but it’s not with these jobs. Those relationships don’t always exist. It’s such an intense position for both sides. It’s funny, but I never wanted to do Bob’s job, and Bob never wanted to do my job. I think this translates to Far, too.”

At last week’s news conference at Oracle Park to introduce Melvin, he cited three people who were most influential in his development as a manager: Phil Garner, who gave Melvin his first big-league coaching job in Milwaukee; Sal Bando, the former A’s third baseman who was Melvin’s idol as a kid and who later, as the Brewers’ GM, gave Melvin a variety of gigs; and Beane.

Melvin said the old-school philosophies in Milwaukee “always stayed with me,” but under Beane in Oakland, “I got to see the other side of it, the analytics side. … Those are three guys who formed who I am as a person and in baseball, so I feel I’m pretty well-rounded due to those guys.”

After Melvin mentioned his three mentors (he later added longtime executive Pat Gillick to the list), Zaidi playfully interjected, “I can’t believe you mentioned Billy. We’re never going to hear the end of it.”

Beane did catch the news conference and read about the anecdote that was shared afterward, about the day in 2011, shortly after Melvin became A’s manager, that Josh Hamilton hit a walk-off homer in Texas and Zaidi immediately entered the manager’s office to talk about the next day’s game.

That didn’t go well. When an annoyed Zaidi confronted Melvin the next day to say, “Look, we have to work together,” Melvin admitted he hadn’t heard a word because he still was trying to digest the Hamilton homer. It was a lesson for the young Zaidi to let the manager cool off, and Melvin said their relationship was “pretty seamless” from then on.

“I totally remember that. True story,” Beane said. “When I was first a GM, that’s how you were, but you realize it’s probably better to give these guys a little bit of space. My guess is that Farhan evolved with that, too. I sort of evolved myself. You learn you’re a better GM if you operate that way.”

It was no secret Beane was particularly hard on manager Art Howe — “I was waiting at the door,” Beane says now — though the characterization of Howe in the movie “Moneyball” was far from accurate. Years later, Beane and Melvin had a far different relationship, perhaps because they had much in common.

Their relationship remains strong, and it informed Beane’s decision two years ago, with the Fisher-mandated fire sale coming, to allow Melvin out of his contract to take the San Diego job without compensation. Beane is 61; Melvin turned 62 on Saturday. Beane is from Southern California, Melvin from Northern California. They played in the same era and have mutual friends and former teammates.

“It helped to have a connection with the generation,” Beane said. “He was a better player than I was, but we had many of the same experiences. When I first started the job, I was the young guy who tried to manage people, but with Bob, I legitimately had a peer. When he left Oakland, it wasn’t, ‘Hey, this marriage came to an end.’ That was never it at all. We wanted to make sure Bob was in the best position to accomplish what he wanted to do before he retired.”

History repeated itself two years later when the Padres let Melvin out of his contract a year early, also without compensation. The difference was, that marriage had failed. The Preller-Melvin relationship had disintegrated and each was eager to move on. Preller will get a new manager — his eighth (counting interim managers) in what will be his 11th year running the Padres — and Melvin a new team.

“Sometimes the styles just don’t mesh,” Beane said. “When things don’t work out, it’s probably a lot of reasons, not always one person’s fault. The bottom line is, this is a great fit.”

According to a source with knowledge of Melvin’s time in Oakland and San Diego, the rift with Preller had a lot to do with the GM’s meddling with the preparation process leading up to games. Operating with a mostly set lineup, Melvin didn’t need to make many moves in-game, and Preller largely backed off over in-game decision-making. But questions about prep work led to the divide.

In Oakland, it was the other way around. The front office had a heavier hand with in-game decisions, but Melvin and his coaches — many of whom had worked with the young players throughout the system — had more authority with pregame prep work. Beane was often the buffer if Melvin and GM David Forst didn’t see eye-to-eye.

When Melvin replaced Bob Geren in Oakland in 2011, he helped change the team’s culture and turn the A’s into a winner. He’s now being asked to do the same in San Francisco.

Beane will be pulling for him and Zaidi from across the bay, even running the A’s (for now) geographic frenemies.

“Even before this, I had a ton of respect for the Giants,” Beane said. “It’s always been a healthy rivalry. Now I have significant friendships over there, and it’s ramped up to a different level.”

Reach John Shea: jshea@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @JohnSheaHey

A's David Forst names Mason Miller trait that impresses him most originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming note: Watch Brodie Brazil's exclusive interview with Oakland Athletics general manager David Forst in "A's Season Review," which will debut Thursday at 10:30 p.m., after "Sharks Postgame Live," on NBC Sports California.

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During a long, frustrating 2023 MLB season, Athletics right-handed pitcher Mason Miller made his opportunities on the mound count.

The 25-year-old pitching prospect impressed A's general manager David Forst with his velocity and confidence but also stood out with his determination.

Forst outlined what stood out most about Miller in a recent exclusive interview with NBC Sports California’s Brodie Brazil.

“It's more than the velocity,” Forst told Brazil. “I think there's a work ethic there. You know, essentially he does something I'm not sure his body is built to do, throwing that hard. And he's always going to have to battle that. But there's a breaking ball, there's command. There's sort of this low pulse that allows him to compete out there. And I said this after the season, his talent is so immense.”

Miller was selected No. 97 overall out of Gardner-Webb University by the A’s in 2021. Before reaching the majors, Miller also played for Oakland’s minor league affiliates, the Las Vegas Aviators and Lansing Lugnuts.

He made his major league debut in April but was placed on the 60-day injured list in June. He returned to the A's rotation in September and finished the season with a 3.68 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 10 big league appearances (33 1/3 innings).

While Forst admires Miller's abilities, he’s weary of the demand he puts on his body.

“First of all, I think our medical staff did an incredible job getting him back to where he was at the end of the season,” Forst shared with Brazil.

“We knew this was part of the deal with Mason. He had injuries in the minor leagues. It was about his confidence, getting him out there throwing multiple innings and knowing that he physically could do it. We have to find a way to keep them healthy out on the field, whether whether that's a starting role of relief or whatever, we'll figure that out.”

When available, Miller is a force that is continuing to develop while building repetitions. He’s a player Forst sees making an impact in the future, as a member of the A’s rotation for years to come.

Welcome to the official beginning of MLB’s offseason, ya’ll.

Last night, the division rival Texas Rangers won their first ever World Series in their 52-year year history.

A moment 52 seasons in the making. #WentAndTookIt pic.twitter.com/UnBLCknUpw

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) November 2, 2023

The club was led in part by former Athletic and Bay Area native Marcus Semien, who hit the dagger 2-run home run in the ninth inning yesterday that basically clinched the crown for Texas:

SEMMMMMIIIIIEEEEENNNN!!!! I’ve watched a lot of Marcus Semien & that is without a doubt the most emotion I have seen from him & DAMMIT I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER FOR MY DUDE! pic.twitter.com/3WP6TWMWCA

— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) November 2, 2023

Congratulations are in order for the Rangers. In addition to adding Semien to their roster the A’s played another role in their roster. The Rangers’ star catcher Jonah Heim was once an Athletics prospect, who the club traded along with Khris Davis for Elvis Andrus and salary relief. There ultimately wouldn’t have been any way for Heim and Murphy to have been on the same roster at the same time but last night was a big example about getting what you’re paying for.

All in all, congrats to our rival Rangers. They had a couple tough heartbreaking losses in the early 2010’s but have finally climbed over the hump. Investing money into your team seems to pay dividends, doesn’t it?

And so begins the official offseason for MLB. The Athletics figure to be pretty quiet, save for a signing or two. Happy slumber, baseball fans.

MLB News & Interest:

Best of X:

Me too, Haren. Me too:

I ❤️ baseball….. til next year pic.twitter.com/vF0s8rSDP7

— dan haren (@ithrow88) November 2, 2023

What a crazy three years for this guy, eh?

Rangers Will Smith becomes the first player in MLB history to win 3 consecutive World Series titles with three different teams pic.twitter.com/yFVRUxmDT0

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) November 2, 2023

Didn’t even realize this:

Oakland, CA – Today, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao officially launched ‘Ready, Set, Go!’ an innovative program that brings educational and wraparound services to families that face housing insecurity and access challenges to traditional Head Start centers and family childcare locations.

Joining Mayor Thao in making the announcement were Cynthia Yao, Regional Program Manager, Office of Head Start, Region 9, Councilmember Carroll Fife, Councilmember Kevin Jenkins, Councilmember Treva Reid, To Scott-Smith, Head Start Policy Council Chair, community leaders and Head Start families.

“The City of Oakland is very excited to expand this much needed service offering to families,” said Mayor Thao. “The Mobile Classroom will allow the Head Start program to provide vital high-quality prenatal to 5-year-old early education, development and wrap around services like health and nutrition screenings and support to families that are unhoused.”

In the new five-year Head Start grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Head Start, the City of Oakland received $13,484,533 beginning July 2021. As part of this grant, the Office of Head Start allocated startup funding for the purchase of an RV to be converted to a Mobile Classroom.

Diveena Cooppan, Oakland Head Start Program Director shared, “The Ready, Set, Go! Mobile Classroom is the result of listening to our community and responding to what we hear. Families were dropping out of Head Start because it was too difficult to get to an early childhood education center while dealing with homelessness. The City had to find new ways to provide services and Region 9 Head Start supported our innovation.”

Based on program and community data, the need for additional services for families with young children experiencing homelessness persists in our service area. In Alameda County, youth under the age of 18 make up 25% of all individuals experiencing homelessness. For the City of Oakland Head Start Program, 104 out of 479 families enrolled in the 2022-23 Program Year, (21.7%) experienced or are currently experiencing homelessness. According to 2021 U.S. Census data, 13% of children in Oakland under five live below the poverty level.

The opportunity to provide a mobile classroom option through the Home-Based program model will allow the City of Oakland Head Start Program to address the unmet need for high-quality infant, toddler and preschool early care and education services and reach additional families with young children across the city, who may otherwise not have access to such services. Capacity for child care services for children from birth to age 5 has decreased. The 2022 Oakland City Profile: Early Care and Education Data, First 5 Alameda County report stated that in 2020 there was a “90.9% unmet need for infant and toddler care.” The report also stated that “since 2006, capacity for child care for children from birth to age 5 has decreased; licensed center capacity has declined by 21.8% and licensed family child care capacity reduced by 57.2%.” The mobile classroom is bringing much need services to areas that may lack child care facilities.

About Head Start

Since 1971, the City of Oakland, Human Services Department, Head Start Program provides comprehensive, integrated program services available at no cost to pregnant people and children aged 5 with low resources or disabilities. Families and children experiencing homelessness and children in the foster care system are a program priority.

The mobile classroom is part of the Home-Based program where early childhood educators conduct home visits with families to provide comprehensive child development and family support services. There are also socialization sessions for families in the Home-Based program to come together for activities, trainings, resources, and community.

The Head Start Program is helping children and families get ready to succeed in school and in life. The program provides early learning and development services, prioritizes health and wellness, family wellbeing and family engagement in safe and healthy settings.

The Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club has closed the most successful crowdfunding round in the history of U.S. sports.

The soccer club raised $3.1 million during a six-week campaign on Wefunder. The fund reached $1 million after seven hours of opening on September 13 and hit the $2 million mark six days later.

Investments ranging from $100 to $25,000 from 5,434 investors arrived during the campaign, making it the most successful campaign by any U.S. sports organization, according to Wefunder. People from 26 countries participated in the campaign, including more than 1,400 Oakland residents. Some notable local names joined the list of investors.

Former Oakland mayors Libby Schaaf and Jean Quan, Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong, Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II, NFL quarterback Josh Johnson, NBA writer Marc Spears and former WNBA star Ruthie Boltion among others joined the campaign.

“I knew I had to get involved with Oakland Roots and Soul so that all youth growing up in Oakland would always have a team in the city to support and aspire to,” said Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who was born and grew up in Oakland and invested in the round.

Details from the round listed in an SEC filing and on Wefunder listed the Roots and Soul’s premoney valuation at $78.23 million. Funds from the round will go toward general operations as the club prepares for the 2024 season.

Investors in the round will acquire Class C shares in the club and returns will be limited to a future acquisition of the club or a growth in its valuation. “As a professional sports team, it's very, very unlikely that we'll pay out dividends or have excess cash flow to distribute to investors,” the club said on its Wefunder page.

The Roots, the club’s men's team, plays in the USL Championship, the second professional soccer division in North America, and hosts games at California State University, East Bay in Hayward. The club’s women’s team, the Soul, competes in the preprofessional USL W League and plays at Merritt College in Oakland.

The club is looking to build a permanent soccer-specific stadium in Oakland. In September, the Oakland City Council and Alameda County Board of Supervisors authorized city and county staff to enter into an exclusive negotiation agreement with the goal of negotiating a 10-year lease to build a temporary stadium and other team facilities on a perimeter parcel of the Oakland Coliseum site.

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