Sacramento to explore bringing MLB team to city

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson has given up trying to keep an NBA team and is instead aiming to lure a Major League Baseball franchise to his city.

Johnson and his Think Big Sacramento task force announced a plan Monday to market California's capital city as a possible landing spot for a major league team. A plan for a new arena for the Sacramento Kings collapsed earlier this year when team owners Joe, Gavin and George Maloof backed out, saying it didn't make financial sense for the franchise.

Baseball might be an even longer shot.

There are already two teams in Northern California, and Oakland's Triple-A affiliate plays in Sacramento. The Athletics have their sights set on San Jose, but the San Francisco Giants hold the territorial rights to that area.

Updated July 10, 2012