Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred expects news within a year regarding potential plans for the Athletics to build a new ballpark in Oakland. Major League Baseball is monitoring weekly calls the A's are holding to plan for a new stadium, and the low-budget franchise is exploring several potential locations. ''I have spent more time with the A's, on their stadium situation, than I have spent with any other franchise over the last two years,'' Manfred said Monday before the San Francisco Giants hosted the Chicago Cubs for NL Division Series Game 3 .