I fucking hate the Mets!!!

The Marlins keep reporting this, but we have no way to know if it's true. Given that their payroll was only at $60 million already, I find it hard to believe that they could be losing $20 million annually. What makes it even harder to believe is that they just signed Delgado to that massive contract last year. Furthermore, they've already cut a lot more than $20 million off of next season's payroll. They're going to be one of the lowest payrolls in the league, and they're going to end up with the worst record as well. As I said, it's just like the movie "major league."

I don't care if he stays in Miami or not. I'm fine with them moving to Las Vegas or wherever, but they shouldn't be pulling tricks like this to justify their actions. As noted, this is not only bad for the image of baseball, but it disrupts the competitive balance as well.

The Marlins may end up losing more games than they did after their first fire sale in '97.

 

Think long term, not next year.

And, there is more expense to running a team than just payroll, and it's probably about fixed, so lower payroll teams get hit harder.

 

Let's talk more about Paul's unhealthy obsession with hating the Mets

 

Even long-term I don't think they're getting much out of these deals. Hanley Ramirez is grossly overrated as a prospect, which is why the Red Sox signed Renteria in the first place. He's an undisciplined hitter with limited power and lapses of concentration. Anibal Sanchez may actually be the better player in the deal, but I'm not at all convinced about his long-term future either. At least the Marlins did get a solid prospect in Yusmeiro Petit from the Delgado deal, as Petit probably is ready to step in and be at the major league level next season. I don't know that he'll ever be more than a #3 or maybe #2 starter, but he's pretty solid. Still, you expect more for a slugger like Delgado. Then I hear people saying that Travis Bowyer from the Castillo deal could end up being Florida's closer in a couple of years, but I don't buy it. I don't like either of the pitchers they received. Meanwhile I don't think anyone values the pitcher they got in the Lo Duca deal.

And yeah I know there are a lot more expenses than just salary, but that's obviously a big one, and the Marlins weren't even above average in salary costs even before this fire sale. Moreover, the point still stands that they've cut a lot more than $20 million from the payroll.

 

who cares? The marlins have won 2 championship in less than 10 years. There's a difference in their firesales, and those of like a shit franchise like KC. The only way that it messes with the "competitive balance" is that it drops the number of legitimate playoff teams in the NL to like 4 or 5.

If you want to cry competitive balance, there's bigger concerns in MLB than a team doing a firesale.

 

You are assuming that revenues stay exactly the same, which they want. I also have no idea about their debt service. It's possible they counted on having a stadium by now and owe a shitload of extra cash. Regardless, it's not just Loria's fault.

Also, I'm pretty sure that I read in either Gammons or Stark that the nucleus of the 2003 came from the 1997 firesale (either directly or indirectly). And I also was not being specific to neiither the Marlins nor Ramirez. Hence the use of the word "sometimes" a couple of posts back. There really is an extremly long list of prospects who became much better players than the major leaguers that they had been traded for.

 

Heck the commish is sitting back watching this so the Marlins can get a payroll down to 20 mil. Then they will leave for Vegas and some dumbass highroller with an ego the size of Nevada can give MLB a huge check that the owners split

 

I just don't see them going to Vegas. Portland, probably. Charlotte, possibly. Not really up on all the other possibilities.

But I just can't see Vegas. There is just too much competition there for the entertainment dollar.

If you really look at it though, Charlotte would be a pretty good fit and you obviously get a built in rivalry with Atlanta. Don't know if it's gonna happen though.

 

As much as I love baseball I hope it doesn't come to Charlotte for at least 10 years. I can't see 28-30k people on average come out to see baseball on a Tuesday against the D-Rays or Royals. From what I have read those are the kind of numbers you have to draw to break even. From what I have read Las Vegas is the front runner and that major sports leagues are waiting for someone to make the first jump. The A's have their AAA team there I think and they routinely are in the top 5 in attendance in minor league baseball

 

No, I'm not. They don't have to stay the same, because they could drop a shitload more than Florida's already dubious claims and yet the Marlins have already cut off more than that from their payroll. Once Juan Pierre is gone (and he will be), they'll have shaved almost $40 million in salaries.

Derrek Lee did, but he was the 14th overall pick in the '93 draft, so most people figured he would be a stud. The same goes for Braden Looper, who was the 3rd overall pick in the '96 draft by the Cardinals before being traded for Renteria, and he didn't even turn out to be that great.

Really? You're kidding. Anyway, pretty much everyone in baseball agrees that the Marlins are getting a lot less in return than they are giving up.