Has to be very hard for Yankee fans.......

[barman]

If by "financially assertive" you mean committed to a salary cap and a more equitable revenue sharing system, then I totally agree.

The problem is that the MLB Players Union is too powerful and will not allow this to happen.

Although the NHL owners have failed miserably to market their product after the lock-out, the economic basis for doing it was sound. The MLBPA will never permit this to happen for professional baseball.

No, by "financially assertive", I mean we need more MLB owners to step up and acknowledge the realities of what it takes to improve their overall product on the field.

No need for a salary cap. And no need for every owner to spend $200m (in today's dollars). But most should get their payrolls up into the $100m range

 

[barman]

A lot of small market team fans have had it a lot tougher and feel abused by MLB's biased and unfair system.

There is nothing stopping the owners of "small market" teams from more aggressively financing their on-field product and while they're at it, their "field" (stadium and ancillary services).

As I noted in earlier post, there's some hope down here that the DRays are doing both via more solid salary contracts for the players and by initiating real plans to build a new stadium downtown.

 

[barman]

BTW, I believe MLB would be better off with contraction of at least two teams - notably Florida Marlins and either the KC Royals or the Minnesota Twins. All three of those markets seem to be truly uninterested in supporting a new facility which is part and parcel of MLB success in the 21st century.

 

[Fishhead]

No, by "financially assertive", I mean we need more MLB owners to step up and acknowledge the realities of what it takes to improve their overall product on the field.

No need for a salary cap. And no need for every owner to spend $200m (in today's dollars). But most should get their payrolls up into the $100m range

Your best post in years!!

 

[barman]

Your best post in years!!

Not sure if it was officially #13,000 since I've been bopping around several Forums tonight, but let's just say that it was.

 

[MinnesotaEconMajor]

BTW, I believe MLB would be better off with contraction of at least two teams - notably Florida Marlins and either the KC Royals or the Minnesota Twins. All three of those markets seem to be truly uninterested in supporting a new facility which is part and parcel of MLB success in the 21st century.

New stadium is being built right now and I can tell you most everyone I know couldn't be happier to get out of that "stadium" called the metrodome. And it was saddening to lose Santana and Hunter this offseason :nopityA:

 

[Fishhead]

New stadium is being built right now and I can tell you most everyone I know couldn't be happier to get out of that "stadium" called the metrodome. And it was saddening to lose Santana and Hunter this offseason :nopityA:

It's going to be super to have outdoor MLB in Minnesota again.......can't wait to attend a game in the new park.

 

[barman]

New stadium is being built right now and I can tell you most everyone I know couldn't be happier to get out of that "stadium" called the metrodome. And it was saddening to lose Santana and Hunter this offseason :nopityA:

My bad MeM....I do now recall talk about new Minnesota yard, but it had slipped my mind.

Okay...So Florida and Kansas City need to be contracted and their players dispersed throughout the other 28 teams.

Would be a good time to move Milwaukee back to the AL (Central to replace KC and put 14 teams in each league) and Pittsburgh back to the NL East

 

[barman]

We could then add two cities back to MLB at future time when two more markets demonstrate financial commitment. And while we're at it, we could then modify the scheduling to have more interleague play so that all six divisions could be five teams.

 

[Wynn]

It comes down to who has the best organizations........get over it.

By the way, we have reached a point that it will be a successful season for the Yankees if the Red Sox don't win the World Series..............this is because most fans and players of the NYY know they can't realistically win the title, so the next best thing is to hopefully not have the Bosox win it.

That's total BS. Over the last ten years, except for 2006, at least one of the top 4 highest payroll teams has been in the World Series. It's pure ignorance to deny the high correlation between larger payrolls and higher winning %'s in MLB.

 

[Fishhead]

That's total BS. Over the last ten years, except for 2006, at least one of the top 4 highest payroll teams has been in the World Series. It's pure ignorance to deny the high correlation between larger payrolls and higher winning %'s in MLB.

I told Kruk to bring the hot sauce.

 

[Wynn]

There is nothing stopping the owners of "small market" teams from more aggressively financing their on-field product and while they're at it, their "field" (stadium and ancillary services).

As I noted in earlier post, there's some hope down here that the DRays are doing both via more solid salary contracts for the players and by initiating real plans to build a new stadium downtown.

Sounds good, but the economic facts simply do not support your statements. Aggressive financing does not put a team on a level playing field with the Yankees or Red Sox revenue streams. And the new ballparks in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati don't come close to making up this difference either.

Wait 'til the DRays are forced unload more players liker Lugo or Huff to afford some more middle relief. You think the Red Sox would have to face this problem so quickly?

 

[Fishhead]

The Drays are a huge favorite to win a World Series before the Yanks............if they get rid of Maddon.

 

[Wynn]

I told Kruk to bring the hot sauce.

Better bring some crow for yourself.

 

[Fishhead]

Meanwhile, 76 replies to this thread and no Yankee fan has come forward to answer my question in post #1...........again, not bashing Yankee fan, just would like them to answer without bashing any other team.

The question is, do you feel you relate to your team as much as the Red Sox fan does to theirs?..........or to make it easier............how do you relate to your team currently compared to teams of the past(forget the Red Sox).

It just appears to me to be a team with no identity for their fans........

 

[Wynn]

The Drays are a huge favorite to win a World Series before the Yanks............if they get rid of Maddon.

Fish, where in the hell do you get your information or do you just make it up as you go along?

Here are the Yankees and Rays odds to win the Series from The Greek:

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 245pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=326 border=0 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 126pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 6144" width=168><COL style="WIDTH: 71pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 3437" width=94><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl23 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64 height=17></TD><TD class=xl24 style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; WIDTH: 197pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-ignore: colspan" width=262 colSpan=2>Odds to win the 2008 MLB World Series </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl26 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD><TD class=xl27 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl26 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=17 x:num>902</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">New York Yankees </TD><TD class=xl27 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> +645</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl26 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=17 x:num>917</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Tampa Bay Devil Rays </TD><TD class=xl27 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> +12550</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl28 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17></TD><TD class=xl29 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD><TD class=xl30 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[barman]

Wait 'til the DRays are forced unload more players liker Lugo or Huff to afford some more middle relief. You think the Red Sox would have to face this problem so quickly?

Okay, now you're just screwin' around, right?

While both trades resulted in modest gnashing of teeth by fringe DRay followers, those of us with a bit more foresight knew then what everyone knows now. That is, both Huff and Lugo were absurdly paid for what they deliver in return.

Just because the Red Sox pay J Lugo over 8million per year doesn't mean he's worth $8million

He's still in the lower half of major league shortstops.

Huff's 6.9million was also absurdly high for what he brings as a lower tier DH, which is why the Orioles were able to sign him for $4million

-----
Related Side Note regarding the above trades.....

1) The trade of (cough...allegedly) steroid friendly Huff to Houston brought back Mitch Talbot, a now 24year old who led the International League (AAA) in Wins last season.

2) The trade of Julio Lugo to the Dodgers returned now 23 year old Joel Guzman and his longer term future is undetermined, though very promising and likely more beneficial than it would have been to pay Lugo $40mil over 5 years.

 

[barman]

The Drays are a huge favorite to win a World Series before the Yanks............if they get rid of Maddon.

Your Most Outrageous Post in Years....But I confess I can't put my finger on which part....heh

Sincerely

Joe Maddon Fan

 

[Fishhead]

Fish, where in the hell do you get your information or do you just make it up as you go along?

Here are the Yankees and Rays odds to win the Series from The Greek:

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 245pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=326 border=0 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 126pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 6144" width=168><COL style="WIDTH: 71pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 3437" width=94><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl23 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; WIDTH: 48pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=64 height=17></TD><TD class=xl24 style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; WIDTH: 197pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-ignore: colspan" width=262 colSpan=2>Odds to win the 2008 MLB World Series </TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl26 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD><TD class=xl27 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl26 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=17 x:num>902</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">New York Yankees </TD><TD class=xl27 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">+645</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl26 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" align=right height=17 x:num>917</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Tampa Bay Devil Rays </TD><TD class=xl27 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">+12550</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl28 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" height=17></TD><TD class=xl29 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD><TD class=xl30 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

They still have Maddon.

 

[barman]

WYNN...cut to the chase...Which team(s) is it with which you have an affinity that you feel would be there if not for this perceived financial injustice in MLB?