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MLB 2009 Season


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With the start of Spring Trainning games today 2/26/09 in both Flordia and Arizona, i feel it time to start a long term topic. The 2009 MLB baseball season. Feel free to discuss anything here from opening of trainning camps, the "World Baseball Classic" to the regular season through the end of October.

 

I will not offer any picks on divisional and playoff teams until around Opening Day. Several few agents including Manny have yet to sign. Enjoy the MLB 2009 season guys.:cool:

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Manny Ramirez is a straight-up jack***. A 25 million dollar offer declined, WTF!!

 

 

 

I am surpised Manny has not signed yet. More than ever it more likely he going back to the Dodgers. Again on several sports shows ie ESPN and WFAN Donald Fehr and the union chief may file colluision' charges for allegedly low balling Manny and other players? Is $20 Million a year 'low balling?" Have the players been reading the news? :mad:

 

Sports Leagues and teams are cutting jobs/salries.

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Here intresting story as the recession has hit the sports world too. The Marlins in Miami and the A's in Northern California hadboth signed tenative deals for new ballparks. Now it all but dead and other than moving, rumors are flying that these '2' teams could fold & go out of business by 2010. Here story.

 

A's, Marlins could be goners as contraction looms

Saturday, February 28th 2009, 3:36 PM

 

 

Margot/AP

 

With no new stadium in sight, A's fans could be watching the last days of their baseball team, which is on endangered list.

 

TAMPA - The rumblings already have started. With three years to go in the basic agreement, baseball's owners are once again sounding the flashpoint "c" word - as in salary cap. But this past week, events in Oakland and Miami - where a new stadium plan for the A's was pronounced dead and one for the Marlins once again put on life support - may leave the owners no choice but to revisit another ominous "c" word: contraction.

 

In both cases, though, it's always been with an eye on their teams getting new ballparks and the accompanying significant increase in revenue streams. But the seemingly never-ending battle between the Marlins and the south Florida bureaucrats hit yet another impasse when the Miami city commissioners failed to approve the financing for the proposed $609 million retractable-roof stadium to be built on the site of the old Orange Bowl targeted for 2012.

 

Instead, they are now seeking three significant amendments to the deal: In the event the Marlins are sold, the city wants to get back all its stadium costs before owner Jeffrey Loria could reap any profit from the sale. The city is also asking for a share of any naming-rights deal and wants the Marlins to pay any cost overruns on the proposed $94 million parking garage. All of them are non-starters for the Marlins and more and more it appears former Florida owner John Henry was right when he said there is nothing more impossible than south Florida politics.

 

At the same time, the A's owner, real-estate developer Lew Wolff, announced last week he was abandoning his three-year quest to move the team 30 miles south on Interstate 880 to Fremont. Wolff spent $80 million, of which $24 million was non-refundable, exploring construction of a shopping center in Fremont with a 37,000-seat stadium for the A's as the central drawing point.

 

But Wolff, too, ran into considerable opposition from both the Fremont city bureaucrats and the local merchants and finally concluded his grand vision was doomed. In the opinion of San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ray Ratto, it was a doomed folly from the very beginning. "It was nothing more than a real-estate deal with a baseball team as a hook," wrote Ratto, "and it made less sense than moving the A's back to Philadelphia and exhuming Connie Mack."

 

A's, Marlins could be goners as contraction looms

Saturday, February 28th 2009, 3:36 PM

 

 

Margot/AP

 

With no new stadium in sight, A's fans could be watching the last days of their baseball team, which is on endangered list.

 

TAMPA - The rumblings already have started. With three years to go in the basic agreement, baseball's owners are once again sounding the flashpoint "c" word - as in salary cap. But this past week, events in Oakland and Miami - where a new stadium plan for the A's was pronounced dead and one for the Marlins once again put on life support - may leave the owners no choice but to revisit another ominous "c" word: contraction.

 

In both cases, though, it's always been with an eye on their teams getting new ballparks and the accompanying significant increase in revenue streams. But the seemingly never-ending battle between the Marlins and the south Florida bureaucrats hit yet another impasse when the Miami city commissioners failed to approve the financing for the proposed $609 million retractable-roof stadium to be built on the site of the old Orange Bowl targeted for 2012. The only other option for both of these clubs is relocating and other than San Anatino, no major US city right now is asking for a MLB club.

 

Instead, they are now seeking three significant amendments to the deal: In the event the Marlins are sold, the city wants to get back all its stadium costs before owner Jeffrey Loria could reap any profit from the sale. The city is also asking for a share of any naming-rights deal and wants the Marlins to pay any cost overruns on the proposed $94 million parking garage. All of them are non-starters for the Marlins and more and more it appears former Florida owner John Henry was right when he said there is nothing more impossible than south Florida politics.

 

At the same time, the A's owner, real-estate developer Lew Wolff, announced last week he was abandoning his three-year quest to move the team 30 miles south on Interstate 880 to Fremont. Wolff spent $80 million, of which $24 million was non-refundable, exploring construction of a shopping center in Fremont with a 37,000-seat stadium for the A's as the central drawing point.

 

But Wolff, too, ran into considerable opposition from both the Fremont city bureaucrats and the local merchants and finally concluded his grand vision was doomed. In the opinion of San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ray Ratto, it was a doomed folly from the very beginning. "It was nothing more than a real-estate deal with a baseball team as a hook," wrote Ratto, "and it made less sense than moving the A's back to Philadelphia and exhuming Connie Mack."

 

 

For the past couple of years, we wanted to upgrade our farm system, which had become depleted, to one of the best in the game while freeing up payroll for this year," Beane said by phone Friday. "The key to our success this year will be how our young starting pitchers perform, but we've sought to help them by getting a much-needed offensive upgrade behind them."

 

After Justin Duchscherer, who led the A's with 10 victories last year, lefty Dana Eveland, who was 9-9 as a rookie in '08, and Sean Gallagher, who came over from the Chicago Cubs in the trading deadline deal for previous team ace Rich Harden, the A's will have a grab bag of young, inexperienced starters from among lefties Gio Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, and Dallas Braden and righty Trevor Cahill - all of whom are rated among the top 25 pitching prospects by various scouting publications.

 

"I agree that for us to legitimately compete with the Angels, we need at least two of them to come into their own sooner rather than later," said Beane.

 

As for Holliday, Beane admits, win or lose, the 2007 NL MVP runner-up, is a one-year rental.

 

"I believe everyone has the responsibility to put your best team on the field," Beane said. "(Holliday) is one of the best players in the game but I know retaining him is not a possibility in this environment. So if we lose him, we either get two first-round picks or have the option of trading him."

 

Challenging as it has been for Beane to keep the A's viable despite an annual payroll of $50 million or less and attendance of barely 20,000 per game, it has to be discouraging knowing that he is going to have to operate under the same financial constraints for the foreseeable future. Having rebuilt the farm system, the hope was when all these good young players developed, the A's would have their new ballpark and Beane would have the means to retain them.

 

"It would be nice to have these kids play their entire careers with us," Beane said. "I admit the toughest part for me has been turning over very good players every year. It's not good for fan loyalty seeing all these new jerseys every year. I love what I do. I love developing players. I just wish I could keep them. From that standpoint, it does wear on you a little. Larry Beinfest faces it every year too. Then again, I guess this has been going on throughout the A's history. Before me, Charlie Finley was selling off all his players and before him Connie Mack broke up all those great A's teams in Philadelphia."

 

But at least Mack and Finley found buyers for the team and, in Mack's case, buyers who could move it. Baseball has run out of places to move struggling franchises and, especially in this economy, who in their right mind would buy either the A's or Marlins with their bleak stadium situations? And just as Wolff, his partner John Fisher and the Marlins' Loria are going to be looking for a way out from under their mounting losses, baseball can't afford to keep dumping revenue-sharing money into hopeless franchises. Like just about every other industry in this country right now, baseball is going to have to take stock of its situation and downsize. There are too many teams in baseball anyway and it makes no sense to continue operating them in places that can't or won't support them."

 

c)2009 NY Daily News.

 

Any reactions?

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Guest Charles

I'm really surprised the Marlins haven't been able to generate much attendance. I know they use a football sized stadium, but they attract barely 20,000 people a game. Even without Miguel Cabrera, they still have a lot of talent, good coaching + management, and were in the playoff hunt deep into last season. They got Dan Uggla, Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, and Jeremy Hermida. Plus, they've already got 2 World Series under their belt. I think the Marlins are going to be last year's Tampa Bay Rays sometime in the near future...

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I'm really surprised the Marlins haven't been able to generate much attendance. I know they use a football sized stadium, but they attract barely 20,000 people a game. Even without Miguel Cabrera, they still have a lot of talent, good coaching + management, and were in the playoff hunt deep into last season. They got Dan Uggla, Hanley Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, and Jeremy Hermida. Plus, they've already got 2 World Series under their belt. I think the Marlins are going to be last year's Tampa Bay Rays sometime in the near future...

 

Charles i am not sure you been to Miami area before but that area of our country has arguably the worst fans of pro sports. Due to having great weather most of the year people down there are more busy thinking about golf, boating partying etc.

 

Plus college football is king down there. Even though the Dolphins sell out all of their games, unless the Fish have a good eason they are often empty seats. Even the Heat who won the NBA title a few years ago only sell out mostly in the playoffs. The NHL Panthers ditto.

Another problem for South Fla pro teams other than the Dophins is transplants. People who relocated to Miami area such as NY/NJ, Boston and Chicago who still Yankee, Met Cub and Red Sox fans.

 

College and High School sports often are more popular in South Fla than even the Marlins or Dolphins unless those 2 teams are in playoffs. Although Miami has a huge population now, people on a nice night are not going to see home and watch a game on tv.

 

 

Just a take on why the Marlins have problems drawing Charles.

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Charles i am not sure you been to Miami area before but that area of our country has arguably the worst fans of pro sports. Due to having great weather most of the year people down there are more busy thinking about golf, boating partying etc.

 

Plus college football is king down there. Even though the Dolphins sell out all of their games, unless the Fish have a good eason they are often empty seats. Even the Heat who won the NBA title a few years ago only sell out mostly in the playoffs. The NHL Panthers ditto.

Another problem for South Fla pro teams other than the Dophins is transplants. People who relocated to Miami area such as NY/NJ, Boston and Chicago who still Yankee, Met Cub and Red Sox fans.

 

College and High School sports often are more popular in South Fla than even the Marlins or Dolphins unless those 2 teams are in playoffs. Although Miami has a huge population now, people on a nice night are not going to see home and watch a game on tv.

 

 

Just a take on why the Marlins have problems drawing Charles.

 

I agree. Florida fans are quite crazy about their Gators winning. Based on what you said, I wouldn't be surprised if the Rays lose all their new fans if they have a disappointing year this season. Heh, I bet some ppl in Miami don't even know that the Florida Panthers even exist!

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I agree. Florida fans are quite crazy about their Gators winning. Based on what you said, I wouldn't be surprised if the Rays lose all their new fans if they have a disappointing year this season. Heh, I bet some ppl in Miami don't even know that the Florida Panthers even exist!

 

LOL at the fla. panthers part.:cool:

Also this point. Until about 40 years ago, the only big city in Fla was Miami. Fla used to be the 'last stop' for people retiring.

Now add Tampa/St Pete Orlando and Jakcsonville as huge cities in that state too. Assuming the Marlins stay in Miami & the Rays in Tampa it going to be at least 10-15 years to get their own fans (kids of the transplants from NY/NJ boston chicago etc) who are Flordia natives.

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Baseball is considered a mid western sport. People in Florida don't think that it's "cool". It's the same reason why baseball isn't popular in the inner city.

 

Explain further Mr Wilson? Then why MLB has set attendence records in 'non' midwest towns like NYC, Chicago(the cubs) and Boston naming a few last 5-6 years(this is of course before the economnic crisis though?

 

I know MLB lost intrest among most younger fans under age 25

particarly Whites and American born Blacks but it think that more of a generational issue though. Also MLB overlooked the fact most of the transplanet from the Northeast would not switch to being Marlin or Rays fans either.

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I don't think they can, I think he has a no-trade clause. I'm not usre if its a full no-trade clause.

 

 

Getting back to issue. How do the Yanks replace A Rod (losing an average of 15-20 home runs for 1/2 season)till his expected back in June nearly mid season?

Is it worth trading for another 3 baseman?

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Getting back to issue. How do the Yanks replace A Rod (losing an average of 15-20 home runs for 1/2 season)till his expected back in June nearly mid season?

Is it worth trading for another 3 baseman?

 

Well, there are no 3B free agents, you can try to trade for Aaron Boone or Sean Casey, and the fact that there is no Evan Longoria in the Yanks farm system is a problem. Ensberg used to hit 40 HR, signed by Yanks, but now with Rays after the Rule 5 draft. Aaron Boone might be the man to try for.

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Wow, MLB still projects A-Rod to hit 30 HRs, since the Yanks projects him to return in middle of May-early June.

 

At this point the Yanks dont have a Wade Boggs coming off the bench to back up starter Charlie Hayes like the '96 Championship club. They almost have no choice but to get a 3b in a trade.:)

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At this point the Yanks dont have a Wade Boggs coming off the bench to back up starter Charlie Hayes like the '96 Championship club. They almost have no choice but to get a 3b in a trade.:)

 

There are reports that Cashman might trade for Teahen but right now, he's using Ransom. Ensberg would have been a good replacement.

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Changing gears, the Oakland A's are looking for a new home after their proposed new stadium in nearby Fremont Ca. failed recently. Now San Jose is intrested in getting the A's and buliding a new ballpark next to the NHL Sharks HP arena. Here the AP and KPIX-TV the San Francisco CBS affliate story.

 

San Jose City Council Discusses Bringing the Oakland A's To the South Bay

SAN JOSE, Ca. March 11, 2009(CBS 5 / AP)

 

 

San Jose city councilmembers, held their first official discussion Wednesday afternoon about the possibility of bringing the Oakland Athletics baseball team to San Jose.

 

SJ Council members decided they want city officials to commission a poll to determine whether local residents would support a new stadium for the Athletics.

 

The proposal is part of a measure by Councilwomen Nora Campos, Nancy Pyle and Rose Herrera that was approved Wednesday afternoon by a council committee.

 

The councilwomen said the stadium poll would be the first step in a dialogue with the A's and Major League Baseball about moving the team to San Jose.

 

The A's currently are barred from moving to San Jose because their cross town rivals, the San Francisco Giants have territorial rights to the area.

 

The measure was expected to be taken up by the SJ full council next month. Meanwhile, Oakland officals want to restart previously failed plans to bulid a new 40,000 seat Ballpark in Downtown Oakland.

 

The A's recently scrapped plans for a stadium in nearby Fremont,Ca. due mainly to the national ecomonic crisis. Team oficals indicated they are still interested in a potential South Bay location such as San Jose. The A's would need approval from both MLB and the Giants to relocate to San Jose.

 

A's Owners, have also warned that if a new home in Northern California is not bulit in the next few years, the club could be a canadiate for contraction or being elimanted from Major League Baseball outright.

 

The A's has won 9 World Series titles overall, including 4 crowns in the Bay area. The Team moved to Northern California from Kansas City in 1968. They also won 5 Champiosnhips while based in Phildelphia early in the 20th Century.

 

c)2009 AP and KPIX-TV, Inc.

 

 

any reactions?

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