chumforsharks

Why the Marlins signed Brian Moehler for 1.5 million bucks and offered Jeff Conine 1 million bucks. I just can't understand this. Couldn't they have thrown the fans a little bone and gave Conine 1.5 and let Moehler walk.

They are not South Florida's team to be d*ck*d around with and disrespected by all (yes, I'm including fans who demand top-flight service at cheap prices here). Speaking for myself, I am not paying cheap prices and as for "top-flight service"...I'd settle for normal. Marlins tickets aren't cheap anymore. Never been to the northeast, have you? Looks like you haven't been to Pro Player lately, Ferry. Any of the decent seats are on par with any counterparts in the North East. Heck, Founder's Field and Batter's box seats are more expensive than the equivalent seats for the Yankees or Mets, and Batter's Box is roughly equal to those in Fenway. The "average" ticket price for the Marlins is among the lowest because of the ridiculously low $4 fish tank seats (or whatever they are now), but $85 for founder's club seats behind the plate and $175 for batter's box is not cheap by any baseball standard. I respect the commitment those made to the Marlins through an excessive purchase, which jumped a huge amount this offseason. However, please don't pretend that the average fan sits in those seats, felt the same sticker shock or pay the price they do. For the most part, Joe Average can see a game for cheaper than anywhere else on the East Coast and many of the other entertainment options in South Florida. I sit in those seats, a lot of people here do. Am I not the average fan? It's not as if every single Marlins fan just goes out to the tank seats. If the seats were all corporate owned and indifferent to price hikes, there'd be no need to be griping about season ticket sales. "Joe Average" is tired of getting abused by this ownership group who doesn't know the first thing about customer support or ethical business activities. Joe Average doesn't sit in the Founder's Club seats. Founder's Clubs seats are marketed for their exclusivity. Joe Average typically sits elsewhere. For example, Infield Box or Terrace baseline seats which would cost him 33% and 25% more in Baltimore and even more elsewhere. So you're comparing prices to a team that spends more on payroll than the Marlins and have a beautiful baseball only stadium? The left side of the Orioles infield makes more money than the entire 25 man roster of the Marlins.

I think you're the one that's dense here. The only thing the Marlins need really is a more appealing lease. The stadium itself is a much better place to watch a game than Yankee Stadium......that place is a dump. But it's a moot point because they will never get a new lease. I hate Wayne H. but he's certainly not a dumb man....that is for sure. So what happens when the lease runs out, Florida doesn't build them a stadium and they don't get a good offer from another city? Then what? They can't get out of their lease because of another landlord......by law they are stuck here until the lease is over. I never said that Loria owed me anything. I know he owns the team and he can do whatever he wants. But leases can't be renegotiated unless the landlord wants to.......and why should Wayne H. even consider it? The teams on the East Coast also spend alot of their payrolls too. Even losers like the Orioles. You are so dense. Renegotiating the lease is a dead issue. It's never going to happen. Huizenga won't renogiate unless there's competition from another landlord, and even then any possible resolution with Huizenga will likely not be a better deal to the Marlins. What is not a dead issue and what we are currently dealing with is exploring new towns and landlords for better leases, and not renewing the lease with Huizenga when we have a commitment from another landlord. That effort will be to the benefit to the Marlins. That strive for improvement is something to admire. It seems you disagree. So you admire Samson and Loria.......that's all I needed to know. So when they leave town......you'll still be a fan of theirs......wow.....and you call me dense?

It's valuable if the Marlins field a major-league team instead of a AA team.

Loria got this team for pennies on a dollar......so I don't want to hear him crying. If he wants to slash payroll fine......but he should look in the mirror, because that's where the blame ultimately lies for being a bad business man. He ruined the Expos and now it's our turn. :banghead

I never said that Loria owed me anything. I know he owns the team and he can do whatever he wants. But leases can't be renegotiated unless the landlord wants to.......and why should Wayne H. even consider it? The teams on the East Coast also spend alot of their payrolls too. Even losers like the Orioles.

Ticket prices won't go down just because the Marlins are fielding the worst team in the majors either.

I have never heard of re-financing a lease. If you buy a house or building you can re-finance. You can. It's called re-financing, dummy. And in the case of their lease at Dolphins Stadium, there are absolutly no penalties for leaving at the end of each term (season). I'm not pro-ownership. I respect power, I guess, but it's that their arguments make a whole lot more sense and they have far much more at stake than other potential parties that may deserve support. And in my experience, fan movements have either fallen flat on their face or been take over by zealots. That was a pretty solid bet when you have the controlling power of your industry on your side, and the competition between potential owners and host cities increasing their offers daily. They are not South Florida's team to be d*ck*d around with and disrespected by all (yes, I'm including fans who demand top-flight service at cheap prices here). Speaking for myself, I am not paying cheap prices and as for "top-flight service"...I'd settle for normal. Marlins tickets aren't cheap anymore. Never been to the northeast, have you? what does that mean?

Major League Baseball already bailed these fools out of one bad situation.....in Montreal.....how many more times will they before they just raise their hands and say enough. They are not South Florida's team to be d*ck*d around with and disrespected by all (yes, I'm including fans who demand top-flight service at cheap prices here). Speaking for myself, I am not paying cheap prices and as for "top-flight service"...I'd settle for normal. Marlins tickets aren't cheap anymore.

I think they're long gone myself.

I don't quite remember that. I especially doubt they had much impact as the eventual deal partnered four teams across three leagues. ahhh, selective memory. We only remember when we're on the right side on things.......I've got you figured out.

In the real world, when you sign a lease you can't get out of it unless the landlord lets you.....and you usually have to pay through the nose in order to do it. Why are you so pro-ownership? I agree that it's their team and they can do whatever they want with it. If they want to tear up the team and draw 400,000 fans.....it's their right to do that. Just don't come crying on my pillow.

MLB took over all negotiations with the city of Pittsburgh......the owner of the team was told to back out.

Wait, they're complaining about bad season ticket numbers? The same group that raised ticket prices on average about 25% for 2006 and then refused to give a refund after their rope-a-dope techniques regarding early renewal and nearly had a riot on their hands in December at the town-hall meeting? NO WAY!!!! Seriously, I'm so god damn sick of this whining, perhaps if they actually knew how to run an organization and treat their fans respectfully, fans would stick by them in the tough times. They're not losing money, in fact they're going to make quite a sizeable profit this year (their final to allow amortization of their loan from MLB to reflect as a "loss), but thanks to creative book-keeping, I'm sure it will look like they broke even. I agree with everything you've stated. What they did to the season-ticket holders is disgusting.....and then to treat them with disrespect at the Town Meeting is unbelievbale. I think they were so cocky at that meeting because they thought someone would have given them a FREE stadium by now. If the current ownership runs this team in Florida for the long haul.....it will take a long time for them to repair the damage they've done to the fan base this year. There just comes a time that Samson needs to stop selling. Kick back and start talking about the team....let's have fun. If the $$ aspect of the game is now under control....and the stadium issues have nothing to do with the fans...why be talking $$ when gearing up for Spring Training? Because he's a selfish little weasel that probably got picked on as a kid and now he's trying to be the man.

Then you shouldn't be blaming them for trying to break out of that agreement. That is unless you enjoy having a third-rate club. I really can't understand fans who find comfort in the miserable existence of a Marlins franchise that can not produce the revenue to keep its team or make investments in the community. Life is about improvement. Sports is about success and failure. These fans, like sadists, get their thrill in rhythmic suffering. I'm not blaming them for the lease agreement they have. It's perfectly legal, and they knew about it before they bought the team. I don't find ANY comfort with what will surely be a wretched team they put on the field this year, but the owners new about this situation long ago.

I don't feel bad for the ownership of the Marlins at all. They knew of the lease and lack of fan support before they bought the team.

Why doesnt Selig just put his money where his mouth is and help the fish? Because that sets a precedent that will hurt MLB and its owners in respect to two of the most important things to them: money and power. And to them, you can't really have one without the other. Thus they will be unwilling to contribute even the loan of a penny without concessions from both the city and the Marlins. For example, for DC to secure some help against potential cost overruns, they gave up parking revenues that are estimated to be in excess of the amount of MLB pledged. They helped Pittsburgh.

He's lying again, like he always does. The Devil Rays have been making money every year......and their payroll is higher than the Marlins is this year......they're going to make alot of money even if no one goes to the games. The revenue sharing (at least $30 million) will go right in their pockets.

I love the entusiasm Girardi has for his team, but we'll see how he's doing in August when they are 25+ games out.

Another good move by the Blue Jays.

Cal Ripken Jr. .276 AVG., .787 OPS A-Rod .307 AVG, .962 OPS Jeter .314 AVG, .847 OPS M.Young .297 AVG., .792 OPS Tejada .280 AVG., .815 OPS Garciaparra .320 AVG., .911 OPS Those are all career numbers.

No. Miggy will be playing third base. That's his position and he'll never move again. He's our superstar. You don't ask your superstar to move from his natural position so that Wes Helms plays there instead. Superstars change positions.......Alex Rodriguez is the best short-stop of all-time and he's playing third base. So you would rather play Chris Aguila in left........even if he's hitting a weak .220 over Wes Helms? EH, wrong. Ripken is best SS of alltime. Don't make that mistake again. How Ripken is the best SS of all time by any measurement besides how many consecutive games he played is beyond me. Overrated, overrated, overrated. I think Ripken was a very good player that deserves to be in the Hall-of-Fame......but.....to say he's better than Alex Rodriguez is ridiculous. A-Rod is one of the best players of all-time, and certainly the best SS of all-time. I know someone mentioned Honus Wagner, but that's when players didn't have acceptable mitts and pitchers went all nine. Today mitts look like big baskets and pitching is specialized making it much tougher.

That's an empty .305 average, with no defensive value Without Juan Pierre......there is no title in 2003.....and that is a fact. Batting average has nothing to do with defensive "value"

The thing that will block ANY major-league team from moving to Las Vegas is the fact that MLB will demand that every casino in Las Vegas doesn't take any bets on MLB games. The casinos have already told them that they won't even consider it. The Expos first choice was Las Vegas.....but Selig blocked it.

No. Miggy will be playing third base. That's his position and he'll never move again. He's our superstar. You don't ask your superstar to move from his natural position so that Wes Helms plays there instead. Superstars change positions.......Alex Rodriguez is the best short-stop of all-time and he's playing third base. So you would rather play Chris Aguila in left........even if he's hitting a weak .220 over Wes Helms? EH, wrong. Ripken is best SS of alltime. Don't make that mistake again. You are high.