Mungo

Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties and had never been married. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all. One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea. As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a cute glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom! When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer resist. 'Miss Beatrice', he said, 'I wonder if you would tell me about this?' Pointing to the bowl. 'Oh, yes,' she replied, 'Isn't it wonderful? I was walking through the Park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu all Winter.'

Does this mean we're getting our stadium?!! Its much more likely :thumbup Now how has the economy screwed up Loria's end of the deal....will he have his part of the monies needed ? That is the big question. The lack of payroll the Marlins have played with the last three seasons has probably made Loria over $100 Million by itself. Not according to some of the accountants we have on this board. They have just barely been scraping by........

Does this mean we're getting our stadium?!! Its much more likely :thumbup Now how has the economy screwed up Loria's end of the deal....will he have his part of the monies needed ? That is the big question.

Jesus, do the math. It's less than $8,000 each. And these are all major leaguers making even at minimum $300,000 a year+ depending when the purported issue arose. Which is the point, we're talking about less than $ 100,000. For a major league team to be this penurious is ridiculous. It invites snide "Cheap Jews" bashes at Loria and Samson, and brings ridicule, and behind the scenes talk amongst players. I'm sure other players have heard this, and some of them could be potential free agents. These kinds of things lead a player, who might have several options besides the Marlins, to choose the other team. Noone brought bigotry into it until you did. Not surprising. Of course, reading comprehension is not a strong point on this board. I said, please re-read, that it "INVITES" those kind of comments. Implying those kind of comments would talked about behind closed doors by the players. And of course I later on made sure on that other thread, to make sure to post I make some outrageous comments because I think its hilarious to see some of the posters go all crazy. They take the bait everytime (especially Bronco Bob....what a tool) :lol

Jesus, do the math. It's less than $8,000 each. And these are all major leaguers making even at minimum $300,000 a year+ depending when the purported issue arose. Which is the point, we're talking about less than $ 100,000. For a major league team to be this penurious is ridiculous. It invites snide "Cheap Jews" bashes at Loria and Samson, and brings ridicule, and behind the scenes talk amongst players. I'm sure other players have heard this, and some of them could be potential free agents. These kinds of things lead a player, who might have several options besides the Marlins, to choose the other team.

Unbelievably cheap. That is just beyond stupid. How do you expect to attract free agents and develop a fanbase when this crap is happening ?

Not related to the stadium but this should help the stadium project a bit, at least theoretically: http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/081113/story2.shtml Excellent news. :thumbup

Coghlan had 23 errors plus his miscues throughout the post-season playoffs including two in the last game. But like I said some people don't have the faculties to consider the notion that the front office is working their plan and while we on the outside aren't privy to it, nor understand how the pieces may fit together in the future, I'm comfortable they do. People scoffed at taking all that pitching a few years ago in the draft yet somehow or another this is a winning franchise with lots of talent, both pitching and positional working its way through the system to the major league level. Looking at the pieces of a puzzle one by one isn't very helpful or informative unless you have the front of the puzzle box to see how they all fit together. I really don't think the front office has a plan. Let me see: 2005- trade everyone for rookies 2005-2007- suffer through the growing pains of these young players and the weaknesses that having a firesale left you with 2008- trade everyone except for Hanley, getting no talent in return 2011- trade all of those arbitration-eligible players who had to fill spots left over after you traded everyone in 2008, forcing them to start as rookies in 2009 This is bullcrap. Welcome to the World of the Florida Marlins. It will be this way until the stadium is built.

Let the record note that I think Admin Beinfest is an average GM. Not that great, not that bad. Since 2002, how many trades have we lost? Two? But how many drafts have we won ? Like he said, average at best. Not "GOD" like some of you guys think he is.

Let the record note that I think Admin Beinfest is an average GM. Not that great, not that bad. He has his strengths and his weaknesses......trades a strength, drafting a weakness. He picked Hermida over Hamels, and Allison over Conor Jackson, Carlos Quentin or Chad Billingsley..... Just a couple of examples of his huge draft mistakes.

Meh, just another mediocre piece from that Tigers trade. I am really not that fond of any of the arms we got in that deal. In fact, I would say Miller is the only one whos an MLB caliber player, but isnt quite ready yet. I would have thought Cabrera alone was enough to net Maybin and Miller and the other four were throw-ins for Willis. And I'm probably in the minority here, but I don't think De la Cruz is going to develop into anything special. His numbers in a heavy offensively dominated triple-A disagree. But his numbers in the pros agree. Yeah, what I remember him doing in games last year was just terrible. :thumbdown

I hate to see a player go to Kansas City. "Sentenced" would probably be the more appropriate term. KC is like the baseball version of death row. Many would say its more like being transfered from Sing-Sing to Levenworth. I think the fact that they have a player that SHOULD be given the ROTY and will probably only get a few votes shows why it sucks to play there. Rabbe, I am only going by what has been said by quite a few players once they leave the Marlins. Many of them just hate it here because its like playing in a funeral parlor. They don't play just for the money, and the winning, but many athletes are also showoffs, and frankly, there isn't much an audience to showoff to here with the Marlins. Players love that big audience feel, and they don't get that here. If and when we can get a stadium that is full, or near full, this franchise will become a shining becon and players I think will flock here. This franchise HAS to have that stadium or the Marlins will always be considered by the players as a black hole.

I hate to see a player go to Kansas City. "Sentenced" would probably be the more appropriate term. KC is like the baseball version of death row. Many would say its more like being transfered from Sing-Sing to Levenworth.

Dave Winfield comparison? This writer is getting Waaaaaayyyyy too carried away, this guy has only been in Single A thus far, you cannot compare a guy in Single A to a Hall Of Famer. Still, I am getting more and more excited about the possibilites of getting to see THE Michael Stanton as a '09 callup As a 19 year old? said in the article he could become a September callup Edit: Cabrera was 20 when he got called up in June btw Cabrera was also in AA and hadn't Cabrera been a professional since he was 16 ?

I could see Piniella get it Not after that collapse in the NLDS :banghead Don't you see what this is really saying ? That the managers don't believe in our players very much. They think that Freddi made chicken salad out of chicken isht.

Yes, it is. I know Bonds *could* hit anyone, but Ross mashes lefties, and they both need their work. That would generate best results IMO. Fixed. :thumbup

Wow...whoever wrote this is an idiot. Whoever disagree's with it is an idiot. Now my declaration, has just as much validity as yours. :thumbup

Dear Red States: If you manage to steal this election too we've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren't aware, that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California. To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood. We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss. We get 85% of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama. We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you. We get two-thirds of the tax revenue; you get to make the red states pay their fair share. Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22% lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms. Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq, and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in Bush's Quagmire. With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80% of the country's fresh water, more than 90% of the pineapple and lettuce, 92% of the nation's fresh fruit, 95% of America's quality wines, 90% of all cheese, 90% of the high tech industry, 95% of the corn and soybeans (thanks Iowa!), most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Stanford, Cal Tech, Berkeley, UCLA and MIT. With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88% of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92% of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100% of the tornadoes, 90% of the hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100% of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia. Additionally, 38% of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62% believe life is sacred unless we're discussing the war, the death penalty or gun laws, 44% say that evolution is only a theory, 53% that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61% of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties. Finally, we're taking all the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico. Peace out, -- the Blue States

You guys keep on saying they will be moving, the question would be to where ? I think more likely the old "contraction" talk comes back to the forefront, and then I don't know what happens to the scheduling, but I doubt MLB will be playing 162 games, but probably schedule something a few less that works out that both leagues play the same amount of games, but with one less team.

Will those 2 final games against Toronto be played at Dolphin Stadium like the Yankee games were this past year? I really doubt that

Huh its happening right now? Is it being shown on TV? I don't think it's shown live. They usually show it about a week or two after. By the way, Jeff finished the bike portion with a time of 7:35:47 (swimming time included). I believe it was mentioned in the Miami Herald last week, that it would be shown sometime in December.

I know this was directed at me...and yes, it's true. I do not like the Dolphins. I DO live in Miami...and I DO attend Marlins games, so you can just shut your yap with that. I'm sick of the Dolphins b/c of the ridiculous publicity they get down here, compared to other teams. What makes you say, so clearly, that the Dolphins future looks much brighter than the Marlins? 2 games? For a "Marlins fan," you certainly do hate. One of the youngest teams in baseball, won 84 games, almost made the playoffs...and they're headed in the wrong direction? I'm sorry; I don't follow this logic. And your theory on next year's team, Mungo, is dead wrong. Most of this team is coming back in '09. Some are leaving b/c the front office is trying to satisfy you by winning their 3rd championship in franchise history (which, oh btw...would be more than those precious..."soon to be dynasty" Dolphins). Interesting you hate the Dolphins, yet can't understand why others who live down here don't support the Marlins. You seem a bit hypocritical. Why do you hate the Dolphins ? And conversely which team do you follow ? Where you born here and support a team from elsewhere ? And why ? If you are from somewhere else, then why is it hard to understand why people who have come here from elsewhere and still follow their hometown team ? I think you owe us some answer behind your (seemingly) irrational dislike of the Dolphins. :shifty I don't have faith in this front office that they are really trying to win, and I think I am justified in that feeling and also have a right to it, without being insulted by someone who (possibly) doesn't support one of the hometown teams, yet hypocritically belittles those that do. At least the Dolphins have been trying to win, they have always spent the payroll limit, and it hasn't worked out for them, but things are turning around. As for the Marlins, their ownership has not always tried to win, no matter how much you make yourself blue in the face screaming they do try to win. Tampa Bay is an example of being cheap but spending just enough to win. It really makes Marlins management look bad. And would you rather have the Tampa future or the Marlins ? I'd rather have Tampa's team. Just look what happened against them this year. The Marlins were 1-5...and as it should be, because Marlins management pinched too many pennies, instead of spending $ 5 - 10 million more to get them over the top.

Hey hey HEY. Marlins had a good season. Rabbe, you have mediocre standards. Again, what did Herm Edwards say ? "You play to win the game" ? The Marlins are not playing right now, they didn't "play to win the games" enough this season. I only call winning a successful season, ultimately they didn't win. It was a failure, and if you think its anything different, then you can't be a real fan, and have the heart of a champion. This is complete and utter nonsense. Only one team wins the World Series each year. By your standards, everyone else is a failure. Well, Mungo, I guess you really have no reason to support baseball then. You're just like all the other fairweather fans down there. See another one that just doesn't get it. :banghead I am a fan, a true fan. I am not satisfied that they didn't win the world series. I want them to succeed and finish as the only winner. Anyone that accepts less would be ridiculed in the Marlins clubhouse as well. Do you think they are happy with their season ? That has nothing to do with my fandom for them. I root for no other team, and never will root for another. I am a fair-weather fan ? Really ? I don't follow your logic. Can you explain how my not accepting anything but a WS win as a successful season makes me a fair-weather fan ? Unless that is you don't understand what that means. We all want them to go all the way but some of us are realistic. If you ask them "did you guys have a good season", you think they will say no? I highly doubt it. I'm realistic, but I'm also not easily satisfied. I just don't consider a year in which you come just a handful of games from being in the playoffs a "good season". That means you could have made it, it was within your grasp and you let it go. That is not acceptable. If you accept that, then you become the Chicago Cubs.

Hey hey HEY. Marlins had a good season. Rabbe, you have mediocre standards. Again, what did Herm Edwards say ? "You play to win the game" ? The Marlins are not playing right now, they didn't "play to win the games" enough this season. I only call winning a successful season, ultimately they didn't win. It was a failure, and if you think its anything different, then you can't be a real fan, and have the heart of a champion. This is complete and utter nonsense. Only one team wins the World Series each year. By your standards, everyone else is a failure. Well, Mungo, I guess you really have no reason to support baseball then. You're just like all the other fairweather fans down there. See another one that just doesn't get it. :banghead I am a fan, a true fan. I am not satisfied that they didn't win the world series. I want them to succeed and finish as the only winner. Anyone that accepts less would be ridiculed in the Marlins clubhouse as well. Do you think they are happy with their season ? That has nothing to do with my fandom for them. I root for no other team, and never will root for another. I am a fair-weather fan ? Really ? I don't follow your logic. Can you explain how my not accepting anything but a WS win as a successful season makes me a fair-weather fan ? Unless that is you don't understand what that means.

Building a relationship with fans doesn't happen overnight. The organization has to have credibility, which the Marlins do not, given their history of breaking up teams, and though they may have a 'plan' right now, the fruits of it need come about before people feel safe trusting this organization (and even then, the people will still hesitate with good reason). No matter what valid points and fine rhetoric we spew out here on this message board, the reality is that the market the Marlins are dealing with needs familiar faces in order to feel a connection, and those faces become the image of the franchise in the minds of the people. That's just how it works, guys. The whole 'cheer for the team not for the player' is not something the Marlins are in position to do right now. That's not gonna sell tickets. Consistency will. Winning is not the only ingredient when it comes to ticket sales (we saw that this year); you need to have a group that people have become familiar with, to build an emotional bond with customers. The Marlins have done a terrible job in building this emotional bond; heck, I might say they haven't tried. The marketing has also been pretty sloppy over the years. Well at least YOU get it.....but many on this board never will I am afraid. When I talk to friends about the Marlins, they laugh, and then say something like "who is playing for them" ? Or "I'll go when so-and-so is in town to play them" because they have ZERO connection with the present team. The community interaction by the Marlins with South Fla is next to nil, especially now that it is the off-season. Most of the players split from So Fla, the minute the season is over and don't return until opening day. Consequently you have no interaction in the off-season that helps to build that bond between team, players and community. Also, when was the last time the Marlins held any kind of an event in South Miami-Dade county ? Like in the Pinecrest, Perrine, Deering or Cutler Bay areas ? There are plenty of people of wealth in that area (Mike Lowell has a multimillion $ home in Pinecrest) who are a potential source of fanbase, but yet the team has ignored them for 16 years. Yet holds community events in Boca Raton, which is farther in the opposite direction. That is just plain stupid marketing. :banghead Pinecrest is about 35 miles from Dolphin Stadium, and Boca is about 50 miles.....what makes more sense ? Both would, but for whatever reason, the Marlins have ignored a good chunk of South Fla, yet b*tch and moan about low attendance. WELL GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER IN THE PROMOTIONS DEPT ! :banghead That's pretty funny, and very incorrect. Because being a PBC resident I have always complained the team spends more time wooing the Dade residents, with only 2 or 3 visits to our county per year, with the exception of having ST here. But I guess that is too many for some people from Dade County to accept. Especially having ST here. I wasn't aware of any team that has it's players stay in their area during the off season. I always thought that was the time the players were allowed to go home to their families in other countries and states. And by families I don't mean just their wifes and children. Prior to the season and during the season the team does many community events. The team sponsors some and the Community Foundation sponsors others with the team's help. Most, if not all, events sponsored by the team are publisized on the Marlins web page. The Community Foundation sends out regular notices of when and where their events are held. You just need to take the time to sign up for it. Just because you aren't going to them dosen't mean they aren't happening. Could they do more? Probably yes. But I would be willing to bet they are right along with all other MLB teams when it comes to this sort of thing. Again Bob, you just don't read do you ? I ask again, when is the last time the Marlins held an event, ANY KIND OF EVENT in south Miami-Dade County ? That is a potential source of income that is completely ignored. And if the new stadium does happen, closer to those in south Miami-Dade, wouldn't it behoove the team to start NOW cultivating those residents as fans of the team, and coeirce them to go to games when the new stadium is open ? To me that just makes more sense than trying to after people that live in Broward and Palm Beach county, who already have the team closer to them than those in south Miami-Dade, and have shown that they will not go, no matter what. The real problem with the Marlins is the lack of support from Broward County more than Miami-Dade, because the team is a lot closer AND easier to access for Broward residents, than many Miami-Dade residents. Anyone who argues differently is just blinding themselves to reality.