miami15 Posted May 22, 2005 Share Posted May 22, 2005 COMMENTARY For Marlins, time to put up and shut up By JIM DEFEDE [email protected] I like the Florida Marlins. I've liked them ever since they exorcised the demon Wayne Huizenga from their midst. And this year has gotten off to a great start. The D-train is on track to win a Cy Young Award, Miguel Cabrera is tearing the baseball apart, and even Mike Lowell's average is slowly coming up. There is no reason this team can't win its division. So here is a little advice for the front office: Stop talking about building a stadium and just get it done. TO THE BOTTOM LINE As things stand right now, the county has pledged $138 million, most of that coming from taxes on tourists. The city is contributing $28 million, plus the land next to the Orange Bowl, where the new stadium is to be built. Parking revenue will throw another $32 million into the pot. The total contribution by local government is $198 million. The Marlins said they would contribute $192 million. That gave the two sides $390 million toward a stadium, which is estimated to cost $420 million to build. The difference -- for those of you scoring at home -- is $30 million. Those in favor of a stadium had hoped to get that money from the Legislature, but the gang in Tallahassee wasn't interested and sent the Marlins home with nothing. OK, it was a nice try, but now it's time for the Marlins to just shut up and write a check for the difference. Forget about convening the Legislature in a special session in Tallahassee. Forget about asking the city or the county for another dime. Forget about a special referendum. Just write the check and be done with it. Be grateful you're getting $198 million. A lot of folks, including myself, don't think you should be getting that. GROWING ANIMOSITY In fact, the longer you wait and the more I think about this whole affair, the more I'm likely to say, ``Screw it, forget the deal. If the Marlins are not happy playing in Dolphins Stadium, well, it's been fun having them in town, but they shouldn't let the door hit them on the butt on the way out.'' The longer you wait, the more likely people are going to realize that the Orange Bowl is an idiotic site that everyone is going to eventually regret. Nevertheless, this deal has been in the works for more than a year, and the county and the city made their respective pledges, so I can live -- barely -- with the $198 million on the table. But that's it. We're done. There is no way you are going to get me or anyone else to believe the Marlins can't afford the additional $30 million. Major League Baseball, in its infinite wisdom, stuck its head into the negotiations recently in a letter giving local officials a deadline of June 9 to come up with a funding plan to close the gap on the stadium funding. Or else! Or else, what? No one knows. It's just more useless rhetoric from the pinheads who can't even get their act together on steroid abuse. In fact, the person who wrote this asinine letter should be drug tested immediately. IN RESPONSE Here is what I think the county and the city's response to Major League Baseball should be: Since you like deadlines so much, here's our deadline. We've offered $198 million. That offer is good until June 9. If the Marlins don't come forward and accept our generosity and agree to make up the difference for a new stadium, then on June 10 our offer goes down to $197 million. And on June 11, it will be $196 million. And every day that follows we will take another $1 million off the table. If the Marlins do the right thing and step up and close this deal now, the front office will be hailed as heroes. If not, then it doesn't matter what the team does on the field, this season is going to end badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buccanes Posted May 22, 2005 Share Posted May 22, 2005 I hate defede, his picture bothers me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flamarlins3 Posted May 22, 2005 Share Posted May 22, 2005 He's got a good point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boog Sciambi Posted May 22, 2005 Share Posted May 22, 2005 he's obviously a good writer cause he expressed his point of view whether you agree with it or not without alienating anyone. i think it is time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fritz Posted May 22, 2005 Share Posted May 22, 2005 The man makes a good case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBMarlin Posted May 22, 2005 Share Posted May 22, 2005 get r dun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiamiSpartan Posted May 22, 2005 Share Posted May 22, 2005 I don't think he makes a good point at all. All other cities/states manage to get their ballparks built with A LOT more public money than the Marlins were proposing. The state should have ponied up the extra cash. The team WILL leave and it will be no one else's fault than the State of Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlins93 Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 DeFede's point is that the Marlins should put up the remaining $ 30 million because it's their stadium and they stand to benefit the most from it. It's hard to argue that. I'm sure the Marlins can dig a little deeper and come up with the extra money if they had to. We all know they'll get that money back and more once the stadium is up and running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSwift25 Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 He's entitled to his opinion, but it doesn't mean he's right in what he's saying. There is a whole lot that would go wrong with this team if the Marlins kick in that extra $30 million. As a fan, I'm already trembling at the thought of how crippling this $192 will be to our future payroll, $222 million will just about assure that Dontrelle Willis and Josh Beckett will be pitching for other teams, not in our new stadium, those are all things that have to be considered when some one says "put up and shut up." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlin2266 Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 I don't expect this to be a polular suggestion, but here goes - Trade Carlos Delgado for prospects. Fill the gap this year (and maybe next) with Niner, while we either groom a minor leaguer or locate an ample, affordable replacement. Delgado would net us at least 2 front-line MLB ready prospects, plus free up his contract money (still around $52MM) for stadium funding. Hard times call for hard choices - I'd rather have a team and no Carlos than the team in LV. I am 100% open to better ideas, but I don't see any. Loria is maxed out, Miami is maxed out, Dade is maxed out, and Tally doesn't care. ****Puts on bulletproof vest**** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSwift25 Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 I don't expect this to be a polular suggestion, but here goes - Trade Carlos Delgado for prospects. Fill the gap this year (and maybe next) with Niner, while we either groom a minor leaguer or locate an ample, affordable replacement. Delgado would net us at least 2 front-line MLB ready prospects, plus free up his contract money (still around $52MM) for stadium funding. Hard times call for hard choices - I'd rather have a team and no Carlos than the team in LV. I am 100% open to better ideas, but I don't see any. Loria is maxed out, Miami is maxed out, Dade is maxed out, and Tally doesn't care. ****Puts on bulletproof vest**** 780378[/snapback] :lol :lol :lol :lol Then, after trading Delgado, the team is back to '99 as far as attendance goes. You could make the argument that we shouldn't have signed Delgado, but now that we have him there is no way that we trade him right now. And the fact that he went unsigned until the end of January tells you that there isn't a huge market for his services...most teams would like him but can't afford his price tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteyrave Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 I have a different suggestion. Since they want to use the naming rights as revenue and trading anybody would just be bad, I propose opening various prop designs and special stadium events (scoreboard, homerun celebrator, strikeout counter, etc.) up for corporate sponsorship. Like the giant Coke bottle at Fenway. We could have a giant robot marlin "jumping out of the water" with a logo on it for a homerun. Or put little logos on the Ks. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSwift25 Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 I have a different suggestion. Since they want to use the naming rights as revenue and trading anybody would just be bad, I propose opening various prop designs and special stadium events (scoreboard, homerun celebrator, strikeout counter, etc.) up for corporate sponsorship. Like the giant Coke bottle at Fenway. We could have a giant robot marlin "jumping out of the water" with a logo on it for a homerun. Or put little logos on the Ks. What do you guys think? 780412[/snapback] That sounds like a likely event. Not that I'm saying it for certain, but I'd assume a great majority of that "up front" advertising money is already included in the $192 million the Marlins have already put on the table... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteyrave Posted May 23, 2005 Share Posted May 23, 2005 I guess if that's the case we end up back at naming rights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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