DALLAS -- Build it and the payroll will again increase. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria echoed that sentiment on Monday at the Winter Meetings.

 

Until the Marlins have the security of a new retractable-roof stadium in the Miami area, or elsewhere, the organization will no longer sustain significant financial losses. At an impasse with South Florida regarding a new building, the Marlins have received permission to seek relocation.

 

In the meantime, the club is seriously slashing payroll. On Monday, the Marlins officially traded catcher Paul Lo Duca, and the remaining $12.5 million on his contract, to the Mets for two Minor League pitching prospects.

 

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...t=.jsp&c_id=fla

"If we got our stadium deal, we'd go right back the other way. Period," said Loria.

 

 

Ah, I love ultimatums.

\_/

Think about it though...if we get the stadium deal sometime during 2006, then we can sign a couple of impact free agents next offseason and have a helluva team in 2007.

I've said it all along... I don't blame Loria at all... Blame the local politicians. Loria has shown that he loves to win. This has to hurt him more than anybody.

To me this says that he has nowhere to go (no way in hell Las Vegas is a viable option) and therefore he figures if he is staying in South Florida without a Stadium he might as well not spend anymore than he needs to on the Marlins. This gives me hope that the Marlins stay in South Florida because if his threats work then the Marlins get a new Stadium and if this happens some time soon then we will have a hell of a team in 3 or 4 years.

Well he didn't say much except to echo the 'build it or else' message. I wish he would speak for himself down here. I also wonder what he would say at the Town Hall if the season ticket holders all say 'show me a major league team and I'll pay for my major league tickets'.

I can't believe there are still FO apologists.

The threats won't work. It wouldn't even be responsible policymaking at this point considering all the money that needs to go elsewhere. It's just not happening. If they can't move, great. But things aren't likely to get much better than what we have now for quite some time. Unless he sells.

I'd love to rip them, but I can't blame them. South FL sucks and has treated them badly. I'd do the same thing. Of course, I would have kept Castillo and Beckett and made trades for non-pitching prospects, but I'd trade off the rest of them. Sadly, South Florida doesn't deserve baseball.

The threats won't work.

 

There's enough bad blood and ill will all around. Why keep adding fuel?

The threats won't work.

 

There's enough bad blood and ill will all around. Why keep adding fuel?

 

Desperation?

 

Article after article, and so called "expert" after so called "expert" has trounced any realism as far as relocation goes. We know that Portland and Vegas haven't (nor are they expected to) slapped a rubber-stamp on any Marlins stadium proposal, and we know that there are serious questions about those market's ability to sustain a MLB franchise. Not to say the Marlins are wrong in exploring relocation, but it seems there are more people lending their voice to this being a foolish effort rather than a stroke of genius.

 

Perhaps the initial threat didn't go the way ownership wanted (since they were mostly greeted with an "oh really?" instead of an "on no!" by those in power) and now they're reduced to beating the payroll drums once again.

 

I will say, it's interesting that relocation was important enough to warrant a press conference declaring it a possibility, yet not important (or realistic?) enough to warrant visits to the markets, and now we're back to complaining about the Miami situation and making market specific threats.

Sadly, South Florida doesn't deserve baseball.

 

 

Just because the politians hav their own agenda doesnt mean you should generalize about the community as a whole.

 

Its quite upsetting for you to say we dont deserve a baseball team.

I will say, it's interesting that relocation was important enough to warrant a press conference declaring it a possibility, yet not important (or realistic?) enough to warrant visits to the markets, and now we're back to complaining about the Miami situation and making market specific threats.

Good point!

Sadly, South Florida doesn't deserve baseball.

 

 

Just because the politians hav their own agenda doesnt mean you should generalize about the community as a whole.

 

Its quite upsetting for you to say we dont deserve a baseball team.

28th in attendance

I agree with at least one thing written in this article:

 

Asked if he thought the Marlins would remain in South Florida, Loria said, "I don't have an opinion either way, other to say that South Florida is probably where it ought to be. It's a great market. What needs to be done in this market hasn't been done yet."

Here's the rest of the text as there are other interesting comments included:

 

Loria addresses the future of the Marlins

Owner says lack of stadium deal is direct cause of trades

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

 

DALLAS -- Build it and the payroll will again increase. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria echoed that sentiment on Monday at the Winter Meetings.

Until the Marlins have the security of a new retractable-roof stadium in the Miami area, or elsewhere, the organization will no longer sustain significant financial losses. At an impasse with South Florida regarding a new building, the Marlins have received permission to seek relocation.

 

In the meantime, the club is seriously slashing payroll. On Monday, the Marlins officially traded catcher Paul Lo Duca, and the remaining $12.5 million on his contract, to the Mets for two Minor League pitching prospects.

 

Since Thanksgiving, the Marlins have dealt a number of high-priced players -- Josh Beckett, Carlos Delgado, Mike Lowell, Guillermo Mota, Luis Castillo and, now, Lo Duca.

 

"If we got our stadium deal, we'd go right back the other way. Period," said Loria. "A signed stadium deal. You guys know I'm not out here to lose games. I want to win. I've said that."

 

Loria, the third owner in Marlins history, has lost tens of millions of dollars since purchasing the club in 2002. In those four seasons, the Marlins enjoyed their greatest stretch of success in franchise history. They won the World Series championship in 2003 and followed that with two more winning seasons.

 

Now the club appears to be headed toward having Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera as the lone remaining players from their title team of two seasons ago.

 

"We won a World Series, we've had winning teams for three straight years," said Loria. "It's time for the people who have to get off their chairs to get off their chairs to do a deal."

 

As much as parting with proven talent hurts, Loria insists that the newly acquired youngsters will emerge into winners.

 

Loria has total confidence that general manager Admin Beinfest, and his staff, can assemble the next generation of stars in South Florida. New manager Joe Girardi, despite having a young roster, is not conceding anything.

 

"It's just a great group," said Loria of the team's front office. "We've spent a lot of time going through baseball as we can see it. We're quite capable of building another championship team rather quickly, in two or three years. These names of players that you don't know, they'll be household names down the road, many of them."

 

Though the streamlining of payroll is being called a "fire sale" in some circles, Loria bristles at the phrase, instead calling it a necessary "market correction."

 

"It's a plain ol', very simple market correction," he said. "Payroll is going to have to match revenue. I'm not going to lose any more money. There is no reason to. No intelligent businessman is going to run his business this way. I've run this business with my heart the last four years."

 

The Marlins felt that they were close to finalizing a deal for a retractable-roof stadium next to the Orange Bowl in downtown Miami, but that project fell apart a few weeks ago, prompting the team to seek relocation.

 

The most realistic idea to keep the team in South Florida is for a stadium to be built on land next to the club's current home, at Dolphins Stadium in the north part of Miami-Dade County. But even that is a longshot.

 

There remains a funding gap of approximately $80 million to build a roofed stadium on the land near Dolphins Stadium.

 

The team has had discussions with Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, who owns the land, and Miami-Dade County officials. On Monday, Bob DuPuy, MLB's president and chief operating officer, said that he has had discussions regarding a possible stadium with Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess.

 

On Monday, DuPuy received a stadium briefing with Marlins president David Samson and vice chairman Joel Mael.

 

According to DuPuy, Commissioner Bud Selig has run out of patience with South Florida's inability to work out a deal for a team that has won two World Series trophies in its 13 seasons.

 

"The Commissioner believes that Major League Baseball should thrive in South Florida," said DuPuy. "He's believed that all along. But they've had three owners and two world championships and a competitive team. They've been a major recipient of revenue sharing. They don't draw particularly well, despite being a competitive team. They are operating under a very difficult lease circumstance.

 

"[selig] has said, 'I've said repeatedly to the people down there that they need a new stadium.' We don't seem to be able to get over the hump. The Commissioner has run out of patience and has allowed them to explore other opportunities."

 

Loria says that he's received numerous e-mails of support from fans, saying that they understand why he is making these tough decisions.

 

"Everybody knows how much I love the team, and the players," said Loria. "It was not an easy task. Talking to Josh [beckett] on the phone, among other players, or Mike [Lowell]. ... I spoke to Carlos when I was in Paris. I told him, 'I was sorry this had to happen.' [i told him] that I was looking forward to getting the stadium deal done and moving forward with the team. But having said that, there would have been corrections anyway. Let's not forget, the team didn't improve last year."

 

The Marlins have been contacted by seven cities regarding relocation. As of now, club officials are deciding when to visit other markets. Loria will not make those trips, but Samson and Mael will.

 

Las Vegas is ripe for relocation, but there are concerns from the league regarding betting on baseball. When Las Vegas officials made their pitch to the Montreal Expos, who eventually became the Washington Nationals, the issue of betting wasn't resolved.

 

"Las Vegas made a very attractive proposal," said DuPuy about the city's efforts to attract the Expos. "There are issues with regards to Vegas indicated during that proposal. [There was] no willingness to take baseball off the books. I know that's a very, very serious issue with the Commissioner."

 

The Marlins are under lease at Dolphins Stadium through 2007, and their series of leases with Dolphins Stadium expires after the 2010 season. Thus the Marlins are locked into playing in Miami for two more seasons, and no more than five.

 

Asked if he thought the Marlins would remain in South Florida, Loria said, "I don't have an opinion either way, other to say that South Florida is probably where it ought to be. It's a great market. What needs to be done in this market hasn't been done yet."

 

 

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

I agree with at least one thing written in this article:

 

Asked if he thought the Marlins would remain in South Florida, Loria said, "I don't have an opinion either way, other to say that South Florida is probably where it ought to be. It's a great market. What needs to be done in this market hasn't been done yet."

 

That really is why it's hard to completely hate Loria, at least he knows how to be diplomatic while going about this.

Sadly, South Florida doesn't deserve baseball.

 

 

Just because the politians hav their own agenda doesnt mean you should generalize about the community as a whole.

 

Its quite upsetting for you to say we dont deserve a baseball team.

28th in attendance

Granted, but by making these kinds of statements you really diminish the importance those of us who have truly been there thru thick and thin, those of us who have given our heart and soul to this frnachise. I think even if its just for a few hundred of us, baseball needs to stay here in SoFl.

blame the politians all you want, but when the rockies have better attendance then we do that is sad, 28th last year with our 65 million dollar team. If people showed how much they want this team by going to games, instead of spewing reasons why they dont go, and showed that they want a team, then the politics would have changed in our favor, but the majority of people in south florida dont seem to care either way, and the politics show that

Sounds almost like "If we build it, will you come?" all over again. :plain

I agree with at least one thing written in this article:

 

Asked if he thought the Marlins would remain in South Florida, Loria said, "I don't have an opinion either way, other to say that South Florida is probably where it ought to be. It's a great market. What needs to be done in this market hasn't been done yet."

 

That really is why it's hard to completely hate Loria, at least he knows how to be diplomatic while going about this.

Why can we at least get a team President with some skills? I tell you, this whole thing whould have been done a long time if you know who was not the face of this team

What I get from it is that Loria wants to stay here. He is just tired of losing money and no body gives a damn about it.

I agree with at least one thing written in this article:

 

Asked if he thought the Marlins would remain in South Florida, Loria said, "I don't have an opinion either way, other to say that South Florida is probably where it ought to be. It's a great market. What needs to be done in this market hasn't been done yet."

 

That really is why it's hard to completely hate Loria, at least he knows how to be diplomatic while going about this.

Why can we at least get a team President with some skills? I tell you, this whole thing whould have been done a long time if you know who was not the face of this team

 

Can't say I disagree.

 

However, the fact that Loria isn't able/willing to front tangiable start up costs is likely stalling this more than Samson's abrasive ways

However, the fact that Loria isn't able/willing to front tangiable start up costs is likely stalling this more than Samson's abrasive ways

 

Yes, without a doubt that's the main issue here. That David Samson's face has become a stadium repellent is only a subplot in this mini-series.