Why is Loria any more of a jerk than Cody and his agent? They were all griping over the same 250k.

 

And since arbitration raises are based quite a bit off of your previous year's salary, 250k more this year might = 400k more next year (just a guess), and that's another major league contract the Marlins can't offer to a player like Kiko Calero (which many on here are whining about).

 

To me, Cody is already a rich man, and I do like Cody, but since I know payroll is going to match revenue for this team, I am totally rooting for the Marlins to sign everyone to the cheapest contracts possible, and this includes my rooting for Cody to lose his arbitration case.

 

 

250k is a much bigger deal to Cody than it is a multi-millionaire like Loria (I'd think that would be obvious) who could easily afford to give an over-achieving player a few hundred k his way. Cody isn't a great player and he's 29, the window for athletes to make a lot of money is pretty small, compare that to the owners who will make millions the rest of their lives.

 

Finally some one that gets it on this board.

 

Add to that the perception, which when running a business that people don't have to participate in, that he is cheap. That is all people outside of Florida, including potential FA's, even mediocre ones, will hear. You can do all the signing of JJ's and Uggla's you want to do, but when you already have a reputation and act like the stereotype of that perception, that is what people will remember and talk about.

 

It does not bode well for the future, and the trust that will need to be there to be able to have the upper hand when it comes to FA's in the future. There is a real percieved notion within baseball itself that the Marlins are cheap. When FA's have left, a number of them have publically stated this, and privately, amongst themselves you know the players have talked too. This is a collective thought and image process that humans do, and when you get a rep, you have to work extra hard to overcome that stereotype, and Loria just seems to put his foot in his mouth more often then not when it comes to this kind of thing. He doesn't do his team any favors when he reinforces this image.

 

I believe that it does hurt the team, because many FA's (and their agents) just put the Marlins at the bottom of the list of teams to talk to. We are not a priority unless a FA is desperate.

I laughed. The Marlins future is doomed because the team choose to arbitrate with Cody Ross - when they were able to sign their other nine arbitration eligible players. This is going to send shockwaves to other clubhouses.

 

Cody got a huge raised based on his comps. The Marlins have inhouse counsel so it costs them relatively nothing to send someone to Tampa and argue this. This is not a big deal at all. This is not being cheap. This is running a smart business. This is not a big deal at all despite whatever the amazing Mike and Mike want to laugh about. They would still laugh at the Marlins even if they gave Cody $4.5 million no questions asked based on their last few years of, I don't know, trading Miguel Cabrera and having a sub $30 million payroll. Cody Ross is changing this?

 

You know how you overcome the cheap stereotype? You build a stadium you sign Hanley and Johnson longterm, and then you keep signing more guys and free agents that can be longterm pieces for you.

 

Are you going to cry when Uggla, Cantu, Ross, Nunez, Pinto, one of Anibal/Miller, Helms, and Paulino are not on this team next year too? Are we going to be cheap then also, or are those baseball decisions considering we can replace them all in house with high potential prospects like Morrison, Stanton, Petersen, Tucker, Ceda, West, Leroux, Vanden Hurk, etc?

 

This is a bunch of bubkes.

 

what if the bunch of them turn out to be Gaby Sanchez's ? That is more possible than all of them turning out good. Loria got lucky with Uggla rule 5 grab, and the Lowell for Ramirez trade. Remember Uggla only got a chance when Pokey Reese decided to hang it up.

 

If those two don't happen, we could be looking at competing with the Pirates for the worst franchise in MLB.

No Rab and Lou we are looking at reality. Perception is part of reality when you screw all the good you have done, by looking cheap just the one time. Because most people, like Mike & Mike have an agenda, and they started making fun of the Marlins in 2006, when they said on their show that the Marlins were a joke because of the $ 24 million payroll. The Marlins have a PR nightmare, and Loria was prodded into spending more money this year, only with a public reprimand from the MLBPA and the other owners.

 

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship, but many of us are not buying what he is selling, and judging from the crowds the Marlins usually get, neither is the general public. And they are the ones that make the final judgement (by attending or not) whether or not that is fair or not.

 

 

I don't like Loria much either. I'm glad that the union and other owners finally started getting on the Marlins about the revenue sharing which is supposed to be used for player payroll. If they didn't get on Loria I'm pretty confident that Josh Johnson and Dan Uggla wouldn't be Marlins in 2010.

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship,

 

Did you even read Lou's post where he noted that he hasn't always agreed with Loria's decisions?

No Rab and Lou we are looking at reality. Perception is part of reality when you screw all the good you have done, by looking cheap just the one time. Because most people, like Mike & Mike have an agenda, and they started making fun of the Marlins in 2006, when they said on their show that the Marlins were a joke because of the $ 24 million payroll. The Marlins have a PR nightmare, and Loria was prodded into spending more money this year, only with a public reprimand from the MLBPA and the other owners.

 

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship, but many of us are not buying what he is selling, and judging from the crowds the Marlins usually get, neither is the general public. And they are the ones that make the final judgement (by attending or not) whether or not that is fair or not.

 

Yes they have a PR nightmare, but Cody Ross isn't effecting that at all. You don't seem to understand that. It's arbitration. It happens every year with multiple players. WHO CARES!

 

Stadium. Hanley. Johnson. More signings in the future. Winning ball games. These are important things.

 

Going to an arbitration panel with Cody Ross isn't doing anything.

 

More so, you want to bring up current attendance? Who really cares, they are never going to draw in that stadium again because there is to much negativity surrounding it from the past 10 years of the franchise. You know what crowd is going to matter? When every game in 2012 is sold out before opening day.

No Rab and Lou we are looking at reality. Perception is part of reality when you screw all the good you have done, by looking cheap just the one time. Because most people, like Mike & Mike have an agenda, and they started making fun of the Marlins in 2006, when they said on their show that the Marlins were a joke because of the $ 24 million payroll. The Marlins have a PR nightmare, and Loria was prodded into spending more money this year, only with a public reprimand from the MLBPA and the other owners.

 

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship, but many of us are not buying what he is selling, and judging from the crowds the Marlins usually get, neither is the general public. And they are the ones that make the final judgement (by attending or not) whether or not that is fair or not.

 

Yes they have a PR nightmare, but Cody Ross isn't effecting that at all. You don't seem to understand that. It's arbitration. It happens every year with multiple players. WHO CARES!

 

Stadium. Hanley. Johnson. More signings in the future. Winning ball games. These are important things.

 

Going to an arbitration panel with Cody Ross isn't doing anything.

 

More so, you want to bring up current attendance? Who really cares, they are never going to draw in that stadium again because there is to much negativity surrounding it from the past 10 years of the franchise. You know what crowd is going to matter? When every game in 2012 is sold out before opening day.

 

I'll believe every game will be sold out in 2012 when it happens. It didn't happen at any of the other new stadiums across the country. Not even Yankee Stadium or Citi Field.

No Rab and Lou we are looking at reality. Perception is part of reality when you screw all the good you have done, by looking cheap just the one time. Because most people, like Mike & Mike have an agenda, and they started making fun of the Marlins in 2006, when they said on their show that the Marlins were a joke because of the $ 24 million payroll. The Marlins have a PR nightmare, and Loria was prodded into spending more money this year, only with a public reprimand from the MLBPA and the other owners.

 

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship, but many of us are not buying what he is selling, and judging from the crowds the Marlins usually get, neither is the general public. And they are the ones that make the final judgement (by attending or not) whether or not that is fair or not.

 

Yes they have a PR nightmare, but Cody Ross isn't effecting that at all. You don't seem to understand that. It's arbitration. It happens every year with multiple players. WHO CARES!

 

Stadium. Hanley. Johnson. More signings in the future. Winning ball games. These are important things.

 

Going to an arbitration panel with Cody Ross isn't doing anything.

 

More so, you want to bring up current attendance? Who really cares, they are never going to draw in that stadium again because there is to much negativity surrounding it from the past 10 years of the franchise. You know what crowd is going to matter? When every game in 2012 is sold out before opening day.

 

I'll believe every game will be sold out in 2012 when it happens. It didn't happen at any of the other new stadiums across the country. Not even Yankee Stadium or Citi Field.

Yankee Stadium is a terrible example because it couldn't sell out games at all and attendance went down. Seats were constantly empty in prime locations because no one could afford it.

 

And I don't think that the games will all be sold out, you're right when you say that doesn't happen, but I think everyone expects a huge attendance spike for that first season (whether it holds up or not has yet to be seen).

Are you serious ? :blink: You really don't get it. The damage that arbitration hearing cost the Marlins in PR was way more than $ 250,000. And if the revenue was not there last year or the year before when the payroll was $ 35 million, why, pray-tell was the money there this year ? Or was it there all along and Loria wasn't spending it ? You can't have your cake, and neither can Loria, and eat it too. The $ 10 million increase in payroll is coming from somewhere, and another $ 250,000 is little to spend for the avoidance of the bad PR hit Loria, and sadder the Marlins take because Loria is a cheapskate.

 

Is your argument really that the Marlins are losing $250,000+ in ticket sales and/or their brand because they choose to arbitrate Cody Ross? Because I mean, this is clearly as enormous of an event as trading Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, getting a new stadium, and signing Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, and signing their other 9 arbitration eligible players, including Dan Uggla which no one thought would be a Marlin in 2010.

 

You know what changes perception, when they have their own ballpark and a winning team. Payroll isn't even going to matter then because they won't be the cellar dwellers anymore.

 

Does anyone make fun of the Rays anymore? That's what's going to happen with the Marlins. It's going to be overnight.

 

No one makes fun of the Rays because they have about 5 or 6 players who have All-Star HoF potential on their club. The Marlins have 3, maybe. They Rays also took a gamble on Longoria, in his 2nd year and made him a longtime offer. The Marlins only gave Ramirez his contract AFTER Longoria had his. Hanley had already been playing more than a year longer, and it took 18 month extra for the Marlins to do the right thing.

 

And I hope I am wrong, but I believe its more likely that Loria again has to be embarassed into increasing payroll once the stadium is opened. You all act like that is going to be the panacea into solving all of the Marlins problems. Lest I remind you it hasn't been the savior for the Pirates, Rangers or Nats. Neither has the remake of KC's stadium. They are still revenue challenged.

what if the bunch of them turn out to be Gaby Sanchez's ? That is more possible than all of them turning out good. Loria got lucky with Uggla rule 5 grab, and the Lowell for Ramirez trade. Remember Uggla only got a chance when Pokey Reese decided to hang it up.

 

If those two don't happen, we could be looking at competing with the Pirates for the worst franchise in MLB.

 

Besides the fact the Pirates probably have been the best run franchise in baseball the last 12-18 months of their new front office, sure. If Hanley and Uggla sucked, we'd be in trouble? Shocker. What's your point.

 

I merely asked if you're going to cry when we get rid of Uggla, Cantu, Ross, Nunez, Miller/Anibal, Pinto, Helms, and Paulino after 2010. Who are all complimentary and not core players you build a team around like Hanley and Johnson. Are you going to cry payroll then, despite the fact we have realistic high potential long term players to replace them with, plus with losing all their contracts can probably sign 1-3 cheaper veterans to bridge the gap if the kids collectively struggle? My point is, but I guess I have to spell it out is, the payroll doesn't matter.

 

Perception changes when they win the NL East regardless if the team is paid $40 million or $70 million. That's pretty much the bottom line. If they just go out and spend money, everyone is just going to point and laugh at them like the Astros. What they are doing is so much smarter whether you realize it or not.

 

Taking Cody Ross to arbitration, is simply not a large enough event to measure a blip on people's radars compared to the hellacious things they've done the last few years, like Cabrera, Beckett, 2006 team/payroll, etc.

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship,

 

Did you even read Lou's post where he noted that he hasn't always agreed with Loria's decisions?

 

Show me a post that Lou has bashed Loria.

 

Waiting......

 

I hear crickets.........:whistle

A new stadium will likely spike attendance for a year or two. What will keep the fans coming out is putting a consistent winning team on the field. Not one every five years or so.

They didn't give Longoria a contract in his second year. They gave Longoria a contract on his second day.

I'll believe every game will be sold out in 2012 when it happens. It didn't happen at any of the other new stadiums across the country. Not even Yankee Stadium or Citi Field.

 

Sure maybe it's not opening day and I got carried away in the fury of someone thinking Cody Ross is this vortex of negative publicity, but it'll happen. It's a much smaller park (New Yankee 52k, Citi 41k, Marlins 37k) and people are going to be very very excited for this team because by all indications, they are going to be very very good.

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship,

 

Did you even read Lou's post where he noted that he hasn't always agreed with Loria's decisions?

 

Show me a post that Lou has bashed Loria.

 

Waiting......

 

I hear crickets.........:whistle

You're new here so I'm going to let this slide that you haven't been reading the board for 4 years, but I think the regulars here would laugh at the notion I am googoo for Loria.

Are you serious ? :blink: You really don't get it. The damage that arbitration hearing cost the Marlins in PR was way more than $ 250,000. And if the revenue was not there last year or the year before when the payroll was $ 35 million, why, pray-tell was the money there this year ? Or was it there all along and Loria wasn't spending it ? You can't have your cake, and neither can Loria, and eat it too. The $ 10 million increase in payroll is coming from somewhere, and another $ 250,000 is little to spend for the avoidance of the bad PR hit Loria, and sadder the Marlins take because Loria is a cheapskate.

 

Is your argument really that the Marlins are losing $250,000+ in ticket sales and/or their brand because they choose to arbitrate Cody Ross? Because I mean, this is clearly as enormous of an event as trading Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, getting a new stadium, and signing Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, and signing their other 9 arbitration eligible players, including Dan Uggla which no one thought would be a Marlin in 2010.

 

You know what changes perception, when they have their own ballpark and a winning team. Payroll isn't even going to matter then because they won't be the cellar dwellers anymore.

 

Does anyone make fun of the Rays anymore? That's what's going to happen with the Marlins. It's going to be overnight.

 

No one makes fun of the Rays because they have about 5 or 6 players who have All-Star HoF potential on their club. The Marlins have 3, maybe. They Rays also took a gamble on Longoria, in his 2nd year and made him a longtime offer. The Marlins only gave Ramirez his contract AFTER Longoria had his. Hanley had already been playing more than a year longer, and it took 18 month extra for the Marlins to do the right thing.

 

And I hope I am wrong, but I believe its more likely that Loria again has to be embarassed into increasing payroll once the stadium is opened. You all act like that is going to be the panacea into solving all of the Marlins problems. Lest I remind you it hasn't been the savior for the Pirates, Rangers or Nats. Neither has the remake of KC's stadium. They are still revenue challenged.

 

Since the new management took over the Rays a couple of years ago they are one of the best run franchises in all of baseball. They have spent money to fill every hole on the team this season getting Soriano and Shoppach while they still have one of the richest farm systems in all of baseball. It's hard to compare the Marlins to the Rays who have to deal with the Yankees and Red Sox every year. Now if the Marlins would have went out and signed a stopper and a good 1B or 3B they might be able to beat the Phillies in the East.

A new stadium will likely spike attendance for a year or two. What will keep the fans coming out is putting a consistent winning team on the field. Not one every five years or so.

 

I don't think anyone disagrees with this.

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship,

 

Did you even read Lou's post where he noted that he hasn't always agreed with Loria's decisions?

 

Show me a post that Lou has bashed Loria.

 

Waiting......

 

I hear crickets.........:whistle

You're new here so I'm going to let this slide that you haven't been reading the board for 4 years, but I think the regulars here would laugh at the notion I am googoo for Loria.

 

When Lou and I used to converse on the Sun-Sentinel website and I said that the Marlins were going to strip the team of anyone making any money after the 2004 season he was shocked and angry at Loria just like the rest of us.

Are you serious ? :blink: You really don't get it. The damage that arbitration hearing cost the Marlins in PR was way more than $ 250,000. And if the revenue was not there last year or the year before when the payroll was $ 35 million, why, pray-tell was the money there this year ? Or was it there all along and Loria wasn't spending it ? You can't have your cake, and neither can Loria, and eat it too. The $ 10 million increase in payroll is coming from somewhere, and another $ 250,000 is little to spend for the avoidance of the bad PR hit Loria, and sadder the Marlins take because Loria is a cheapskate.

 

Is your argument really that the Marlins are losing $250,000+ in ticket sales and/or their brand because they choose to arbitrate Cody Ross? Because I mean, this is clearly as enormous of an event as trading Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, getting a new stadium, and signing Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, and signing their other 9 arbitration eligible players, including Dan Uggla which no one thought would be a Marlin in 2010.

 

You know what changes perception, when they have their own ballpark and a winning team. Payroll isn't even going to matter then because they won't be the cellar dwellers anymore.

 

Does anyone make fun of the Rays anymore? That's what's going to happen with the Marlins. It's going to be overnight.

 

No one makes fun of the Rays because they have about 5 or 6 players who have All-Star HoF potential on their club. The Marlins have 3, maybe. They Rays also took a gamble on Longoria, in his 2nd year and made him a longtime offer. The Marlins only gave Ramirez his contract AFTER Longoria had his. Hanley had already been playing more than a year longer, and it took 18 month extra for the Marlins to do the right thing.

 

And I hope I am wrong, but I believe its more likely that Loria again has to be embarassed into increasing payroll once the stadium is opened. You all act like that is going to be the panacea into solving all of the Marlins problems. Lest I remind you it hasn't been the savior for the Pirates, Rangers or Nats. Neither has the remake of KC's stadium. They are still revenue challenged.

No one is making fun of the Rays because they beat the Red Sox and Yankees and got to the World Series.

 

The Rays also signed Longoria, as NNY said, earlier than any contract that's ever been given out in MLB history. If you want to start arguing baseball contracts, SIGN ME UP. You are telling me the Marlins messed up signing Hanley and getting three reduced free agency years? Sure, maybe if they did this after year 2 they could have saved a few bucks, but that is a BENEFICIAL contract, not an anchor. You are really splitting hairs if you want to argue that.

 

The stadium is going to fix everything, and it's not wishy washy bullcrap. The team will generate more payroll to keep the team together, in arguably what's going to be the best stadium in baseball, and have a killer young team to hook people in right from the start. Also you are ignoring demographs, how now 16 year old kids have always grown up with the Marlins. It takes a generation to build a fan base, and in 10 years the young Miami crowd will all be Marlins fans, instead of transplanted Yankee, Red Sox, Met, and Cub fans retiring in Boynton Beach and just going to see the local team play a game here and there. It's going to be fine. Now Back2008 is right when he says they will need a consistent winner, or people will get bored just like the Heat and Panthers, but that's just south florida. Regardless, even in down years, you'd expect an additional 10-12,000 at the gate versus right now being situated in an emerging residential area.

 

I mean, this is easy. If you build it, they will come.

 

And just adding a little, all I really expect this stadium to do longterm is to bring payroll (ignoring inflation) to around the $65-75 million mark, with peak years +/- $10-15 million when they need that extra piece to contend, or to cut it to rebuild. Which is still "low," but that level of payroll is keeping your core together and not letting Cabrera or Beckett get away. And really, that's all you need to do to maintain your longterm team and not have a 2 year set back like each of those deals did to the franchise. The Ugglas, and Cantus, and Ross', and Caleros, and Nick Johnsons, are nice players, but they are not franchise changing pennant winners. That's how I think the stadium effects us, and I think that is very realistic. Keeping the core.

No Rab and Lou we are looking at reality. Perception is part of reality when you screw all the good you have done, by looking cheap just the one time. Because most people, like Mike & Mike have an agenda, and they started making fun of the Marlins in 2006, when they said on their show that the Marlins were a joke because of the $ 24 million payroll. The Marlins have a PR nightmare, and Loria was prodded into spending more money this year, only with a public reprimand from the MLBPA and the other owners.

 

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship, but many of us are not buying what he is selling, and judging from the crowds the Marlins usually get, neither is the general public. And they are the ones that make the final judgement (by attending or not) whether or not that is fair or not.

 

Yes they have a PR nightmare, but Cody Ross isn't effecting that at all. You don't seem to understand that. It's arbitration. It happens every year with multiple players. WHO CARES!

 

Stadium. Hanley. Johnson. More signings in the future. Winning ball games. These are important things.

 

Going to an arbitration panel with Cody Ross isn't doing anything.

 

More so, you want to bring up current attendance? Who really cares, they are never going to draw in that stadium again because there is to much negativity surrounding it from the past 10 years of the franchise. You know what crowd is going to matter? When every game in 2012 is sold out before opening day.

 

Then in 2013 when attendance falls back to 8-10,000 a game what will you say ?

 

I do understand it, I do get it. For the PR hit the Marlins take today ALL OF THE GOOD in signing Uggla and Johnson was wiped out. Is it fair ? No, but that is because unfairly or not, the Marlins are perceived by the public, and more importantly by the players as cheap and the last place you want to end up.

 

The Marlins and Loria should care, because in the long run, the damage this causes the future is worth a lot more than the $ 250,000 he should have agreed to pay Ross. I mean he ends up paying it anyways, and now has let the media and fans make fun of him. Its just bad business -- it doesn't help your future.

 

Did Mike and Mike talk about on their national show the signing of Uggla ? NO ! Did they talk about how cheap the Marlins are for not giving a player they counted on, will count on this year, a much deserved raise ? No they only talked about the $ 250,000 the Marlins were too cheap to pay. Don't you see how this kind of thing is seen by the players ? Those men who are potential FA's ???? Is losing the right FA and possibly that one link to winning a WS title, worth the bad PR you got for fighting and LOSING an arbitration hearing ? We are not talking about $ 1 million, or $ 3 or 4 million, but $ 250,000.

 

If I can't get you to understand the damage that taking Ross to arbitration today, then I suggest you never get into the restaurant or customer service business. You just don't get it that sometimes you bite the bullet on a small amount of money to stop the bad PR your overall business gets, deserved or undeserved. The Marlins look extremely unattractive to most FA's and this only adds to that.

A new stadium will likely spike attendance for a year or two. What will keep the fans coming out is putting a consistent winning team on the field. Not one every five years or so.

 

I don't think anyone disagrees with this.

 

I do (sort of).

 

What most people fail to consider is this stadium isn't being built for the existing fan base, we are almost an afterthought (perhaps that's an exaggeration). The big problem thought is the economy which is about to get much worse and for an extended period of time.

 

The stadium exists to lure corporate customers that can secure large blocks of seats, boxes and skyboxes for a sustained period of time. The Marlins have been contracturally prohibited from soliciting them since Huizenga sold the franchise. We (the fans) are the frosting on the cake. Then there's all the fans to the south who have effectively been precluded from attending that market research indicates will more than make up for any loss of fannies from the north.

Lol @ a couple of things here.

 

No one will remember in a year about Cody Ross going to arbitration. Obviously we disagree about this, but I am convinced it will have little to no impact on the Marlins reputation locally. I don't really care what a fan in St. Louis thinks about the Marlins. What is key is if we can get local fans buying tickets and merchandise.

 

Free agents are interested in the location of a team. This is fixed.

Free agents are interested in the money they are being offered. This is completely unrelated to the money the Marlins have previously given to other players.

Free agents are interested in competing. The current Marlins team has finished over .500 most years recently and have been in the race at least into August. They may not have the automatic championship-winning appeal of the Red Sox or Yankees, but they have a solid major league squad and a ton of talent in the minors to fill any holes that will emerge.

 

So, the Cody situation should have only a small impact on the important local fans (who are much more aware of the Uggla/Hanley/JJ signings and the stadium progress), and it will have virtually zero impact on the way free agents view the Marlins.

That 250K would have gone right into Loria's pocket!

That 250K would have gone right into Loria's pocket!

 

 

I agree with that observation. He might have bought a new painting with it.

No Rab and Lou we are looking at reality. Perception is part of reality when you screw all the good you have done, by looking cheap just the one time. Because most people, like Mike & Mike have an agenda, and they started making fun of the Marlins in 2006, when they said on their show that the Marlins were a joke because of the $ 24 million payroll. The Marlins have a PR nightmare, and Loria was prodded into spending more money this year, only with a public reprimand from the MLBPA and the other owners.

 

You can continue your unabashed Loria worship, but many of us are not buying what he is selling, and judging from the crowds the Marlins usually get, neither is the general public. And they are the ones that make the final judgement (by attending or not) whether or not that is fair or not.

 

Yes they have a PR nightmare, but Cody Ross isn't effecting that at all. You don't seem to understand that. It's arbitration. It happens every year with multiple players. WHO CARES!

 

Stadium. Hanley. Johnson. More signings in the future. Winning ball games. These are important things.

 

Going to an arbitration panel with Cody Ross isn't doing anything.

 

More so, you want to bring up current attendance? Who really cares, they are never going to draw in that stadium again because there is to much negativity surrounding it from the past 10 years of the franchise. You know what crowd is going to matter? When every game in 2012 is sold out before opening day.

 

Then in 2013 when attendance falls back to 8-10,000 a game what will you say ?

 

I do understand it, I do get it. For the PR hit the Marlins take today ALL OF THE GOOD in signing Uggla and Johnson was wiped out. Is it fair ? No, but that is because unfairly or not, the Marlins are perceived by the public, and more importantly by the players as cheap and the last place you want to end up.

 

The Marlins and Loria should care, because in the long run, the damage this causes the future is worth a lot more than the $ 250,000 he should have agreed to pay Ross. I mean he ends up paying it anyways, and now has let the media and fans make fun of him. Its just bad business -- it doesn't help your future.

 

Did Mike and Mike talk about on their national show the signing of Uggla ? NO ! Did they talk about how cheap the Marlins are for not giving a player they counted on, will count on this year, a much deserved raise ? No they only talked about the $ 250,000 the Marlins were too cheap to pay. Don't you see how this kind of thing is seen by the players ? Those men who are potential FA's ???? Is losing the right FA and possibly that one link to winning a WS title, worth the bad PR you got for fighting and LOSING an arbitration hearing ? We are not talking about $ 1 million, or $ 3 or 4 million, but $ 250,000.

 

If I can't get you to understand the damage that taking Ross to arbitration today, then I suggest you never get into the restaurant or customer service business. You just don't get it that sometimes you bite the bullet on a small amount of money to stop the bad PR your overall business gets, deserved or undeserved. The Marlins look extremely unattractive to most FA's and this only adds to that.

I'll bet you any sum of money average attendance is over 10,000 a game in 2013. I'll bet you a Kidney.

 

You think taking Cody Ross to arbitration WIPED OUT signing Josh Johnson for 4 years, keeping Uggla/Cantu/Nunez/Pinto/Paulino and the rest of them? :;facepalm::

 

I swear, you must be in introduction to public relations in your sophomore year of college. This is such a primitive understanding of how a population of fans works it's frightening. Cody Ross, DOES NOT MATTER, to the perception of this franchise. Retaining their star players like Hanley and Johnson and Uggla, getting a stadium, and becoming a perennially winner is what matters. The damage has already been done. That was the 2005 sell off, Caberea, and the payroll the last few years where we suffered through Abercrombies and Treanors and wouldn't sign a $1 million FA to fix things. Cody Ross, isn't digging your further under. Arbitration is a normal process in the business of baseball. There is nothing unusual about this. There is nothing negative. It just is what it is.

 

When did Mike and Mike become important and the barometer or public opinion? The Marlins aren't hurting their brand by taking Ross to arbitration. They aren't selling less tickets. Nothing is happening here.

 

Lastly, everything Mystikol said. Free agents will care about the money THEY are getting, not what Cody is getting. They will care about THEIR playing time. They will care about the TEAM WINNING and a chance to contend. They will care about the city of Miami and South Beach which has a strong allure. This isn't the team being cheap and getting rid of Cody Ross. This is the team going through the arbitration process, which happens every year. Were the Marlins stupid to take Gregg to arbitration a few years ago. They took him for $125,000 ($700k versus $575k), and they won. This is being smart, not cheap.

 

I mean, you literally across the board are over blowing the significance of what happened today. It's like a news blip not fire and brimstone.

Cody knew he won when the arbitrators starting chanting CO-DY CO-DY CO-DY

A new stadium will likely spike attendance for a year or two. What will keep the fans coming out is putting a consistent winning team on the field. Not one every five years or so.

 

I don't think anyone disagrees with this.

 

I do (sort of).

 

What most people fail to consider is this stadium isn't being built for the existing fan base, we are almost an afterthought (perhaps that's an exaggeration). The big problem thought is the economy which is about to get much worse and for an extended period of time.

 

The stadium exists to lure corporate customers that can secure large blocks of seats, boxes and skyboxes for a sustained period of time. The Marlins have been contracturally prohibited from soliciting them since Huizenga sold the franchise. We (the fans) are the frosting on the cake. Then there's all the fans to the south who have effectively been precluded from attending that market research indicates will more than make up for any loss of fannies from the north.

 

again, where are these corporate customers going to come from ? If you didn't notice, So Fla is practically devoid of large corporations. FPL used to be here but they are in Stuart (or nearby environs now). Knight-Ridder used to be here, but they sold the Herald and then moved to California. You expect Ryder Systems, Burger King and Carnival Cruise Lines to buy them all up ? Who else has an HQ's or top line executives down here ? For your information the Dolphins have NEVER sold out their luxury boxes, even in the good times economy. Its a pipe dream to think that will be the basis our "new payroll" in a couple of years. It will be the same old story, Loria will not spend and the new stadium will have 8-10,000 fans per game by 2013 or 2014.