http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball...9p-138697c.html

 

The reason Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez hasn't accepted the Tigers' reported four-year, $40 million offer yet is because it isn't a four-year, $40 million offer. According to sources with knowledge of the negotiations between the Tigers and Rodriguez' rep, Scott (Avenging Agent) Boras, Detroit's offer is more in line with the Orioles' final offer before closing shop - three years, $25-$27 million. The reason neither side is denying the four-year, $40 million deal is because it's in both of their best interests to keep it out there. Though Boras made a counter-offer to the Tigers Friday in an attempt to get them up to $10 million per year, the betting now is Rodriguez will wind up re-signing with the Marlins - Boras rejected three years, $28 million from them - and join the team on May 1 at a discount... Speaking of the Marlins, baseball ought to be alarmed at their inability to sell even 5,000 season tickets so far. Even the Brewers and Expos have sold more. Marlins ownership has done a commendable job this off-season, retaining most of the key players of their world championship club in the face of the uncertain stadium situation there... After Pudge and Boras' other future Hall of Fame client, Greg Maddux, the free agent market is just about depleted of marquee names. Most interesting name among the still-unsigned is Fred McGriff, whose Hall of Fame hopes are at stake. The 40-year-old McGriff needs three home runs to pass Lou Gehrig on the all-time list and nine to become the 20th member of the 500 club... With the hullabaloo over the Nets going to Brooklyn, rekindling the Walter O'Malley bashing and all this eternal wrenching over the Dodgers' flight from the borough in 1957, it might be interesting to a new generation of baseball fans to know the Dodgers barely drew a million fans in their 1955 championship season. Moreover, in the 10th game of their record 10-game winning streak to start that season, they beat Robin Roberts and the Phillies - before a crowd of 3,874 at Ebbets Field. We can only assume those are the same people Sen. Chuck Schumer wailed about wandering around Brooklyn "with holes in his or her hearts" for 46 years.

The Marlins offered Pudge 3 years at $28 million? I thought it was 2 years and $16 million with a vesting option for a third year to make the total a possible 3 years, $24 million.

 

Personally I wouldn't believe any of this, especially if they got the Marlins offer wrong. It's all just rumors and conjecture. For every article you can find that says Pudge is probably coming back, I can probably find one that says he's most likely not. The difference is my articles has quotes from actual front office people, like Admin Beinfest.

 

The 5,000 season ticket part of the story was obviously influenced by LeBatard's article on Friday.

Could Pudge sign a contract with the Marlins now and than join the team and start playing on May 1.

 

Or does he have to wait until May 1, to sign the contract and than start playing.

 

If it's the latter, will we know he's going to wait it out and sign in May with us beforehand? or will we continue to not know.

The Marlins offered Pudge 3 years at $28 million? I thought it was 2 years and $16 million with a vesting option for a third year to make the total a possible 3 years, $24 million.

 

Personally I wouldn't believe any of this, especially if they got the Marlins offer wrong. It's all just rumors and conjecture. For every article you can find that says Pudge is probably coming back, I can probably find one that says he's most likely not. The difference is my articles has quotes from actual front office people, like Admin Beinfest.

 

The 5,000 season ticket part of the story was obviously influenced by LeBatard's article on Friday.

I agree that this article is total speculation. I hate to admit that LeRetard actually influenced other writers to take his info as fact. I think it is clear that LeRetard is using the information to his own advantage and that it is not entirely accurate. I also find it hard to believe that the Expos have more season tix sales than us because - where the hell is their season played at? Apples and Oranges...

 

I wish the speculation about Fudge coming back would stop. It is interesting to note his reactions after the White House meeting...but Boras convinced Fudge he was worth more than he was going to get. I dont see them coming crawling back because it would be bad business.

I wish the speculation about Fudge coming back would stop. It is interesting to note his reactions after the White House meeting...but Boras convinced Fudge he was worth more than he was going to get. I dont see them coming crawling back because it would be bad business.

 

There is no way Pudge is in a Marlins jersey in 2004. You think he'll show how stupid he was and come back on May 1.

I'm up here in NY, and I have to say, when it comes to sports, the Daily News is either horrible or fantastic. There are times that it breaks a story sometimes 2 days in advance, like the recent Jagr trade to the Rangers, or there are times that it tries to get a scoop, and beat the other papers (ARod, Glavine to Philly last year, etc.). However, in this case, I don't think it's too far from the truth because New York teams have no need/interest in Pudge, and by both sides maintaining the $40 mil front it's helpful because the Tigers scare any other team away from making an offer because those teams think they can't beat the alleged offer, and Boras is able to drive up Pudge's price by having this offer "on the table."

 

I'm not sure what to make of these reports, but where there's smoke there's usually fire, and too many places are running with the Pudge back to the Marlins story for there not to be some truth to it.

Could Pudge sign a contract with the Marlins now and than join the team and start playing on May 1.

 

Or does he have to wait until May 1, to sign the contract and than start playing.

 

If it's the latter, will we know he's going to wait it out and sign in May with us beforehand? or will we continue to not know.

No, we can't talk to him until after May 1st.

Could Pudge sign a contract with the Marlins now and than join the team and start playing on May 1.

 

Or does he have to wait until May 1, to sign the contract and than start playing.

 

If it's the latter, will we know he's going to wait it out and sign in May with us beforehand? or will we continue to not know.

No, we can't talk to him until after May 1st. True, we can't talk to him until after May 1.

 

But then again, I wonder what Loria, Samson, and Beinfest might have said to Pudge during the long flight to Washington and back on their private jet? :whistle

 

Aw heck, I'm sure they were just chatting about local events. Small talk, that's all.

has anyone considered that the person spreading these "Marlins offer to Pudge is still on the table" rumor is.....Scott Boras? much like when Baltimore was wooing Vlad, as long as the Tigers are confident that they are the only bidders for Pudge, Boras has no leverage, and there is no motivation for the Tigers to offer Pudge anything more than Baltimore or Florida did. And since Boras can't manufacture another bid from the Dodgers, he is simply pretending that one of the only other bids for Pudge - the Marlins bid - is still on the table. Essentially, this "story" allows Boras to tell the Tigers "look, don't just offer us what the Marlins offered us, b/c that deal is still on the table, and if you don't make a better one, we'll just take that offer instead and play for a winner."

FYI...when they say that the Marlins haven't sold 5,000 season tickets yet, it means FULL season....that means if you purchase a 20-game package, it would take 4 20-game packages to make 1 "season" ticket.

FYI...when they say that the Marlins haven't sold 5,000 season tickets yet, it means FULL season....that means if you purchase a 20-game package, it would take 4 20-game packages to make 1 "season" ticket.

That is good info. Thanx.

5000 is still an awful small number for a metropolis like Miami and with a World Series champion at this point in the year.

5000 is still an awful small number for a metropolis like Miami and with a World Series champion at this point in the year.

Eh, it is a laid back town. People would probably much rather go to games whenever they want than on a schedual, which is why we always have such big walk-up crowds.

not necessarily...

 

20,000 20-game packages= 5,000 season tickets.

laid back city or not....

 

 

its still a low number.

and that still averages to 5000 fans a night you are guaranteed.

it's much better than the 2,000 we had last season.

thats obvious.

 

 

i guess its like...at least our fanbase is growing....

 

 

 

its still a concern.

Well, think of it this way: In 2003, our attendance increased 50% from 2002. In 2004, it's looking to increase another 5,000 per game.

FYI...when they say that the Marlins haven't sold 5,000 season tickets yet, it means FULL season....that means if you purchase a 20-game package, it would take 4 20-game packages to make 1 "season" ticket.

My 41 plan + marlingirl's 41 game plan = one season ticket

 

Funny, the thing the Marlins sent me said I was a season ticket holder.

I hope we don't sign pudge,i mean damn how many years is ramon gonna stay like an old rotten dummy,f*** pudge,it's ramon's turn!and if we get pudge we should trade him for something,lol.

If Castro is doing well come May 1st, no way in hell we will or should sign Pudge. But if Ramon is struggling...

Everyone with a package is a season ticket holder- the only difference is how many games they have tickets to.

 

Season Tix holders are measured by those who have 81 games in their package.

Ramon's Defense

Ramon's Defense >>, not at all.