Author Topic: It Just Hit Me (Read 970 times)

BBQ · « **Topic Start:** July 24, 2009, 12:48:38 AM »

I was sitting in my living room watching highlights of Mark Buerhle's perfect game, on ESPN, when I concluded/realized something. Baseball is just unfair. Why is it that whichever team has the richest owner seems to have the best team? It eliminates fairness and fun from the game. Every year you know that the Yankees will be contenders. Teams like us who draft high will just lose our top picks after 6 years of service, because we don't have the money to bid against the Yank's. Baseball must install a salary cap, just to save the game. Baseball is one of the only sports where teams can suck for more than a decade at once (Pirates) Also the only sport where teams can be successful for more than a decade at a time (Yankees) I just don't get the sports financial side. Thought? Opinions?

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #1:** July 24, 2009, 02:02:55 AM »

Let me ask you this question. Do you know who the wealthiest owner in baseball is? (Hint, he's not the owner of a team in the AL East, he's the owner a perennial good, but not great team). And as of a year ago, only one of the top five wealthiest owners in baseball was from one of the team's that call themselves a big budget team.

That being said, I think I'd prefer a tougher luxury tax before I'd prefer a salary cap, at least on my initial thinking of the matter. I haven't really given it much deep thought lately.

And yes, much like life, baseball isn't fair. But still, it's an input-output scenario. If you put good people in positions for success, manage well, and don't take shortcuts, your chances of success will be much higher for the long term, but not guaranteed.

CALSGR8 · « **Reply #2:** July 24, 2009, 04:10:34 AM »

Tell that to the owner of the Rays!

Money doesn't always = Winning.

Speaking of which, aren't the people who just bought the Cubs going bankrupt or something!

tomterp · « **Reply #3:** July 24, 2009, 08:12:25 AM »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on July 24, 2009, 02:02:55 AM

Let me ask you this question. Do you know who the wealthiest owner in baseball is?

I thought the Lerners were considered to be the richest owners in baseball.

DCFan · « **Reply #4:** July 24, 2009, 08:15:29 AM »

Quote from: CALSGR8 on July 24, 2009, 04:10:34 AM

Speaking of which, aren't the people who just bought the Cubs going bankrupt or something!

The seller of the Cubs is going bankrupt not the buyer.

DCFan · « **Reply #5:** July 24, 2009, 08:16:03 AM »

Quote from: tomterp on July 24, 2009, 08:12:25 AM

I thought the Lerners were considered to be the richest owners in baseball.

Yes.

tomterp · « **Reply #6:** July 24, 2009, 08:16:19 AM »

Quote from: DCFan on July 24, 2009, 08:15:29 AM

The seller of the Cubs is going bankrupt not the buyer.

Sam Zell.

DCFan · « **Reply #7:** July 24, 2009, 08:17:03 AM »

Quote from: tomterp on July 24, 2009, 08:16:19 AM

Sam Zell.

Correct.

tomterp · « **Reply #8:** July 24, 2009, 08:18:57 AM »

One of the last things Sam spent money on was my severance.

DCFan · « **Reply #9:** July 24, 2009, 08:21:16 AM »

Quote from: tomterp on July 24, 2009, 08:18:57 AM

One of the last things Sam spent money on was my severance.

And the check cleared?

PANatsFan · « **Reply #10:** July 24, 2009, 08:41:17 AM »

Quote from: tomterp on July 24, 2009, 08:18:57 AM

One of the last things Sam spent money on was my severance.

He's a Zell of a guy

spidernat · « **Reply #11:** July 24, 2009, 08:51:00 AM »

Quote from: tomterp on July 24, 2009, 08:12:25 AM

I thought the Lerners were considered to be the richest owners in baseball.

The Lerners are either the richest or second richest owners in baseball (Houston's owner may be the top dog though or is it the other way around?).

PANatsFan · « **Reply #12:** July 24, 2009, 08:59:03 AM »

Steinbrenner?

blue911 · « **Reply #13:** July 24, 2009, 09:08:23 AM »

Quote from: PANatsFan on July 24, 2009, 08:59:03 AM

Steinbrenner?

Not even close.

Minty Fresh · « **Reply #14:** July 24, 2009, 09:14:40 AM »

Quote from: PANatsFan on July 24, 2009, 08:59:03 AM

Steinbrenner?

His team is worth the most, but in terms of his value, not even close.

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #15:** July 24, 2009, 09:41:01 AM »

the Twins owner, Carl Pohlad was considered the wealthiest owner in baseball for a long, long time. I haven't seen an updated list in a while, but as of March 2008, he was still atop it according to Forbes.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #16:** July 24, 2009, 09:41:15 AM »

It used to be Griffith up in Minnesota, I think. I thought the sold the team?

(edit - I knew MN but it was Polahd I was thinkign about).

PANatsFan · « **Reply #17:** July 24, 2009, 09:49:23 AM »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on July 24, 2009, 09:41:15 AM

It used to be Griffith up in Minnesota, I think. I thought the sold the team?

(edit - I knew MN but it was Polahd I was thinkign about).

The original Griffith was in no way rich.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #18:** July 24, 2009, 09:49:52 AM »

I think wealth of the owner outside baseball actually has little correlation to the amount a team spends. I think publicly-held corporate owners tend to spend less due to the need to file quarterly reports. What are Glass and Loria's assets vs. Arte Moreno or McCourt?

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #19:** July 24, 2009, 10:02:55 AM »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on July 24, 2009, 09:41:01 AM

the Twins owner, Carl Pohlad was considered the wealthiest owner in baseball for a long, long time. I haven't seen an updated list in a while, but as of March 2008, he was still atop it according to Forbes.

Pohlad actually died in January. So he's off the list, but Forbes published their list of billionaire owners, and I don't know if this is exhaustive or not, but our very own Ted Lerner topped the list and now that Zell has sold the Cubs, Lerner's significantly ahead of anyone else in the game. So, there really should be no excuse when it comes to money...

http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/22/baseball-billionaires-baseball-values-09-business-billionaires-wealth_slide_2.html

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #20:** July 24, 2009, 10:06:21 AM »

Quote from: DPMOmaha on July 24, 2009, 10:02:55 AM

Pohlad actually died in January. So he's off the list, but Forbes published their list of billionaire owners, and I don't know if this is exhaustive or not, but our very own Ted Lerner topped the list and now that Zell has sold the Cubs, Lerner's significantly ahead of anyone else in the game. So, there really should be no excuse when it comes to money...

http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/22/baseball-billionaires-baseball-values-09-business-billionaires-wealth_slide_2.html

I don't think that just because a guy owns a team he should be required to sink his whole net worth into it. I would, however, expect league average.

DPMOmaha · « **Reply #21:** July 24, 2009, 10:14:53 AM »

I don't either, but the excuse that he doesn't have the money, isn't a valid one either. It's entirely up to the owner whether or not they will invest in the team, and then if they do, do they invest wisely.

spidernat · « **Reply #22:** July 24, 2009, 02:58:04 PM »

Lerner being atop the list ruins BBQ's epiphany that inspired this thread.