Post by Fish Troll on Feb 15, 2007 23:23:09 GMT -5
FLORIDA SPORTS BUZZ
Expect Marlins' payroll to stay low BY BARRY JACKSON
bjackson@MiamiHerald.com
The Marlins and Miami-Dade County officials remain optimistic about completing a deal for a nearly $500 million stadium, though key steps remain -- including commission approval and the state allocating funds. (Neither is guaranteed.) But even if the stadium materializes, the payroll will remain low during construction years, president David Samson revealed Tuesday.
''It would not go up at all during construction,'' he said. ``Our contribution is so large, and we're responsible for overruns.''
If a stadium deal happens soon, the ballpark would open no earlier than 2011. ( Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis will be free agents after 2009.) When a new stadium opens, the Marlins would have an ''average major-league payroll'' if ''the demand for seats is what we hope it will be downtown,'' Samson said. Without a new stadium deal, payroll obviously would remain low.
Florida's 2006 big-league payroll was $18.7 million -- by far MLB's lowest -- and will end up around $25 million this season.
It's not unusual for teams to wait until a stadium opens before boosting payroll dramatically. ''We will only spend what our revenues are,'' Samson said. `` Jeffrey Loria will not lose another dollar operating this team. He won't take money out [either].''
The Marlins were stunned this winter when teams doled out obscene money to non-elite players. (Two examples: Reliever Danys Baez -- whom Florida pursued -- getting three years, $19 million from Baltimore, and Kansas City giving five years, $55 million to Gil Meche).
''It's the desperate ploy of certain teams to do what they believe they have to do to win, and at the end of the year, they'll all be proven wrong because only one team can win the World Series,'' Samson said, without specifying teams. ``The majority of teams waste their money on players who they dream will help them win.''
• Samson said a stadium deal is not imminent but ''anticipated,'' noting there has been ''the type of progress that generally ends in completed deals.'' The most likely site is downtown Miami just north of Northwest Third Street because ''the county and city were able to control that site far easier than the'' others. Hialeah has not been eliminated, but the Miami Arena site was deemed ``not feasible.''
Samson said getting state money ($60 million from a sales tax rebate) remains ''critical.'' The Marlins, who have increased their contribution above $210 million, appear to have a decent chance after five failed attempts in Tallahassee.
Expect Marlins' payroll to stay low BY BARRY JACKSON
bjackson@MiamiHerald.com
The Marlins and Miami-Dade County officials remain optimistic about completing a deal for a nearly $500 million stadium, though key steps remain -- including commission approval and the state allocating funds. (Neither is guaranteed.) But even if the stadium materializes, the payroll will remain low during construction years, president David Samson revealed Tuesday.
''It would not go up at all during construction,'' he said. ``Our contribution is so large, and we're responsible for overruns.''
If a stadium deal happens soon, the ballpark would open no earlier than 2011. ( Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis will be free agents after 2009.) When a new stadium opens, the Marlins would have an ''average major-league payroll'' if ''the demand for seats is what we hope it will be downtown,'' Samson said. Without a new stadium deal, payroll obviously would remain low.
Florida's 2006 big-league payroll was $18.7 million -- by far MLB's lowest -- and will end up around $25 million this season.
It's not unusual for teams to wait until a stadium opens before boosting payroll dramatically. ''We will only spend what our revenues are,'' Samson said. `` Jeffrey Loria will not lose another dollar operating this team. He won't take money out [either].''
The Marlins were stunned this winter when teams doled out obscene money to non-elite players. (Two examples: Reliever Danys Baez -- whom Florida pursued -- getting three years, $19 million from Baltimore, and Kansas City giving five years, $55 million to Gil Meche).
''It's the desperate ploy of certain teams to do what they believe they have to do to win, and at the end of the year, they'll all be proven wrong because only one team can win the World Series,'' Samson said, without specifying teams. ``The majority of teams waste their money on players who they dream will help them win.''
• Samson said a stadium deal is not imminent but ''anticipated,'' noting there has been ''the type of progress that generally ends in completed deals.'' The most likely site is downtown Miami just north of Northwest Third Street because ''the county and city were able to control that site far easier than the'' others. Hialeah has not been eliminated, but the Miami Arena site was deemed ``not feasible.''
Samson said getting state money ($60 million from a sales tax rebate) remains ''critical.'' The Marlins, who have increased their contribution above $210 million, appear to have a decent chance after five failed attempts in Tallahassee.
Is it me or everytime something bad happen to the Marlins, Samson always laugh at the news. He love making the Cabrera issue seem worse at it is and seem to be enjoying the payroll issue and always bash the fans everytime he has a chance. Samson is a big reason why the Marlins fan base is always low, always putting us down.
