National League East teams averaged 84 wins last year, more than any division in baseball except the AL East. Here are some links from Florida, where NL East teams are preparing for the 2012 campaign…
- Bill Ladson of MLB.com hears from one person who believes the Nationals will trade John Lannan before Opening Day. The Nationals might seek prospects for Lannan, a Spring Training trade candidate.
- Marlins president David Samson recently said Miami's politicians are "not the intellectual cream of the crop," according to the business publication Miami Today. Samson suggested the population of Miami, which partially funded the Marlins' new stadium, is unintelligent. "We're not the smartest people in Miami," he said. His words are causing a stir, but he told the Miami Herald that he was "misquoted, misrepresented, mis-everything." UPDATE: Here's a clip of the comments. To my ear it does appear they were taken out of context.
- Samson also said Jose Reyes was all about the money this offseason, but Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports that Reyes would have considered a deal worth less than $106MM from the Mets and was shocked when New York didn't make him an offer. Reyes would have seriously considered a five-year deal if the Mets had offered one, Martino reports.
- Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com asked three agents what Cole Hamels would obtain as a free agent after the season and heard guesses in the $150-175MM range. C.C. Sabathia’s seven-year, $161MM deal remains the record for pitchers, but Hamels could challenge it if he hits free agency after 2012.
Did Jon Heyman really have to ask three agents to find out he could challenge CC Sabathia?
Ultimately, I doubt he’ll do much better than Johan Santana, but the prospects of a huge deal are there.
Insulting the people who partially helped fund your new stadium seems pretty smart
Unfortunately, it’s not like the city can force them to take it down if they upset the status quo.
The check already cleared. It’s not like he cares anymore.
Public Relations: You’re doing it wrong.
The Mets couldn’t afford Reyes even with a home town discount. The team is broke.
Fred Wilpon is the problem.
Isn’t saying a politician is not the “intellectual cream of the crop” a tad redundant?
Nice. Quite true.
True, but it’s bad form to gloat when you get over on someone.
Ok… which part forced my last post to wait for approval? The fact that I was quoting the article or my less than subtle way of saying politicians are not the sharpest tools in the shed?
I think it was the word politician. It’s a dirty dirty word.
Seriously though, I love those quotes from Samson. It was a completely ridiculous thing for him to say in such a public forum (especially the “We’re not the smartest people in Miami” part), and it’s certainly not going to win over any fans, but I find it hilarious.
yea i have found you have to put everything very very very gentle or it wont post, or banned.
the mets coudn’t afford reyes for 1 yr. 1 million
Not even remotely close with that mark.
Regarding Samson’s comments, he’s probably correct. The people of Miami were unintelligent enough to dig into their own pockets to pay for a private pleasure palace, at the cost of basic services like schools, road, sanitation and cops. Let’s hope the people of the rest of the country are smarter the next time MLB comes to them palms-up.
The thing about mlb stadiums is that they bring revenues into the central city. Many people in the suburbs will choose not to come into the city, but if there is a game they will come in, and spend possibly on food, hotels, bars, shopping, parking. This all brings in revenue for the city because more demand for products = more businesses = more taxes. A responsible city will determine this efficient point between helping the businesses and overfunding a stadium. But completely funding a stadium, I dont need my econ degree to tell me they are not the brightest bulbs.
I largely agree with this-obviously there can be some synergies, including improving infrastructure and even the neighborhood. Camden Yards was a good example at the time it was built. The problem comes in when the pols lose sight of the end goal. When you start talking about close to a billion dollars in free public money, with tax increases to pay for debt, and the increased costs of maintaining the area (everything from roads to police) you need to generate an enormous amount of revenue. I guess I look at it differently-if the government wanted to pay for my office rent, storage, and furniture, I’d be a lot more profitable, and maybe I spend more with local vendors, buy more equipment, etc. As much as I like that idea, I’m not sure it’s fair to the rest of the taxpayers
Regarding Miami: Does anyone have any info or local news links about the supposed lawsuit of Miami citizens vs the Marlins concerning the stadium financing?
You would think the Nats would hold on to Lannan, at least until the trade deadline if they’re not contending. For a team that everyone says might compete this season, trading one of their starting pitchers for prospects doesn’t send the message that they’re competing this year, especially when that pitcher is a lefty who is valuable in a division with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.
Wow, didn’t Samson step in it. I’ve always wondered if Samson has something on Loria or if he’s Loria’s secret son or whatever, since Samson is definitely not smart enough himself to be president of any company, much less comment on anyone else’s intelligence (or lack thereof). Although you have to wonder, given the financial numbers that came out about the Marlins a while ago and the fact that taxpayer money was spent on Marlins Park (and that Loria can sell the team without penalty after only three seasons at Marlins Park), whether Miami’s politicians really aren’t all that bright, or how much Samson paid them off…
It’s no secret. Samson is Loria’s son-in-law.
The Marlins are going to be fun to watch this year. I’m not a fan of theirs but I’ll be watching them on MLB TV and reading the Miami paper. You have a new stadium, a new meglomaniac manager, a ton of talented FAs with egos as big as Montana, and a front office with big mouths.
Yep…this is going to be a blast.