Considerable uncertainty surrounds Miami’s manager and front office with ten days remaining in the regular season, but one thing about the 2013 Marlins is clear: they’re lowering payroll. The Marlins will likely scale payroll back to the $70-80MM range after spending a franchise-record $95MM in 2012, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports.
The team lost money this season, Spencer writes. Miami moved into its new stadium after spending aggressively on free agents including Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell only to disappoint on the field (66-86 record so far). The Marlins have committed $67.5MM to next year's team, so their financial flexibility will be limited this coming offseason.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez created a stir by saying Jeffrey Loria, the owner of the Marlins and his former boss, is difficult to please, Spencer reports. “There’s not a manager dead or alive that Jeffrey thinks is good enough," Gonzalez said. "Not Connie Mack, not anyone.” Loria called the comments "classless" and characterized Gonzalez's work with the Marlins as a "colossal failure." Loria fired Gonzalez in June of 2010 after he managed the team for four years.
WHO COULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING?!
Ozzie Guillen + Carlos Zambrano who was thrown out of Chicago + an art dealer owner with about as much patience as he has in taste – never could have seen this coming.
The number of people this news surprises should be roughly equal to the number of flying pigs.
Whew!!… I was worried that the Marlins were going to jump the gun and go over the $189MM Payroll threshold in 2013. What a relief!
The Marlins problem starts at the top. Until Loria is gone I don’t see them winning consistently again. It also is rarely the managers fault when a team has constant turnover and lacks the minor league depth to fill the holes.
So who’s going to use that new stadium when the Marlins get contracted in less than a decade?
I can only hope…
The Marlins are stuck in Miami. Tampa on the other hand is free to move. Montreal seems to be the best option since the team remains on the east coast, moves to a larger market who had a team before, and is already winning which forgoes the normal five years of sucking that happens when teams move.
Montreal is unlikely, considering how dismal their turnouts were compared to Miami or Tampa. I would think that Charlotte or Raleigh would be more feasible destinations.
As for contraction, Tampa is more deserving of contraction. They’ve won nothing in their history, Miami has two World Championship banners.
The New York Baseball Giants had championships and they moved. Having a championship in the books shouldn’t preclude a team from moving if it’s clear the city doesn’t really care about the team.
Trying to think outside the box, what would Canadian cities like Calgary or Vancouver think about MLB? Are those hockey-only territories?
Calgary is way too cold and doesn’t have the population to support a team. Vancouver similar to Seattle geographically, but probably doesn’t have the population or the interest for many years to come. They’ve supported triple-A and currently have a single-A minor league affiliate team there (of the Blue Jays).
Miami is a much bigger city so the marlins should stay there. Tampa could move, although I think they would also be more successful also if they move over to the east. They are currently on a peninsula that is difficult for people to get to from tampa. Miami is currently drawing 18th in baseball, a shame for a new park, but if they had a winning team then would improve.
Any team that has Loria as an owner should be at the top of any contraction list. I am convinced that Loria has incriminating pictures of Bud Selig otherwise, why would Selig keep giving sweetheart deals and money to this carpetbagger? We can only hope that when Selig finally steps down as MLB Commissioner that the days of Loria as an MLB are numbered.
I believe the Rays are legally bound to Tampa for a number years still because of the stadium lease deal.
The Rays problem is “Tampa” they don’t play in TAMPA, they play in St.Pete… they would draw better if they had a new stadium in TAMPA.. most people don’t realize that. location, location, location.
Exactly, Just go look at the map of the area, St Pete is a nightmare to get to. Put the Team over in Tampa like the Bucaneers and people from the mainland can easily get there, and it would actually be possible to get there at night from lakeland, and for weekend games you would definetely get a significant draw from Orlando. ST Pete is about as far west as you can go, and is not easy to get to for most in the area. Probably at least a million more people can get there on a typical night.
Finding the stadium after the interstate ends was my hardest problem when going to watch Rays play Boston. May be a little longer, but the road takes you right there for the most part. The problem I think is people just don’t care. Having a team is a luxury for them
Finding the stadium after the interstate ends was my hardest problem when going to watch Rays play Boston. May be a little longer, but the road takes you right there for the most part. The problem I think is people just don’t care. Having a team is a luxury for them
You’re correct. My Bad. I was there three years ago, should have said ‘The Trop’, instead.
Monreal’s attendance was terrible though. Their last year they drew less than 10,000 a game. Most teams that have below 20,000 have big problems, 25,000 still is still below all but like 5 teams.
Guess,who the owners were and from whom they acquired the team.
I still don’t think the team is doomed in Miami. No point moving for the sake of moving if your already in best location.
I think you’ve posted mistakenly to me. I’ve not advocated the Marlins move, though I would welcome the Rays leaving Tampa. Bad stadium or not, they deserve much better support for the product they’ve put on the field the past few years.
Yeah its sad watching the Rays play at home even when they are making a run at the playoffs no one shows up to watch.
In case nobody gets what slopeboy said: it was Loria
“Tampa on the other hand is free to move”
Rays have a Iron Clad lease with the DumpsterDome and City of St Petersburg thru mid point of the next decade.. That is why every locale for moving the Rays to locally has been focused on the “wrong” side of the Bay so far, or at least the far west side of Tampa.
They are *not* free to move, unless St. petersburg signs off, or they decide to move an awful long ways away and even then they are going to get sued for that ridiculous 30+ year lease they 1st signed when the team 1st came about.
Step 1: Lock Loria in a closet
Step 2: Move team outside of the state of Florida
Step 3: Leave Loria locked in the closet so he can’t ever buy a MLB team ever again.
No way that happens. Miami is the center of the 4th largest urban area in the US. Is a signifcant population that will go to the team, they just need to build the team correctly.
I’m not arguing that the Marlins aren’t going anywhere, but your numbers are quite a bit off. Miami’s metropolitan area easily trails New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC in terms of population for the team to draw on. That’s got Miami holding down the #8 spot at best. But you’re right about the team not moving — not gonna happen anytime in the next decade or two.
miami is 8th in metro, 4th in urban. Some metro areas can get quite big (ex: Houston’s is bigger than Connecticut) and can’t expect to draw fans from anywhere but the central core area on a normal weekday. South Florida is pretty dense, and thus more fans are within commuting distance.
Baseball has a pretty big following in the caribean, so I really would not be surprised if the team became a perenial contender that they would really take off. I also think that there is too much potential there to move, that with the current situation there isn’t going to be anywhere better. San Antonio, Portland, Charlotte aren’t going to be any better with Loria still at the Helm.
I’m thinking that those who commute from the outer parts of H-town would differ. They are used to driving. In texas if you don’t have to drive more than 30miles it’s close. 45-60min for a game is easily doable.
Who do we blame? Loria for acting like Loria or the MLB owners for approving Loria – when they won’t approve of would-be owners like Mark Cuban.
@Murderer’s Row Boat
Do you think that Yunel Escobar would come to his rescue and help him come out of that closet?
I’ll take Jose Reyes in exchange for a kid’s meal from Citi Field.
The kid’s meal comes with a hot dog, juice box and bag of popcorn.
I would have done it if it had a toy surprise.
It does come with a toy.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez created a stir by saying Jeffrey Loria, the owner of the Marlins and his former boss, is difficult to please, Spencer reports. “There’s not a manager dead or alive that Jeffrey thinks is good enough,” Gonzalez said. “Not Connie Mack, not anyone.” Loria called the comments “classless” and characterized Gonzalez’s work with the Marlins as a “colossal failure.” Loria fired Gonzalez in June of 2010 after he managed the team for four years.
The problem with Loria saying this is that the Braves are going to make the playoffs this year. Plus, the fact that Loria fired Gonzalez after he just beaten the Orioles in Baltimore a little over two years ago. I wonder how many managers have been fired after a win and hovering around .500. Anyway the Marlins loss was the Braves gain because they got a pretty good manager. The Orioles also gained because we got an excellent hitting coach in Jim Presley!
“I wonder how many managers have been fired after a win and hovering around .500”
That’s nothing. Loria fired Girardi after he won manager of the year because Girardi told Loria to “pipe down” when he was yelling at an umpire, and was contemplating firing him on the spot. Loria is a knock off Steinbrenner (firing people like it’s a bodily function), but cares more about himself and artwork before baseball and a fan base. He is everything you don’t want in an owner…
Even if Loria is right about Freddi Gonzalez–just for the sake of argument–let us not forget how Gonzalez got the job: He replaced Joe Girardi, who had just managed a Marlins team with a payroll of $14 million (you read that right) to a 78-84 record and wildcard contention for most of the year. He also won Manager of the Year. Joe Girardi, of course, was exiled from baseball for his terrible performance as… oh wait, no, he moved on to manage the Yankees and do a pretty nice job of it.
If that isn’t pretty strong evidence for “there’s not a manager dead or alive that Jeffrey thinks is good enough,” I don’t know what is. And what was Joe Girardi’s big sin? He told Loria to be quiet when he was heckling an umpire from the stands, after the umpire talked to him about it.
Back to Gonzalez for a moment. I’m not going to debate whether or not he was a good manager, but I will simply say this: The Marlins went 71-91 ($30MM), 84-77 ($21MM), and 87-75 ($36MM) in his three full seasons as manager (payrolls in parenthesis). I don’t consider that a “colossal failure” to anybody who isn’t being delusional.
Yep, and don’t forget that all the teams the braves played in Bobby Cox’s final year, save one team…gave Cox gifts on the braves last trips to their town. Guess which classless owner didn’t? Yep, Loria.
he was fired for benching hanely for not hustling. thats my story and will stick to it. it was hanely or fredi now both are gone so guess maybe the problem was always lorias
Thanks for the insight. Definitely adds to the article.
Charlatans.
I know Selig doesnt have the balls to do it, but Loria needs to be removed as owner of the Marlins. The team still has a chance to be a successful franchise, but if Loria keeps running it, it will be beyond repair by the time he sells. I can only weep for Marlins fans.
No need to weep for Marlins fans because they don’t exist…
Selig has the balls to remove McCourt, so I could see this…
Trading away Miguel Cabrera is the worst trade of the century. However I think more hard nosed in your face owners is what we need. Hopefully Jeffrey will learn from his past mistakes and as a distant cousin he may ask for my advice any time. Do not fire Ozzie though. Give him one more year.
learn from his past mistakes? You must be related to Jeffrey. Either way, the first off-season move he needs to make, is to get rid of that ridiculous monstrosity known as a “sculpture” in center-field. It looks like someone threw up.
I mean he got the best the Tigers’ had in terms of prospects, jokes on him though our prospects arent good! Muwhahahahahaha…
Yes Maybin has come into his own in the last few years, after loria got rid of him.
who thinks Jefferey Loria is the worst owner in professional sports? In addition, by all accounts he seems to be a disgusting human being.
and the Marlins were going to sign Albert Pujols. Bahahhaaa
“who thinks Jefferey Loria is the worst owner in professional sports?”
I think Mets fans disagree.
Bengals fans might as well.
The Mets’ problems were more financial than personnel-related.
Cubs fans too.
If you’re referring to the Ricketts family, I have no issue with them. Tribune was pretty bad though.
And Clippers fans, however I personally think Loria is the most damaging owner in baseballl history. Yes I know that is a strong statement.
Alright, I’m just gonna throw out a statistic that I made up but hypothetically isn’t Loria the owner of one of the most successful teams in MLB? They were established in 1993. They have 2 championships in 19 seasons. That is a championship every 9.5 years. Someone else can fact check me but I am willing to bet that is the best championship rate other than the Yankees. That would make the Marlins the second most efficiently successful team in all of MLB. I’m not a Loria or a Marlins fan, just figured I would see if I could blow some minds
Hold on…Loria took over the team in 2002. Every success that came before then goes to the credit of Wayne Huizenga who started the franchise back in ’93. Also remember what did Loria right after the ’03 championship — he flipped high priced players to save money. This guy is a friggin’ joke as an owner and embarrasses himself every time he speaks about his club or the game itself.
Totally Correct. And I understand all of the reasons why you all say the franchise isnt moving. However I wouldnt be so sure. Search the internet for an ESPN article written by Chris Jones titled “Fish Story”…It’s a good one
Mind not blown
We have heard more stories about Loria/ Marlins GM and manager than about anyone on the team! Mike Stanton is a monster! Ruggiano has come out of nowhere. Brantley might be a major league catcher right now. Gorky’s has started to come alive and may be manning centerfield for the next good Marlins team. Buehrle is going over 200 again and showing no signs of stopping. All of the sudden turner has a 5:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Leblanc looks like an answer in that back of the rotation. Yet all we hear about is Loria! I’m not blaming anyone for talking about him because that’s exactly what Loria wants. He manipulated a bunch of politicians in to handing out the people of Florida’s money. He had no intention to make good on putting out a contender. Loria simply does not care! Owning a baseball team is just a status symbol for him.The guy has made millions off selling overpriced junk that rich people get to waste their money on. The sad thing is how many people that there were that would argue with so much passion that tax payers needed to help build this team a stadium. Hopefully he just sells the team in the next two or three years. I just don’t want to see his stupid face around the game anymore.
Hey, if Loria’s losing money, it’s the perfect reason to sell!
Seriously, Fredi has the right of it. If Loria was waiting all these years to acquire Ozzie, then fires him after one year, no manager will want to go there. The Marlins have had 4 managers in the past three years… that kind of turn around is not good for a team.
If any MLB team loses money, with the money they get from the networks and their own broadcast rights, they have no one to blame but themselves.
Guess Josh Hamilton won’t be taking his talents to South Beach….
Guess what, Loria? Your callous reaction to Fredi Gonzalez’ comments just proved him right about you. They are doing some great things in Public Relations these days, you really should follow Ashton Kutcher and hire someone to edit your comments before they become public.
Gonzalez may be right about Loria, but he has no reason to talk – he is a terrible manager.
Look, as a Cubs fan I would love to have an owner who brought us two WS titles. I don’t care what the ramifications were.