Baseball Thread...

[Jaimoe]

There should be a salary cap. End of story.

There should be a HARD salary cap... and that would be the end of the story. Of course we'd all still hate the Yankees.

[Ruckus]

I am for a salary cap in baseball but that is up to the owners and without getting into complex economics, they believe this current set up maximizes potential profit for all owners at the expense of fans in certain markets.  I mean prior to the Expos moving to Washington, they pulled almost twice as much in revenue sharing as they paid out in payroll (Not sure about this but could swear I read this somewhere).

PNC Park is 1 of the nicest ballparks in the league to watch a game at, maybe the best (Not saying this myself, saying bc multiple ppl Ive talked to in the lot say this). We dont typically sell games out, but for how bad the team is, Pittsburgh sells a good amount of tickets, especially on teh weekends.

However, the money whoever makes on revenue from from games does not equate to those same people spending more $$$ on FA players.

There should be a salary cap. End of story.

I don't get what you are saying captain.  A soft or hard cap (doesn't really exist in any sport), would not prevent stingy owners from underinvesting in their team.  That was my point with the Expos as with certain other owners in MLB.  They are in it to remain in the black and so long as they do, they coudn't give shit about their W/L.

I have been to 3 games at PNC and I agree that it is a very nice park.  But that is neither here nor there.  The only point I was making is that everyone has a nice new park now.  The only reason that the O's spent so much in the mid to late nineties (someone mentioned this earlier) was because Camden was such a tourist attraction up until that time and Angelos could afford it to some extent.  

Good luck getting a Hard Cap.  Again, I don't really know what that means Jaimoe.  The NFL teams may go over the cap.  NBA teams merely have to pay a luxury tax if they do.  Hell, the NHL owners are so stupid, they had to create a cap relative to each teams' annual revenue because they couldn't control their own spending.

If it wasn't Selig, these owners and this players' union, I'd have faith that they'd get something done next time around.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

[Jaimoe]

The NHL does have a hard cap, but I agree that the owners are the cause of most of their spending problems. The cap in the NHL increases from year to year. The NHL's main problem in the US is having teams in bad non-hockey markets like Phoenix, Miami, Carolina, Atlanta and Nashville - and it doesn't help not being on ESPN.

"Everyone has a nice new park now"? Not Toronto. The Rogers Centre, aka Sky Dome, is out-dated and cavernous, the latter has made the ongoing retrofit difficult. Natural grass can't be put in the dome permanently either because the moron designers didn't install drains.

The Expos would have never left if they had better owners and were allowed to build a new park in the downtown. Olympic Stadium is one of the worst sports structures on Earth, making it worse is that it is located in an relatively isloated and underdeveloped part of town. It really sucks that the Expos left one of the world's great cities. Another sad fact is that Montreal is an excellent sports town and they did have a good Expos fan-base. If you have ever visited Olympic Stadium for a ball game you know why fans didn't show up.

[Ruckus]

I just looked it up and I now understand how the new cap in the NHL works.  Thanks

You're right about the "Skydome."  I've been there also and yes, it seems like a relic from era of big turf domes like the Kingdome and Astrodome even though it is relatively new.  It was quite awful from what I remember.  As for Montreal, I've heard horror stories but have never been there.  Do you think with a new stadium, it really could have supported a major league team?

My apologies for generalizing but I was referring to such teams as the Pirates, Reds, Tigers (Comerica wasn't selling doing too well until 2 years ago)etc.  

Who is your team by the way Jaimoe?

[Jaimoe]

I just looked it up and I now understand how the new cap in the NHL works.  Thanks

You're right about the "Skydome."  I've been there also and yes, it seems like a relic from era of big turf domes like the Kingdome and Astrodome even though it is relatively new.  It was quite awful from what I remember.  As for Montreal, I've heard horror stories but have never been there.  Do you think with a new stadium, it really could have supported a major league team?

My apologies for generalizing but I was referring to such teams as the Pirates, Reds, Tigers (Comerica wasn't selling doing too well until 2 years ago)etc.  

Who is your team by the way Jaimoe?

Fans were begging for a new stadium in downtown Montreal for decades. Montreal is a good sports town and they would have supported the Expos in a new stadium. Before the Expos moved to Olympic Stadium, fan support was never an issue, plus the city is a big supporter of CFL football, tennis, university sports, F-1 and especially the Habs (Montreal Canadiens).

Actually, the Rogers Centre - Sky Dome - is not bad when there's a good crowd - like when the Yankees and Red Sox are in town - and/or when the roof is open. The dome has improved over the past 3 years due to the ongoing renovations (the 1st and 2nd level concourses are nice now and luxury boxes are fantastic. But it's a multi-sport dome and it's the biggest in the world - the Astrodome could fit inside - so atmosphere has always been a problem.

My team? I'm a die-hard Blue Jays fan since 1980-81 but before that, I was a Red Sox and Expos fan (and remained an Expos fan until they moved).


Did you read my past response to one of your posts yet?

[Ruckus]

Did you read my past response to one of your posts yet?

My bad! :-[  It was at the bottom of the thread of the last page and didn't catch it without the quotes.

[Jaimoe]

Did you read my past response to one of your posts yet?

My bad! :-[  It was at the bottom of the thread of the last page and didn't catch it without the quotes.

It had Japanese content.

[capt. scotty]

I am for a salary cap in baseball but that is up to the owners and without getting into complex economics, they believe this current set up maximizes potential profit for all owners at the expense of fans in certain markets.  I mean prior to the Expos moving to Washington, they pulled almost twice as much in revenue sharing as they paid out in payroll (Not sure about this but could swear I read this somewhere).

PNC Park is 1 of the nicest ballparks in the league to watch a game at, maybe the best (Not saying this myself, saying bc multiple ppl Ive talked to in the lot say this). We dont typically sell games out, but for how bad the team is, Pittsburgh sells a good amount of tickets, especially on teh weekends.

However, the money whoever makes on revenue from from games does not equate to those same people spending more $$$ on FA players.

There should be a salary cap. End of story.

I don't get what you are saying captain.  A soft or hard cap (doesn't really exist in any sport), would not prevent stingy owners from underinvesting in their team.  That was my point with the Expos as with certain other owners in MLB.  They are in it to remain in the black and so long as they do, they coudn't give shit about their W/L.

Yes, having a cap doesnt force stingy owners to pay more, but at least it makes it more of a level playing field.

I also think that if there was a cap, these same owners wouldnt mind spending a little bit more for FA's, because relatively, that $$ would be much more similar to the rest of the league spending and provide more of a boost to the team, unlike how it is right now where making 1 move a year for a mediocre team isnt going to change much due to other teams making major overhauls.

[Ruckus]

Bumpity Bump

Time to start mock drafting plus purchase Cubbies Tx for either Philly, DC, or Pitt!!!

[aMillionDreams]

Might be time to start a new thread, this one is massive.

Too bad we have all this steroid talk just as the season is starting up again.  I think spring training starts next week, right?

My reds didn't make as many moves as I'd like them to, but they have a ton of young talent that will hopefully develop.  We have Jay Bruce, Edinson Voquez, and Joey Votto coming off great rookie/2nd year seasons plus and a bunch of minor leaguers with a lot of hype that might get their days in the sun this year.  Unfortunately, with the NL Central being as loaded as it is, I can't predict a pennant this year but I have my fingers crossed.

[Jaimoe]

Might be time to start a new thread, this one is massive.

Too bad we have all this steroid talk just as the season is starting up again.  I think spring training starts next week, right?

Don't forget about the World Baseball Classic. It starts in early March. Canada - with Joey Votto, Jason Bay, Justin Morneau and Russell Martin - take on the US in the Rogers Centre (Skydome) in Toronto. I'll be there.

[.Walt]

Don't forget about the World Baseball Classic. It starts in early March. Canada - with Joey Votto, Jason Bay, Justin Morneau and Russell Martin - take on the US in the Rogers Centre (Skydome) in Toronto. I'll be there.

The WBC is going to be fun. I certainly wouldn't sleep on Canada. Although, I'm sure Taterbug thinks I would sleep with Morneau.

[Jaimoe]

Don't forget about the World Baseball Classic. It starts in early March. Canada - with Joey Votto, Jason Bay, Justin Morneau and Russell Martin - take on the US in the Rogers Centre (Skydome) in Toronto. I'll be there.

The WBC is going to be fun. I certainly wouldn't sleep on Canada. Although, I'm sure Taterbug thinks I would sleep with Morneau.

Canada is still a threat to move on to the next round, but we could have been a legit contender if it weren't for ALL our great starters either pulling out or nursing injuries. Rich Harden, Jeff Francis, Eric Bedard and Ryan Dempster are all out (Dempster and Harden don't have good excuses)... at least they aren't juicers... at least I don't think they are.

[Ruckus]

Of course they have good reason.  It's the Year of the Cubbies...Again!

Anyways, what really gets me down is how it's understood and in vogue for the American media and talking heads to just bash the WBC for all the hackneyed reasons that have been propounded over and over thus justifying withdrawals.  I was hoping that Markakis would play.  I understand the guaranteed nature of MLB contracts but I wish there was some way to create some collaborative incentive that would make some of the North American players (though other nations' players are guilty also) to play.  The timing will never be good but if the sport continues to grow globally, hopefully national pride will overcome these injury and financial concerns.

Yes, Canada really does have a strong team.

Gambare Nippon!!!

[Ruckus]

Soooo should a new thread be started?

[Jaimoe]

Soooo should a new thread be started?

I'll leave it in your capable hands. I'm watching both the Bruin-Sharks and Raptors-Timberwolves games.

[.Walt]

Anyways, what really gets me down is how it's understood and in vogue for the American media and talking heads to just bash the WBC for all the hackneyed reasons that have been propounded over and over thus justifying withdrawals.  I was hoping that Markakis would play.  I understand the guaranteed nature of MLB contracts but I wish there was some way to create some collaborative incentive that would make some of the North American players (though other nations' players are guilty also) to play.  The timing will never be good but if the sport continues to grow globally, hopefully national pride will overcome these injury and financial concerns.

right.

I was reading the Minneapolis paper yesterday, and once again bitching and ripping on the WBC. I don't get it? I'm sure it has to do with not winning. We lose, we act like it meant nothing, and we move on. But that attitude has been around for far too long with so many sports, and it's gotta stop. The only position I can not playing is pitcher...but even that's a debatable issue.

[.Walt]

Soooo should a new thread be started?

wait until post 1000 in this thread. it's kind of a personal goal i've been wanting to achieve. i know.

[Ruckus]

Soooo should a new thread be started?

wait until post 1000 in this thread. it's kind of a personal goal i've been wanting to achieve. i know.

Sounds good.  I also appreciate round numbers

[aMillionDreams]

Soooo should a new thread be started?

wait until post 1000 in this thread. it's kind of a personal goal i've been wanting to achieve. i know.

ha!  You crack me up, brother! In a good way, of course.

I really want to start the fantasy baseball thread, but it might be too soon yet.  I'm looking forward to this season!