Now maybe the Twins will actually spend some money to put a club on the field that can challenge the big boys instead of throwing change at washed up garbage.
Within one game of the playoffs last year, playoff appearances in 2002-2004 and 2006. For a small market team, I'd say that's pretty respectable. Sure, there's been some poor signings, but our record in spite of those signings is at least respectable.
Besides, Carl's sons are running the show now, and I'd guess they like their money just as much as their dad did. Unless they pull a PR move for a short-term, big-name free agent to bring people into the new stadium (which they probably won't need to fill the seats), I can't imagine any major free-agent signings anytime soon. Pray they keep Gardenhire.
The Twinks are fun to root for. It's impossible to warm up to all-star line-ups and all-star crazy payrolls of the BoSox and New York Yanks. That's like pulling for the Evil Empire. I figure with the lack of attention to this tanking economy, the Yankees and their billion dollar house that Hank built will implode. Not alot of corporate money to spread on their $2000 seats.
Well one thing to say about the late Mr. Pohlad is that the Twins may have left 30 years ago if not for him. Unlike many teams he never ran the Twins as a toy but as a business and in a small market you have to watch your budget.
Its not like the Yankees who literally make more money on their TV/Merchandise deals than the Twins make on all profits combined.
That being said it is interesting to note that he was actually the richest pro sports owner in the country. Not exactly a group of paupers and he was the richest of them all (because of other business interests obviously.)
Pohlad was willing to contract the Twins in 2002 in exchange for money from MLB. Luckily, the Minnesota Supreme Court stopped it from happening. Can't give him too much credit for keeping the Twins here when he was willing to make them disappear. Pohlad also got rich by foreclosing on farms.
Carl Pohlad, may his soul rest in peace, was NOT a very good owner. At the time of his death, he was worth an estimated $3.6 BILLION. I think we all know that the Metrodome was never sold out for a continous period of time, such as the X is for the Wild. Undeserved credit is given to Pohlad for the Twins World Series titles in '87 and '91. The players that were the base of those teams were already in the Twins system before he bought the team. He did nothing to improve it, besides allowing Kirby Puckett the chance to be the 1st $1 million baseball player (which lasted a total of abut 48 hours, when Rickey Henderson was given a larger contract).
Having a personal wealth of $3.6 billion, one would think if you enjoyed a game, that you would spend a small amount of your own money to improve the team. An example would be having a muscle car...you spend more money on it (your own money) to improve the looks, power, etc....
As for the idea that the 3 Pohlad boys will change how things are run, this is another falacy. They have been running the team for about 3 years now. Carl Pohlad bought the team because his wife loved baseball, not him. Players "befriended" him because he signed their paychecks. What better way to get a raise than to "buddy-up" with boss. But Torii Hunter was correct in saying that "Twins management run this team with an eye to the future...and future that never comes" because they don't pay the players to stay.
Just imagine this scenario...paying Johann Santana what he wanted. The outfield would have been Young, Span and Cuddyer. Starting pitching would have been Santana, Baker, Slowey, Perkins and Blackburn, with Liriano ready when someone got hurt. I think having Santana over Livan Hernandez would have given the Twins at least 4 more wins, which would have won the division and put them in the playoffs. Management (including Gardenhire) had said that they were willing to sacrifice some defense to improve the offense, but now will not sign Ty Wiggington because his fielding is only slightly better than Brian Buscher?
When they received the moeny from the state for their stadium, they said that there was no reason for the payroll not to go up now since they would be getting an infusion of more money from the new stadium. Yet, payroll drops from around $73 million to $54 million? And is only increasing to between $58 and $60 million for 2009? The only good I see coming from the 3 sons running the team is that they sell in 2012 to an owner that will pay some more to have the talent that is already there.
Carl Pohlad, may his soul rest in peace, was NOT a very good owner. At the time of his death, he was worth an estimated $3.6 BILLION. I think we all know that the Metrodome was never sold out for a continous period of time, such as the X is for the Wild. Undeserved credit is given to Pohlad for the Twins World Series titles in '87 and '91. The players that were the base of those teams were already in the Twins system before he bought the team. He did nothing to improve it, besides allowing Kirby Puckett the chance to be the 1st $1 million baseball player (which lasted a total of abut 48 hours, when Rickey Henderson was given a larger contract).
Having a personal wealth of $3.6 billion, one would think if you enjoyed a game, that you would spend a small amount of your own money to improve the team. An example would be having a muscle car...you spend more money on it (your own money) to improve the looks, power, etc....
As for the idea that the 3 Pohlad boys will change how things are run, this is another falacy. They have been running the team for about 3 years now. Carl Pohlad bought the team because his wife loved baseball, not him. Players "befriended" him because he signed their paychecks. What better way to get a raise than to "buddy-up" with boss. But Torii Hunter was correct in saying that "Twins management run this team with an eye to the future...and future that never comes" because they don't pay the players to stay.
Just imagine this scenario...paying Johann Santana what he wanted. The outfield would have been Young, Span and Cuddyer. Starting pitching would have been Santana, Baker, Slowey, Perkins and Blackburn, with Liriano ready when someone got hurt. I think having Santana over Livan Hernandez would have given the Twins at least 4 more wins, which would have won the division and put them in the playoffs. Management (including Gardenhire) had said that they were willing to sacrifice some defense to improve the offense, but now will not sign Ty Wiggington because his fielding is only slightly better than Brian Buscher?
When they received the moeny from the state for their stadium, they said that there was no reason for the payroll not to go up now since they would be getting an infusion of more money from the new stadium. Yet, payroll drops from around $73 million to $54 million? And is only increasing to between $58 and $60 million for 2009? The only good I see coming from the 3 sons running the team is that they sell in 2012 to an owner that will pay some more to have the talent that is already there.
Tomasz on January 5, 2009 05:49 PM | Permalink
Comments
Cripes!
Posted by: kokesie | January 5, 2009 06:16 PM
Now maybe the Twins will actually spend some money to put a club on the field that can challenge the big boys instead of throwing change at washed up garbage.
Posted by: Mark | January 5, 2009 06:52 PM
Yeah, baseball players need to get paid more.
Posted by: Paul Lundgren | January 5, 2009 07:37 PM
Hardly my point.
Posted by: Mark | January 6, 2009 10:33 AM
Within one game of the playoffs last year, playoff appearances in 2002-2004 and 2006. For a small market team, I'd say that's pretty respectable. Sure, there's been some poor signings, but our record in spite of those signings is at least respectable.
Besides, Carl's sons are running the show now, and I'd guess they like their money just as much as their dad did. Unless they pull a PR move for a short-term, big-name free agent to bring people into the new stadium (which they probably won't need to fill the seats), I can't imagine any major free-agent signings anytime soon. Pray they keep Gardenhire.
Posted by: Nathan | January 7, 2009 08:55 AM
The Twinks are fun to root for. It's impossible to warm up to all-star line-ups and all-star crazy payrolls of the BoSox and New York Yanks. That's like pulling for the Evil Empire. I figure with the lack of attention to this tanking economy, the Yankees and their billion dollar house that Hank built will implode. Not alot of corporate money to spread on their $2000 seats.
Maybe Carl P. had it right all along.
Posted by: Mike Simonson | January 7, 2009 07:25 PM
Well one thing to say about the late Mr. Pohlad is that the Twins may have left 30 years ago if not for him. Unlike many teams he never ran the Twins as a toy but as a business and in a small market you have to watch your budget.
Its not like the Yankees who literally make more money on their TV/Merchandise deals than the Twins make on all profits combined.
That being said it is interesting to note that he was actually the richest pro sports owner in the country. Not exactly a group of paupers and he was the richest of them all (because of other business interests obviously.)
Posted by: Donny Krosch | January 8, 2009 12:40 PM
Pohlad was willing to contract the Twins in 2002 in exchange for money from MLB. Luckily, the Minnesota Supreme Court stopped it from happening. Can't give him too much credit for keeping the Twins here when he was willing to make them disappear. Pohlad also got rich by foreclosing on farms.
Posted by: Tony Ramone | January 8, 2009 02:23 PM
Carl Pohlad, may his soul rest in peace, was NOT a very good owner. At the time of his death, he was worth an estimated $3.6 BILLION. I think we all know that the Metrodome was never sold out for a continous period of time, such as the X is for the Wild. Undeserved credit is given to Pohlad for the Twins World Series titles in '87 and '91. The players that were the base of those teams were already in the Twins system before he bought the team. He did nothing to improve it, besides allowing Kirby Puckett the chance to be the 1st $1 million baseball player (which lasted a total of abut 48 hours, when Rickey Henderson was given a larger contract).
Having a personal wealth of $3.6 billion, one would think if you enjoyed a game, that you would spend a small amount of your own money to improve the team. An example would be having a muscle car...you spend more money on it (your own money) to improve the looks, power, etc....
As for the idea that the 3 Pohlad boys will change how things are run, this is another falacy. They have been running the team for about 3 years now. Carl Pohlad bought the team because his wife loved baseball, not him. Players "befriended" him because he signed their paychecks. What better way to get a raise than to "buddy-up" with boss. But Torii Hunter was correct in saying that "Twins management run this team with an eye to the future...and future that never comes" because they don't pay the players to stay.
Just imagine this scenario...paying Johann Santana what he wanted. The outfield would have been Young, Span and Cuddyer. Starting pitching would have been Santana, Baker, Slowey, Perkins and Blackburn, with Liriano ready when someone got hurt. I think having Santana over Livan Hernandez would have given the Twins at least 4 more wins, which would have won the division and put them in the playoffs. Management (including Gardenhire) had said that they were willing to sacrifice some defense to improve the offense, but now will not sign Ty Wiggington because his fielding is only slightly better than Brian Buscher?
When they received the moeny from the state for their stadium, they said that there was no reason for the payroll not to go up now since they would be getting an infusion of more money from the new stadium. Yet, payroll drops from around $73 million to $54 million? And is only increasing to between $58 and $60 million for 2009? The only good I see coming from the 3 sons running the team is that they sell in 2012 to an owner that will pay some more to have the talent that is already there.
Posted by: Justin Leggett | January 10, 2009 12:58 PM
Carl Pohlad, may his soul rest in peace, was NOT a very good owner. At the time of his death, he was worth an estimated $3.6 BILLION. I think we all know that the Metrodome was never sold out for a continous period of time, such as the X is for the Wild. Undeserved credit is given to Pohlad for the Twins World Series titles in '87 and '91. The players that were the base of those teams were already in the Twins system before he bought the team. He did nothing to improve it, besides allowing Kirby Puckett the chance to be the 1st $1 million baseball player (which lasted a total of abut 48 hours, when Rickey Henderson was given a larger contract).
Having a personal wealth of $3.6 billion, one would think if you enjoyed a game, that you would spend a small amount of your own money to improve the team. An example would be having a muscle car...you spend more money on it (your own money) to improve the looks, power, etc....
As for the idea that the 3 Pohlad boys will change how things are run, this is another falacy. They have been running the team for about 3 years now. Carl Pohlad bought the team because his wife loved baseball, not him. Players "befriended" him because he signed their paychecks. What better way to get a raise than to "buddy-up" with boss. But Torii Hunter was correct in saying that "Twins management run this team with an eye to the future...and future that never comes" because they don't pay the players to stay.
Just imagine this scenario...paying Johann Santana what he wanted. The outfield would have been Young, Span and Cuddyer. Starting pitching would have been Santana, Baker, Slowey, Perkins and Blackburn, with Liriano ready when someone got hurt. I think having Santana over Livan Hernandez would have given the Twins at least 4 more wins, which would have won the division and put them in the playoffs. Management (including Gardenhire) had said that they were willing to sacrifice some defense to improve the offense, but now will not sign Ty Wiggington because his fielding is only slightly better than Brian Buscher?
When they received the moeny from the state for their stadium, they said that there was no reason for the payroll not to go up now since they would be getting an infusion of more money from the new stadium. Yet, payroll drops from around $73 million to $54 million? And is only increasing to between $58 and $60 million for 2009? The only good I see coming from the 3 sons running the team is that they sell in 2012 to an owner that will pay some more to have the talent that is already there.
Posted by: Justin Leggett | January 10, 2009 12:59 PM