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Landing spot for ARod

Everyone is talking about big market teams as the only potential suitors for ARod.  Only the Cubs, Dodgers, Angels, etc.

I am thinking the complete opposite way.  Each year, the Pirates pocket $20 million or more in revenue sharing funds.  Revenue sharing is based on local revenue, and a team like Pittsburgh may not be able to increase its local revenue that significantly in the next say five years.  Specifically, Pittsburgh isn't going to draw much more than they have with a new stadium, and are not going to significantly expand local TV and radio contracts.  (Admittedly, I haven't studied this like Forbes Magazine, but it is not an outrageous assumption.  In 2001, according to Forbes, the Pirates local media income was $3.86 per capita, within shouting distance of the average of $4.35.  It's not like there is a big untapped market in Pittsburgh.)   So there may be a reasonable expectation that the local revenues may not go up too much, and that the revenue sharing will stay the same or increase over the next few years.

Now, one of the problems with revenue sharing is that teams like the Pirates, Royals, Brewers and Devil Rays put the money into their pockets (all of these teams are annually among the "most profitable", whatever that means).  So what if the Pirates sign ARod for 8 years/$228 million?  $28.5 million a year is their revenue sharing plus a replacement level player.  

There are a number of things that work with something like this:

  •  ARod just might go, since he's in it for the money and a lower stress environment.
  •  It would help baseball (i.e. Bud and the Union would be all for it), because now you wouldn't have all of us complaining about small market teams taking revenue sharing and running.  So the revenue sharing money gets put back into circulation as player salaries, which the Union would love.
  •  It would be paying the Yankees best player with their own money.  How fun is that?
  • 0 recs | Comment 23 comments

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    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    I forgot, but I read somewhere that the Marlins would benefit the most from signing A-Rod. It would guarantee them a new stadium, and bring fans to the park.
    Gator fans have so much in common with Yankee fans. Minus the history and championships, of course.

    by gahnki on Oct 31, 2007 10:52 AM EDT   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Looks like A-rod is everyone's white whale.

    by Toxicadam on Oct 31, 2007 11:27 AM EDT   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Buzz, I think your points are valid as far as the Pirates go.  But what's the point in working out the Pirates' end when there's no reason to think A-Rod would go to a team in that position?

    And let me be clear here:  He's not looking for a team that has a good chance to be respectable in 3-4 years and win in 5-6.  The Pirates 2008 are, in this respect, a poor man's Rangers 2001.  He already regrets that move, and he isn't getting any younger.

    Your argument makes more sense for a team like the Indians or Twins or Marlins or D-Rays, low payrolls with a significant base of talent already in place, but it still presupposes they couldn't or wouldn't better spend that money elsewhere.

    Could native son A-Rod help create a real fan base in Miami, and a RSN to boot?  Would he electrify Cleveland, sucking money and attention from the Browns and doubling the value of STO?  That is Boras' argument, but it's hard to believe the value of any network goes up if a team isn't making the playoffs.

    by Jay on Oct 31, 2007 11:37 AM EDT   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Just as a theoretical, what would people here think if we somehow shocked people by signing A-Rod to a 5 year/$150 mil contract?
    Now the Lord can make you tumble, and the Lord can make you turn, and the Lord can make you overflow... but the Lord can't make you burn

    by Turkmenbashi on Oct 31, 2007 11:51 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Wont happen...the reason why...Manny Ramirez.  If there ever was a time for this franchise to do this, it was with Manny and they didnt.  He was the face of the team and was adored in Cleveland.  And, they would have got him for cheaper than they would pay for A-Rod right now.

    They had another chance with Thome and passed again.  For god sakes, they havent even locked up CC yet!

    by Tribe Alive on Oct 31, 2007 12:40 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Turk said: "Just as a theoretical, what would people here think if we somehow shocked people by signing A-Rod to a 5 year/$150 mil contract?

    You said: "Won't happen!"

    Now the Lord can make you tumble, and the Lord can make you turn, and the Lord can make you overflow... but the Lord can't make you burn

    by Turkmenbashi on Oct 31, 2007 12:44 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    The Indians offered Manny $143 million, which would have been the second-largest contract in the history of the sport.

    by Jay on Oct 31, 2007 12:49 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    i would be amused by the idea of the Tribe sending compensatory draft picks to the Yankees.

    by jeremy on Oct 31, 2007 12:43 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    There would be dancing in the streets, punctuated by the occasional sarcastic "Great, just what we need, another choker."

    by Jay on Oct 31, 2007 12:50 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    What about you personally, Jay?
    Now the Lord can make you tumble, and the Lord can make you turn, and the Lord can make you overflow... but the Lord can't make you burn

    by Turkmenbashi on Oct 31, 2007 12:52 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Undeniably it would be very exciting, and it would transform our lineup for the next five years.  But it would also raise the stakes for our farm system, effectively boxing out any medium-sized signings to fill holes in the future.  C.C. would be out after 2008, and the precedent would make it impossible to negotiate below-market extensions for Martinez in a few years, Sizemore a few years after that.  It might even make it tougher to lock up Carmona to a reasonable dollars, the kind of deal that has made contending on $60 million possible.

    by Jay on Oct 31, 2007 1:01 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    I agree on all accounts, with the caveat that in this theoretical world, signing A-Rod would presumably mean a relatively large (semi) permanent increase in payroll that would make some of those other points almost moot.

    Your point about medium-sized signing was the first negative I thought of, but you point about the effects on resigning our own guys is something I hadn't thought of and is a huge negative. Thanks.

    Now the Lord can make you tumble, and the Lord can make you turn, and the Lord can make you overflow... but the Lord can't make you burn

    by Turkmenbashi on Oct 31, 2007 1:08 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    would presumably mean a relatively large (semi) permanent increase in payroll

    I don't see it that way -- money doesn't materialize out of nowhere.  The Indians spend what they make, and while they're getting better at maximizing revenues, they're not going to just spike to anywhere near that extent in a large or (semi) permanent way.

    If we did a deal like that, it would mean that the Dolan family had decided to spend $50 to $100 million out of their personal wealth, not expecting to make it back in any form, and the other $100 million would be hitting the team payroll.

    by Jay on Oct 31, 2007 1:14 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Makes sense, which is why this deal would never happen.
    Now the Lord can make you tumble, and the Lord can make you turn, and the Lord can make you overflow... but the Lord can't make you burn

    by Turkmenbashi on Oct 31, 2007 1:16 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    What about the earning power that AROD brings to a team (I guess the selling points that Boras is harping on). Wouldn't the organization itself become more valuable? TV network, advertising, uniform sales!, team exposure, AROD candy bars that actually taste good (sorry Pronk), AROD costumes on Halloween, AROD brand hot sauce!

    by hans on Oct 31, 2007 5:08 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    I'm skeptical of the claim that any one player can affect the value of a team much beyond the term of his contract.  During the contract's duration, it's Boras' intention that his player should get paid all that extra profit, and he's willing to negotiate it to the point where it's a wash at best for the team.

    by Jay on Oct 31, 2007 6:12 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    In baseball, I would agree with your sceptacism. But one can look at the NBA in our own back yard and see how one player (Lebron) can significantly raise the value of an organization.

    by hans on Oct 31, 2007 6:18 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing sopt for ARod
    Right, but (a) the NBA has a salary cap, so if a having a player can produce ancillary profits, the team actually gets to make that money rather than having it extracted by an agent, and (b) how much will the franchise be worth 18 months after Lebron is gone?  If there's been a championship or two, somewhat more.  If not, maybe none at all more.

    by Jay on Oct 31, 2007 6:58 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing spot for ARod
    If the Indians wanted to they could easily afford A-Rod and his massive salary.
    My wish list. Jhonny Peralta to 3rd Cabrera to SS and go get Jason Bay. LGT resident kinesiologist

    by E5 on Oct 31, 2007 11:13 PM EDT   0 recs

    Re: Landing spot for ARod
    "wanted" ............ "afford".........

    When the Fuvvnafjafaafjafafafajsfajmjgafkagj do these words ever really work together in this kind of thought?

    by Brick. on Oct 31, 2007 11:17 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing spot for ARod
    Well said.
    I swear, next year is it.

    by fwembt on Nov 1, 2007 1:21 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

    Re: Landing spot for ARod
    Mr. Boras himself! With the INDIANS in on the bidding, think of how high the REAL spenders will have to go!

    by Voltaire on Nov 1, 2007 10:08 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

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