Mariners '05 payroll
Thiel's column in the PI regarding payroll is fairly shocking for a number of reasons.
The first thing that came to mind was simply, "Did the M's really spend $100 million last year while fielding one of the worst teams in baseball?"
Apparently the answer is yes.
The M's were so quick to point out how much money they spent last year, they suddenly forgot how bad it made management appear. After all, pretty much any village idiot can throw $100 million around and still field a bad team. Good job guys! You spent a lot of money; too bad it was allocated so poorly.
The second interesting fact is simply that the M's FO cared. Years past the M's have wanted to hide/fudge the budget as much as possible. They don't like us knowing how much they plan on spending, or what they actually spent. Not paying off players contracts like Cirillo's in previous budgets is a good example. If they suddenly have money left over when a player bolts to Japan, the money doesn't carry over. I'm surprised the team didn't throw in Bavasi and Lincoln's salary as well- it seems like the team is actually proud of how much money was thrown around.
The team of course is silly to be upset with the AP number. Whether you go with opening day rosters, mid-season or ending, it will never tell the entire story. Since the M's want to hide player budgets most of the time (unless it helps their cause) the M's need to just shut up.
For example, the opening day payroll for the M's last year was $88 million. The fact the M's ended the season closer to $70 million of on-the-field salary, while pissing away another $10 million in the process is pretty awful.
It's hard for the M's FO to spin their spending into a good story. The way you are ultimately judged in baseball is by wins, and the M's finished in last place no matter what accounting trick is used.
It should be noted that Lincoln and company created this whole mess. By promising fans there would be no "rebuilding" the only way to keep that promise is to overspend. The M's have been overspending on players that have no ability to ever justify a return, and so the M's have continued to suck while spending a ton of money.
Remind me what the FO is upset about again?
Thiel's column in the PI regarding payroll is fairly shocking for a number of reasons.
The first thing that came to mind was simply, "Did the M's really spend $100 million last year while fielding one of the worst teams in baseball?"
Apparently the answer is yes.
The M's were so quick to point out how much money they spent last year, they suddenly forgot how bad it made management appear. After all, pretty much any village idiot can throw $100 million around and still field a bad team. Good job guys! You spent a lot of money; too bad it was allocated so poorly.
The second interesting fact is simply that the M's FO cared. Years past the M's have wanted to hide/fudge the budget as much as possible. They don't like us knowing how much they plan on spending, or what they actually spent. Not paying off players contracts like Cirillo's in previous budgets is a good example. If they suddenly have money left over when a player bolts to Japan, the money doesn't carry over. I'm surprised the team didn't throw in Bavasi and Lincoln's salary as well- it seems like the team is actually proud of how much money was thrown around.
The team of course is silly to be upset with the AP number. Whether you go with opening day rosters, mid-season or ending, it will never tell the entire story. Since the M's want to hide player budgets most of the time (unless it helps their cause) the M's need to just shut up.
For example, the opening day payroll for the M's last year was $88 million. The fact the M's ended the season closer to $70 million of on-the-field salary, while pissing away another $10 million in the process is pretty awful.
It's hard for the M's FO to spin their spending into a good story. The way you are ultimately judged in baseball is by wins, and the M's finished in last place no matter what accounting trick is used.
It should be noted that Lincoln and company created this whole mess. By promising fans there would be no "rebuilding" the only way to keep that promise is to overspend. The M's have been overspending on players that have no ability to ever justify a return, and so the M's have continued to suck while spending a ton of money.
Remind me what the FO is upset about again?
posted by Tom at
12:22 PM
