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Originally Posted by dylanmarsh
Actually, I think both sides want to move him. The D-Backs just shelled-out a butt load of cash for Glaus and Ortiz  and know need to offset those signings with dumping the Unit. |
That is the perception of many about the DBacks financial state. Ken Kendricks (I think he's the main investor and he's also the acting CEO until Moorad becomes official) is painting and entirely different picture.
<http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/baseball/20041211-9999-1s11bbmeet.html>
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But the club that has everyone completely flummoxed is Arizona. The past three years, you'd have thought the Diamondbacks played home games at Bankrupt One Ballpark, what with all the stories of the team's failed finances.
The Diamondbacks, losers of 111 games last season, still owe more than $100 million in deferred paychecks to Randy Johnson and Luis Gonzalez and ex-Diamondbacks Curt Schilling, Matt Williams and Jay Bell, among many others. And now they're giving a combined $78 million to Glaus, coming off two years of shoulder problems, and Ortiz?
What, are they now making money out of sand in the Valley of the Sun?
"One of my favorite things is to read about a person who passed away and everyone assumed he was without funds," said Ken Kendricks, chief executive officer of the Diamondbacks. "Lo and behold, you find they have funds."
Kendricks then made an irrefutable point when asking aloud what he – a man who has made his career and fortune in mergers and acquisitions – can learn about economics from sportswriters, to whom new math is figuring a hitter's OPS.
Asked about the seeming contradiction, the Diamondbacks say they've restructured their organization and have $250 million in capital at their disposal. Even with the Big Unit making $17 million per annum – and he's asking management to investigate the possibility of a trade to a contender – the Diamondbacks plan to keep their payroll under last year's $80 million.
Imagine this, though. Here's an owner accusing the press of under-reporting his solvency and, hence, the ability to offer huge salaries. Most of his brethren would have you believe their major arteries are rivers of red ink.
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I don't know how these guys do it. Somehow, they keep pulling money out their asses. Basically, that money allows the team to write off all of their deferred salaries. Another funny thing is that even though they lost 111 games and had a massive decline in attendance in 2004, it was financially their best season yet (although they still didn't make a profit). I think it was the first year they were eligible for revenue sharing and all that other money that expansion teams are excluded from for their first few seasons.
As far as signing Glaus and Ortiz and how that means they
need to free up Johnson's money, the team got rid of a lot of overpriced free agents at the end of 2004:
Sexson (8.75M)
Finley (7M)
Mantei (8M)
Bautista (4M)
Dessens (3.5M)
Colbrun (2.75M)
McCracken (1.75M)
Reynolds (1M)
Baerga (1M)
Alomar (750k)
Sparks (500k)
That is $39 million they cleared after the season ended. Of that $39M, all of the players were dead weight, except for Finley and Bautista.
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Originally Posted by dylanmarsh
I don't really see a bright future for the D-Backs
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In 2005, I don't see much for them either. They are probably at best a .500 team and even with that they will need help from their players. But really, if they won 75 to 81 games, it would be a phenomonal turnaround for the team. A 24 to 30 game improvement would be one of the biggest turnarounds in MLB history. They shouldn't expect too much this year and focus on making a good run in 2006.