Leaked Financials.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

So... have we taken a look at these yet? 'Cause it's kinda big news, innit? (Congrats to Deadspin for a pretty big break, and for starting to break the accountability "blue shield.")

PART 1. (Pirates, Marlins, Rays, Angels)

PART 2. (Mariners)

PART 3. (Rangers)

So... someone at the league office with AJ Daulerio's phone number obviously isn't happy about the current revenue-sharing agreement/seeks to drive the rev-sharing wedge deeper between low-revenue clubs/high-revenue clubs. (It seems highly unlikely these leaks came from individual team accounting firms.) And, as many people already thought, running a losing ballclub while pocketing increasing shares of an increasing pool of shared monies is indeed profitable.

So, everyone's convinced this is a big story... even if nobody's quite sure exactly what it means yet. At the very least, it's hard-number confirmation of something that had become CW, and an intriguing look into how clubs really operate (I'd be curious to see a lot more... including some MFY and Sawx and Met paperwork). Also, it makes stemming the growth of-- and likely reducing-- rev-sharing into a hot topic for the next round of CBA talk. If subsidizing perennial losers at current levels doesn't-- apparently-- incentivize them to reinvest in the club/up their competitiveness... then why do it at all, really?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The Snooze today said an insurance company was the likely source of the leaks.

I thought it was an open secret that the so-called poor clubs were all actually fabulously wealthy and healthy and stuffing their pockets with shared revenue. They just aren't raking it in like the MFYs and that's because MLB protects them.

I'm sort of for communist baseball if the markets are set like they are.

[Guest attgig]

business of baseball <> being a fan of baseball.

if you own a company, you want to turn a profit. If you can turn a consistent profit going forward based on mediocre results, you'll do it. If the incentives of improving your product doesn't match the risk and investment of what you need to put in, then...well, you don't.

I'm not furious about these docs... it just represents reality.

On the other hand, I think that if they can improve on the system to encourage more competition, it should be done. ie, return any revenue sharing money if x, y, z. or recalculate revenue sharing money so that a portion of it goes to post season contenders, Last place clubs get their revenue sharing money cut, etc etc. something that is directly tied to performance, rather than just pure money.



and on a side note, clippers fans complain about this all the time with their team.

[bmfc1]

I'm wondering if these documents will renew the call for a salary "floor" so owners are forced to spend at least a minimum amount on salaries.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Salary floors and salary ceilings are counterproductive.

The revenue sharing agreement focused aroudn a luxury tax just rewards and punishes the wrong behavior. A better revenue-sharing system would be to give visiting teams a share of the home team's broadcast revenues as well as the stadium revenues.

A better incentive-based system would be a promotion/relegaton system.

In fact, I imagine instutituing the former would lead the owners toward the latter.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I dream of promotion/relegation.

But then, I'm a soccer-loving commie.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Salary floors and salary ceilings are counterproductive. The revenue sharing agreement focused aroudn a luxury tax just rewards and punishes the wrong behavior. A better revenue-sharing system would be to give visiting teams a share of the home team's broadcast revenues as well as the stadium revenues. A better incentive-based system would be a promotion/relegaton system. In fact, I imagine instutituing the former would lead the owners toward the latter.

I'm in support of a floor/ceiling. But mainly because I feel it's better than it is right now.

What exactly do you mean by a promotion/relegation system?

[metsmarathon]

the newark bears and sussex skyhawks could (theoretically) win their way into the majors, displacing the royals and pirates who are losing their way out.

[duan]

promotion & relegation means rewards success & punishing failure.

I've gone through this a few times so won't go over the whole thing again here but one of the biggest differences between football & american sports is that NOBODY gives up in football because they can't win, it is hugely important for them to improve their team as the season goes on or they play in a less attractive league with less revenue the following season.

[ashie62]

Abolish the union.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Seriously, how exactly do you expect that to happen? How do you expect it to improve the state of baseball?

[duan]

nobody who has ever said something like that (abolish the union) has ever satisfactorily explained to me why they think a workers rights are somehow less valid because there salaries are high.

let us kid nobody, the only people who gain from a reduction in player salaries are the owners. The owners in an oligopoly - do people not get that ? this isn't a market competitive situation.

I'm being totally honest when I say that there is no way that any 'sport' would be allowed treat its employees in the manner the MLB, NFL, NBA, MLS and NHL treat there employees in the Europen Union, they'd simply be laughed at and have the book thrown at them for the restriction of freedom of movement of labour.

[ashie62]

Edgy DC wrote: Seriously, how exactly do you expect that to happen? How do you expect it to improve the state of baseball?

I don't expect it to happen in a million years plus. Beyond that, I don't like labor unions. I personal opinion of Ashie only.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

As always, thanks for adding to the discourse.

[ashie62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: As always, thanks for adding to the discourse.

I don't see you adding anything at all, but thank you very much!

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't expect it to happen in a million years plus. Beyond that, I don't like labor unions. I personal opinion of Ashie only.

Come on. Is that some sort of complete non-sequiter then? Please try and stay with the thread.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Ashie62 wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: As always, thanks for adding to the discourse. I don't see you adding anything at all, but thank you very much!

(Clears throat, nods head in direction of top of thread)

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, but what have you done for us lately? Huh?!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Well, um...

... hey...




Creepy Sun Baby! Isn't that WEIRD?

[ashie62]

AWESOME DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!