Comments on: Rockies Payroll Nears Club Record http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/ News and commentary about the Colorado Rockies from Tracy Ringolsby, Jack Etkin and Steve Foster Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:37:51 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ava http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-594 Ava Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:10:06 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-594 Antonio, please leave me out of it. They did offer Holliday 18m a year, I assume because they did have it. If that is what the discussion is about, I've lost track. I don't believe I've been mislead in any way. In my humble opinion, I think the Montforts are good businessmen. They've put a good product on the field, raised payroll, signed arbitration eligible players, signed some players to decent contracts, have good scouting and development. When you operate a business and make a profit I think you're doing alright. I recently read about Tom Hicks who is in default of a loan or loans, I'm not sure exactly, and is trying to get some investors and wants to lower the Ranger's payroll next year to about 50M. So, the Rockies to me are in pretty good shape compared to some other teams. Antonio, please leave me out of it. They did offer Holliday 18m a year, I assume because they did have it. If that is what the discussion is about, I’ve lost track. I don’t believe I’ve been mislead in any way. In my humble opinion, I think the Montforts are good businessmen. They’ve put a good product on the field, raised payroll, signed arbitration eligible players, signed some players to decent contracts, have good scouting and development. When you operate a business and make a profit I think you’re doing alright. I recently read about Tom Hicks who is in default of a loan or loans, I’m not sure exactly, and is trying to get some investors and wants to lower the Ranger’s payroll next year to about 50M. So, the Rockies to me are in pretty good shape compared to some other teams.

]]> By: Doc http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-581 Doc Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:21:13 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-581 Great stuff. Thanks everyone. Wish I'd been online when you were having your debate a day an a half ago. I think throwing money at players just because it's there sets a terrible precedent. Somehow, fans think that a player they recognize by name must be a far superior player than the ones they see on their team. Sounds like fantasy league to me. I'm thinking Beimel had some "other" issues besides his excessive contract demands; otherwise I doubt he'd been unemployed for as long as he was. Great stuff. Thanks everyone. Wish I’d been online when you were having your debate a day an a half ago. I think throwing money at players just because it’s there sets a terrible precedent. Somehow, fans think that a player they recognize by name must be a far superior player than the ones they see on their team. Sounds like fantasy league to me. I’m thinking Beimel had some “other” issues besides his excessive contract demands; otherwise I doubt he’d been unemployed for as long as he was.

]]> By: antonio http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-559 antonio Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:33:10 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-559 tracy, thanks again for your responses, they have been very instructive. for example, i find it very interesting that the rockies have increased their player salaries by 10% this year, and you say they *could* add another player at 17 million per if they wanted and still turn a profit. if the rockies did add 17 million more to their payroll, it would represent a 35% total increase on player salaries from the opening day payroll from last year. this type of context was certainly lacking when the holliday deal was being public debated in the media. instead of fans wondering whether the rockies *should* increase their payroll, it has been generally assumed that they never *could*. this only has served to shield the ownership from proper scrutiny of their decisions, where you get people like Ava saying "I have no reason to think they haven’t" (done right by the fans.) using the mariners again as a team in a comparable market with comparable attendance figures that earned 17.8 million dollars in profit while paying 113 million in player salaries, there is every reason to believe that the rockies could similarly expand their own payroll, and truly do right by the fans. yet when confronted with this information, tracy's response has essentially been that money doesnt equal success. while that is certainly true- it only represents analysis of whether the rockies *should*, and not whether they *could* spend more. i wonder if our fans knew how much the monforts *could* pay to keep our favorite players like holliday, if there would be so much good will and benefit of the doubt handed out. tracy,

thanks again for your responses, they have been very instructive. for example, i find it very interesting that the rockies have increased their player salaries by 10% this year, and you say they *could* add another player at 17 million per if they wanted and still turn a profit. if the rockies did add 17 million more to their payroll, it would represent a 35% total increase on player salaries from the opening day payroll from last year. this type of context was certainly lacking when the holliday deal was being public debated in the media.

instead of fans wondering whether the rockies *should* increase their payroll, it has been generally assumed that they never *could*. this only has served to shield the ownership from proper scrutiny of their decisions, where you get people like Ava saying “I have no reason to think they haven’t” (done right by the fans.)

using the mariners again as a team in a comparable market with comparable attendance figures that earned 17.8 million dollars in profit while paying 113 million in player salaries, there is every reason to believe that the rockies could similarly expand their own payroll, and truly do right by the fans. yet when confronted with this information, tracy’s response has essentially been that money doesnt equal success.

while that is certainly true- it only represents analysis of whether the rockies *should*, and not whether they *could* spend more. i wonder if our fans knew how much the monforts *could* pay to keep our favorite players like holliday, if there would be so much good will and benefit of the doubt handed out.

]]> By: Ava http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-555 Ava Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:15:23 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-555 Thank you. I pretty much knew that. I just don't understand why some fans think it's their right to know how every last penny is spent and where it goes as long as the owner's do right by the players and their fans, and I have no reason to think they haven't. Thank you. I pretty much knew that. I just don’t understand why some fans think it’s their right to know how every last penny is spent and where it goes as long as the owner’s do right by the players and their fans, and I have no reason to think they haven’t.

]]> By: Tracy Ringolsby http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-551 Tracy Ringolsby Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:15:52 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-551 Very few private businesses provide such information. Very few private businesses provide such information.

]]> By: Ava http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-549 Ava Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:47:05 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-549 Great read and great answers Tracy, I learned alot, thanks. I for one never thought of the owners as cheap, there's alot more to owning and operating a baseball team than some people think. I do want to ask you though, is it really the Montforts obligation to put some kind of financial statement out there for the public as some people might want? Unless you're some kind of stockholder or shareholder or part owner or something, I wouldn't think it's necessary. Great read and great answers Tracy, I learned alot, thanks. I for one never thought of the owners as cheap, there’s alot more to owning and operating a baseball team than some people think. I do want to ask you though, is it really the Montforts obligation to put some kind of financial statement out there for the public as some people might want? Unless you’re some kind of stockholder or shareholder or part owner or something, I wouldn’t think it’s necessary.

]]> By: Tracy Ringolsby http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-544 Tracy Ringolsby Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:05:23 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-544 Antonio the article did not praise anyone. I pointed out that there was not a payroll slashing as some had suggested there would be. That isn't really praise as much as pointing out that the reality of the matter is the payroll is up 10 percent from a year ago and less than $300,000 behind the largest payroll ever. Is that reason to celebrate? We'll know in October. I don't think anybody shyould spend that on any player. Right now the Rockies, under formulas used to figure payrolls, have Helton at more than $17 million. They could probably afford another one but I wouldn't recommend it if I was the decision maker. The Mariners are in a total mess right now so the Mariners spending has not created reason for celebration in the last four, five years, has it? Antonio the article did not praise anyone. I pointed out that there was not a payroll slashing as some had suggested there would be. That isn’t really praise as much as pointing out that the reality of the matter is the payroll is up 10 percent from a year ago and less than $300,000 behind the largest payroll ever. Is that reason to celebrate? We’ll know in October.
I don’t think anybody shyould spend that on any player.
Right now the Rockies, under formulas used to figure payrolls, have Helton at more than $17 million. They could probably afford another one but I wouldn’t recommend it if I was the decision maker.
The Mariners are in a total mess right now so the Mariners spending has not created reason for celebration in the last four, five years, has it?

]]> By: antonio http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-543 antonio Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:54:53 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-543 tracy, while that is a totally valid opinion, im really more interested in whether you think they *can* afford those types of contracts, and/or team-wide salary increases in general- not whether they should or not. we may be beating a dead horse at this point, but your article began by seemingly praising the rox for spending 77 million dollars on payroll this year. i personally believe, given the seattle mariners comparison, that they could be spending way way more than that- and are simply using this "small market" excuse to line their pockets. the rockies financial flexibility is taken for granted to be limited, without any real concrete evidence that their supposedly minimal profits are keeping them from spending more money to improve the team. i guess im just curious as to why we, as fans, should accept this explanation. tracy,

while that is a totally valid opinion, im really more interested in whether you think they *can* afford those types of contracts, and/or team-wide salary increases in general- not whether they should or not. we may be beating a dead horse at this point, but your article began by seemingly praising the rox for spending 77 million dollars on payroll this year. i personally believe, given the seattle mariners comparison, that they could be spending way way more than that- and are simply using this “small market” excuse to line their pockets.

the rockies financial flexibility is taken for granted to be limited, without any real concrete evidence that their supposedly minimal profits are keeping them from spending more money to improve the team. i guess im just curious as to why we, as fans, should accept this explanation.

]]> By: Tracy Ringolsby http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-542 Tracy Ringolsby Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:34:26 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-542 Antonio, I don't feel anybody is worth $160 million for seven years. Period. I feel contracts like that hamstring a franchise. Not getting into who the player is. I don't believe you should tie yourslef up that long-term to anybody because it limits your flexibility. Antonio, I don’t feel anybody is worth $160 million for seven years. Period. I feel contracts like that hamstring a franchise. Not getting into who the player is. I don’t believe you should tie yourslef up that long-term to anybody because it limits your flexibility.

]]> By: TexasSteve http://www.insidetherockies.com/2009/04/02/rockies-payroll-nears-club-record/comment-page-1/#comment-541 TexasSteve Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:06:22 +0000 http://www.insidetherockies.com/?p=950#comment-541 Amen to your last post, Tracy. I believe the Monforts and the front office are trying to build a winning franchise within a reasonable and sound financial structure. We've seen glimpses of that with the World Series appearance of 2007 and a core of home-grown talent. I look forward to seeing this strategy continue to reward the Rockie faithful. Amen to your last post, Tracy. I believe the Monforts and the front office are trying to build a winning franchise within a reasonable and sound financial structure. We’ve seen glimpses of that with the World Series appearance of 2007 and a core of home-grown talent. I look forward to seeing this strategy continue to reward the Rockie faithful.

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