MLB 2023 Season

[Westheim]

Strasburg has "severe nerve damage", unlikely to pitch again

There goes the rest of 2012-13's fiery NL East duo. (puts on his Harvey's Better shirt)

Strasburg: 113-62, 3.24 ERA, 1,723 K
Harvey: 50-66, 4.42 ERA, 867 K

Didn't end the way I would've liked

[Le Grande Orange]

The amount Oakland spent in 2022 on player payroll and related expenses:

$49,066,454 for player salaries and bonuses + $16,016,707 for its share of player pension and benefits + $1,666,667 for its share of the pre-arbitration bonus pool = $66,749,828.

To that would be added all the other operating expenses.


At the other end of the spectrum, the New York Mets spent the most in 2022:

$274,912,453 for player salaries and bonuses + $16,016,707 for its share of player pension and benefits + $1,666,667 for its share of the pre-arbitration bonus pool = $292,595,827. That's 4.38 times more than what Oakland spent.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

The only thing more shady than professional sports accounting is Hollywood accounting.

That said, the revenue figures are likely accurate. Those are harder to manipulate. It's the expenses which get helped with things such as depreciation of player contracts or inflated general & administrative costs. As Paul Beeston famously said, "Anyone who quotes profits of a baseball club is missing the point. Under generally accepted accounting principles, I can turn a $4 million profit into a $2 million loss, and I can get every national accounting firm to agree with me."

Do remember that about ten years ago the financial statements for several MLB clubs covering the 2007-09 seasons were leaked to Deadspin. There are selected other examples of financial statements out there, going all the way back to 1945. (I've saved all the ones I could find.)

I know. I've called it "creative accounting" for years. I refuse to believe billionaires are spending billions to purchase businesses w/no certainty in making profit. It will not fit w/my common sense.

There's a difference between having a profit and having the resources to compete with a club making two, three, or four times as much revenue. That isn't a new issue; it goes all the way back to professional baseball's earliest days.

$ is an advantage. It is not the determining factor.

And yet major billion dollar, multinational corporations have been flushing money away with disastrous ad campaigns and pushing certain political positions, and rather than correcting course, they double down on those campaigns and politics, even as sales and stock prices fall.

Because of, once again, "creative accounting". Somehow this financial downfalls keep happening, yet no one is moving out of any mansions. Think about it.

Profit doesn't seem to mean what it used to mean.

Profit means what it has always meant. "Winning" is the word whose definition has changed.

Nothing is guaranteed. Revenue sharing gets recalculated every year. The current formulas, which go back to the 2007 CBA, use an weighted average of the last three years of local revenue.

And yet these billionaires seem fine w/the risk. Wonder why...........?

Blame that one on the voters who agreed to pay public money to build the stadium for the club. Taxpayers footing the bill for the stadiums/arenas/parks used by private sports teams is a uniquely American phenomenon..

Agreed. AsI've said up here multiple times before, what corporate America can get away w/in the USA in comparison to other free enterprise countries astounds me everytime.

Feel free to explain how a club earning $80 million in revenue can adequately compete with a club earning $400 million in revenue.

Soon as I get the Rays front office phone # I'll relay what they said.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Westheim

Strasburg has "severe nerve damage", unlikely to pitch again

There goes the rest of 2012-13's fiery NL East duo. (puts on his Harvey's Better shirt)

Strasburg: 113-62, 3.24 ERA, 1,723 K
Harvey: 50-66, 4.42 ERA, 867 K

Didn't end the way I would've liked

Remember the Nats sitting him in the postseason to preserve his arm? This is why that was stupid. Some can pitch 300 innings and go bowl 50 frames afterward. Some throw 50 innings & have to get Tommy John surgery. You don't know & you can't prevent it.

[Cobra Mgr]

Never saw a game end like this before.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I know. I've called it "creative accounting" for years.

It certainly doesn't make accounting look like a reputable industry.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I refuse to believe billionaires are spending billions to purchase businesses w/no certainty in making profit. It will not fit w/my common sense.

Again, there are major multinational corporation are currently flushing money away on questionable practices. Business doesn't seem to be about business sometimes.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

$ is an advantage. It is not the determining factor.

It's not a guarantee, certainly, but it's a big help. More money means more room to make mistakes; less money means you have to get things right from the outset.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Because of, once again, "creative accounting". Somehow this financial downfalls keep happening, yet no one is moving out of any mansions. Think about it.

It's not accounting causing it. Some types of institutional investors are propping things up. Shareholders as yet have not revolted in the face of losses. Sooner or later they will.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Profit means what it has always meant. "Winning" is the word whose definition has changed.

As the Maple Leafs under Harold Ballard showed, if you have a fan base that will turn up no matter what, you can make a profit off of lousy teams.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

And yet these billionaires seem fine w/the risk. Wonder why...........?

Some owners view their teams as a plaything, or a distraction, or a hobby, and not as an investment or moneymaking enterprise. That's nothing new.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Agreed. AsI've said up here multiple times before, what corporate America can get away w/in the USA in comparison to other free enterprise countries astounds me everytime.

Public participation is always sold as being economically worthwhile because of the greater economic income a new stadium and related developments will create. Studies are invariably provided to bolster that case to get the public onside. Less commonly seen are the economic studies which cast doubt on such claims.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Soon as I get the Rays front office phone # I'll relay what they said.

The season's not over yet. Note that one season of success is a different matter from repeated seasons of success. Flash in the pans happen.

However, you'll probably enjoy this. The top five and bottom five 2023 opening day payrolls and their records through June 2nd.

NYN, $355,436,854 opening day payroll, 30-28 record
NYA, $275,249,873 opening day payroll, 34-25 record
SDN, $257,610,217 opening day payroll, 26-31 record
PHI, $236,260,439 opening day payroll, 26-32 record
LAN, $221,759,500 opening day payroll, 35-23 record

CIN, $84,175,714 opening day payroll, 26-32 record
TBA, $75,209,811 opening day payroll, 40-19 record
PIT, $71,652,500 opening day payroll, 29-27 record
BAL, $60,422,300 opening day payroll, 36-21 record
OAK, $57,795,000 opening day payroll, 12-48 record

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Again, there are major multinational corporation are currently flushing money away on questionable practices. Business doesn't seem to be about business sometimes.


It's not accounting causing it. Some types of institutional investors are propping things up. Shareholders as yet have not revolted in the face of losses. Sooner or later they will.

You're going to roll on the floor laughing at me, but this scene in an old sitcom is where I 1st became aware of "creative accounting". (Sry for the video quality. But the dialogue is what's important.) That's what's going on. They are manipulating the "minuses" so that they become "pluses" to the bottom line. Common sense says no one pays billions to lose millions.

What you have in Oakland is the movie Major League being played out in real life. Sorry seasons leads to "credibility" for trading usable, but expensive, talent for prospects. Which leads to more losing. Which leads to lower attendance. Which leads to "credibility" for not spending $ cause ticket revenue is down. Which leads to more losing w/no name players. Which leads to placing blame on the stadium &/or locale. Which leads to claiming the franchise needs a welfare stadium.

Meanwhile, somehow, this franchise that is supposedly bleeding cash has the funds to put towards a stadium and all the costs that comes from moving personnel, equipment, buying real estate from numerous "binding" agreements & creating new uniforms, logos & merchandise.

The A's ain't losing $. It's not a mystery. It's a lie. It's an illusion. A fraud. A scam. A tactic that has gotten other franchises their welfare homes time & time again. Turn your attention to the man behind the curtain.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

You're going to roll on the floor laughing at me, but this scene in an old sitcom is where I 1st became aware of "creative accounting". (Sry for the video quality.

Ah, WKRP in Cincinnati. A great, if short-lived, show. I have fond memories of Bailey Quarters.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Meanwhile, somehow, this franchise that is supposedly bleeding cash has the funds to put towards a stadium and all the costs that comes from moving personnel, equipment, buying real estate from numerous "binding" agreements & creating new uniforms, logos & merchandise.

I suspect Oakland management has known for a long time it wasn't getting a new park in the city, and has planned accordingly. The club was valued by Forbes at $1.18 billion, which, I would assume, gives it access to various lines of credit and/or loans.

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

The A's ain't losing $. It's not a mystery. It's a lie. It's an illusion. A fraud. A scam. A tactic that has gotten other franchises their welfare homes time & time again. Turn your attention to the man behind the curtain.

Forbes had the club posting a $29.2 million EBITDA operating profit for the 2022 season. It doesn't say how much of that operating profit was revenue sharing.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Ah, WKRP in Cincinnati. A great, if short-lived, show. I have fond memories of Bailey Quarters.

Bailey was highly underrated. But when you have Jennifer......

I suspect Oakland management has known for a long time it wasn't getting a new park in the city, and has planned accordingly. The club was valued by Forbes at $1.18 billion, which, I would assume, gives it access to various lines of credit and/or loans.

Wouldn't surprise me. Amazes me the people who are rich that can be given $ & freebies but we will watch a single mom get evicted out of a one room dump in a heartbeat. But while I know the capacity of execs to be idiots has no bounds, I'm sure they know the A's are good for the $. So again, not losing $.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

Bailey was highly underrated. But when you have Jennifer......

I always preferred Bailey, just like I was always a Mary Ann fan.

If you weren't aware, you can find full episodes of WKRP on YouTube.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

I always preferred Bailey, just like I was always a Mary Ann fan.

If you weren't aware, you can find full episodes of WKRP on YouTube.

I'm the same. I'm into the nerdy, shy type myself. But even with my normal preferences, Lonnie Anderson ..................

Myself & a friend of mine watches the Turkey Drop every Thanx. Underrated episode: the Phone Cops.

[cephasjames]

Originally Posted by Westheim

Strasburg has "severe nerve damage", unlikely to pitch again

There goes the rest of 2012-13's fiery NL East duo. (puts on his Harvey's Better shirt)

Strasburg: 113-62, 3.24 ERA, 1,723 K
Harvey: 50-66, 4.42 ERA, 867 K

Didn't end the way I would've liked

What? Stephen Strasburg has health issues? Dude has pitched 2, maybe 3, full seasons his entire 13-year career.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by cephasjames

What? Stephen Strasburg has health issues? Dude has pitched 2, maybe 3, full seasons his entire 13-year career.

Yes. To receive fair and equitable treatment in OOTPB, he needs the "Hide Injury Rating" option to be selected.

[Cobra Mgr]

deGrom out til '24. $ well spent.

[Syd Thrift]

I’m so sad for the Rangers… oh wait, no I’m not.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

I’m so sad for the Rangers… oh wait, no I’m not.

Don't worry, I'm sure 98% of their fans don't care, nor do they realize they're in 1st place. All that matters to them is whether or not they show that video of Nolan Ryan and Robin Ventura 3 or 4 times each home game.

[Westheim]

A's ran the Pirates' Roansy Contreras with seven runs in the first inning.

Which means they now have about a 50% chance to actually win this game.

[Syd Thrift]

Alek Manoah was claimed by the Portland Pickles… I’d guess the Jays will pull him back but how is it even possible to fall this far so quickly? I know he’s been awful but even Steve Blass was given more of an opportunity to suck and he was far worse than Manoah has been this year. Is it just the advanced metrics allowing people to make decisions more quickly? Is there something else going on we don’t know about?

[kq76]

Originally Posted by Syd Thrift

Alek Manoah was claimed by the Portland Pickles… I’d guess the Jays will pull him back but how is it even possible to fall this far so quickly? I know he’s been awful but even Steve Blass was given more of an opportunity to suck and he was far worse than Manoah has been this year. Is it just the advanced metrics allowing people to make decisions more quickly? Is there something else going on we don’t know about?

I think the thing is Roy Halladay famously got sent down to low level minors to work things out and it worked for him so the thought is it might work for Manoah too. He looked so bad that there's no question in my mind it's the right thing to do. Random batters pitching often look far better. And I really do think there can be something to working out your issues in a safe environment, as opposed to a stadium of fans frustrated at you and the thought of letting down your team. It may have been a mechanical issue before, but it sure seems largely mental now so just get him right.

[Cobra Mgr]

Games in Yankee Stadium & Philly cancelled due to air polluted by Canadian wildfires.