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It’s official. The Marlins have taken the word frugal to an entirely new level.
Deadspin.com released the Marlins’ financial statements for the last two seasons, when the team had a combined operating income of around $50 million, with a net profit of $33 million.
This is a farce and an outrage, considering they have consistently ranked at the bottom of the league in payroll for the last six to seven years.
It’s something the league addressed in the offseason urging the Marlins to spend more from their revenue sharing allotment. So they extended ace Josh Johnson. Big whoop.
The following is an open letter to Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria.
Dear Mr. Loria,
On behalf of the entire Marlins fan base, I am saddened, angry, and hurt after learning about the financial details of the Marlins over the last two seasons.
I know you were left with a terribly, scummy lease during your entire tenure as Marlins owner and you don’t profit much from stadium ventures like concessions and so forth. But that is not our problem!
You’re the owner, the top dog, and it is your moral obligation to this city, to your players, fans, and coaches to do your best to put the best possible product of baseball on the field.
Instead of allowing this young team to grow, you’ve handcuffed them. You shipped out one of the best young stars in baseball in Miguel Cabrera a few years ago for what reason exactly? The only answer is you didn’t want to pay him.
The entire point of revenue sharing is so teams on smaller financial scales like the Marlins can go out and compete! Yet you decide that money is better used in your pockets than on the field.
We are sick and tired of this same old routine. The team stockpiles great young talent via one of the best farm systems in baseball. The factory puts out stars like Josh Beckett and Cabrera but once it’s time to deliver them their big payday, you ship them out for prospects. What is the point of trading a star for a prospect who may or may not be a star one day?
Now you’re furious with Deadspin who exposed the Marlins financial documents? They did a service to the fans. Now you’re the one put in an uncomfortable corner. It’s on you now to give us a reason why we should go spend our hard-earned cash to watch this team play.
We are tired tired of this.
After both of the Marlins’ World Series wins, ownership has held a fire sale, drying up every crevice of talent there was. Marlins fans have been beat on for too long. We’ve endured the pain of seeing our champions stripped from our hands just days after victory, twice.
Every Marlins fan should punish you by not going to another game for the rest of the season. Maybe then you will learn your lesson. Loria you’re officially in timeout.
The good news it’s not too late. In fact, if you want any respect at all from this community you will do the following”
1. Offer free admission to select games next season.
2. Pay Dan Uggla. Extend Mike Stanton when the time comes! Lock up the young talent on this team for once! Bring in some quality relief pitching for crying out loud.
3. Sign a big-time free agent, something unheard of in Marlins history.
4. Hold an event in which you will sent in a chair and get pied in the face by every Marlins fan, past or present, in South Florida.
It’s not always about the future, Jeffrey. The present is here and you’re not in your new stadium yet. Tough!
There is no reason why you shouldn’t spend this offseason and put a great quality product on the field next year. I don’t care if you have to suffer financial losses to get it done. Do what you have to do.
You owe it to the players. You owe it to the coaches. Above all, you owe it to the fans.
Sincerely,
A Marlins Fan
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