Finally made it
I'm riding in the back of a cab on my way to the Bellagio, proving once again that I might be the most dedicated blogger on the planet.
I tried to send an entry from the airport around 7 a.m., but my laptop was in full tortoise mode as the A group began boarding. I fired it up again as soon as I plopped into my window seat and contorted my body to the size of a 4-foot-3 rubber man, but I ran out of time again. Overhead compartments were being slammed shut. I was being shut down.
Anyway, here's what should have landed at MASNsports.com much earlier in the day. Nothing that will change your lives, though I do find the first subject to be pretty interesting:
Barring a last-minute change, Orioles executive Mike Flanagan won't be attending the winter meetings. At least that's the word on the street. And if he's absent, speculation will mount about his future in the organization. Team president Andy MacPhail surely would be asked about it during tomorrow's session with the media, which is bound to notice that Flanagan is the only high-ranking official who didn't make the trip.
Have you noticed that 5 a.m. arrives quickly on a Sunday morning?
I showered, dressed, downed a bowl of cereal and made it to the airport a few minutes before 6 a.m., one of only three people on the shuttle from the daily garage. I sauntered up to the security line, first making sure they were open for business because I didn't see anyone in front of me, and now must kill time before my flight.
I managed to burn about two minutes flipping through The Sun sports section. I'm a slow reader.
I noticed a heavy snow falling outside, which had me a little concerned, but a Southwest employee assured one of her co-workers that it was only "frost."
Can't say I've ever seen it blowing sideways like that, but who am I to argue?
So far, I've spotted one Orioles physician at my gate, and FOXsports' Ken Rosenthal. I assumed there would be a few executives on this flight, though the Southwest accommodations might not suit them.
If I see Mark Teixeira in the terminal, I'll jump in the seat next to him.
I'd be surprised if Teixeira signs this week, but he wants a deal done by Christmas. Baseball's big spenders are on the clock.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
Is it true dedication to the blog, or just a Type-A trait showing up?
Your prognostication for a Monday announcement of some tranasaction is appealing. It probably will be a dud, like releasing Cabrera, but it'll be nice to see them do something, anything, during the winter meetings.
My own guess is that they end up with both Japanese pitchers, so they can comfort each other in the clubhouse. Sight unseen they figure to be better than the leftovers they are talking about.
So, did you ask Rosenthal about his Teixeira/Varitek "package" rumor?
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Didn't get a chance. But like so many others, he doesn't see the Orioles getting Teixeira. - Roch
I travel quite a bit for my job and Southwest was always somewhat bare-bones with respect to amenities. However, now that the "regular" airlines have cut back on everything and are charging you for every little thing I have to say that Southwest is now one of the most generous by comparison. At least they don't charge you for a soda and give you a snack!
Unfortuantely the Orioles are all about making money for the owner, and are run that way. They will not be big spenders. Some teams are desperate to win and are run that way, others like the Orioles are run to make money. Angelos has folks duped into thinking he can't compete because his revenues aren't high enough. What's really important is income. Income equals revenues minus costs. The Orioles have decent income and low costs, their income is high.
Here is income from 2002 thru 2007 and the rank of
various teams. THE TOP TEN
team income rank
Indians 125.3 1
DRays 106.3 2
Orioles 101.3 3
Reds 98.8 4
Braves 95.1 5
Wh Sox 93.9 6
Mariner 90 7
Brewers 85.6 8
Cubs 83.1 9
Astros 75.9 10
THE BOTTOM TEN
team income rank
Bl Jays 22.8 21
Mets 22.3 22
Phils 22.1 23
Tigers 19.7 24
Dodgers 9.4 25
Rangers 2.6 26
Angels -15.1 27
DBACKS -22 28
Red Sox -42.9 29
Yankees -169.6 30
Conclusion Angelos is running this team to make money and doing a great job. Their income is 3rd in all baseball over a six year period. Oriole's income over a six year period is 270 million higher than the Yankees, a team desperate to win. This is how the Orioles will behave this offseason. Winning isn't everything, making money is. In the end expect a marginally competitive team with low payroll and high profitability, straight to the owner's pockets. Don't expect us to sign Burnett or Tex that money is for Angelos. Perhaps it's time to boycott everything Angelos.
Roch,
Since the Cubs are looking for a left handed outfield bat, what are the chances Luke Scott gets tossed into the potential 3way with the Padres?
Have an awesome time out there!
Hard to see the O's signing Teixeira. Mostly because we have not even heard that they have had a metting or anything. I guess the best 'effort' is saying they would like to sign him and then not doing anything.
Oh and thanks for clearing that up about the 40 man. Also looks like they will need a spot to stick Wieters.
If it brings Tex to us, I would offer to pay Varitek his one year ten million as long as Boras pays Ramon's 8M salary
Dave, I would love to see the source for your numbers. First you seem to use revenue and income interchangeably. Second you dont take equity into account and the Yankees are worth about 20% more than the second place Mets by 2009 numbers. Third I believe your numbers are actually NOI, which is only part of the story. Fourth, I don't think your numbers take into account all revenue sources(Yankees own YES, Orioles MASN, Sawx NESN) etc. Fifth, the Orioles under Angelos have been big payroll teams as well as low payroll teams so obviously he is willing to try it either way. Sixth, I have not seen these throngs who you say are all duped into believing Angelos doesnt have the revenues to spend. With ZERO revenues from the Orioles he could personally afford a 150M payroll if he wanted. It has nothing to do with team revenues, or income or NOI, or EBITDA or net income or any other accounting line item. He is a lousy baseball exec. That is what it comes down to. I personally doubt that MASN is yet the gold mine that some fans seem to think it is but that doesnt mean I am duped into anything.
Dave, terminology's a little off, but point taken. You said they have decent income, and then their income is high.
I think what is meant is that either INCOME minus costs, or REVENUE minus costs, equals NET PROFIT. Income and revenue are the same thing.
Also, every team, and every business known to man, is there to make money. What has been done wrong is not not spending money, it's hiring the wrong decision makers.
It will forever mistify me how a former Cy Young winner and pitching coach was the executive VP, and five years later, there was still so little pitching in the organization or on the team. Further, the Flanagan-Beatty and Flanagan-Duquette team signed two of the most idiotic, hand-tying contracts any Oriole has ever been given - Jay Gibbons and Ramon Her-(f'ing)-nandez. Ok, Angelos had to sign off on it. But the execs still convinced him to.
I guess I could answer my own question by saying Flanagan was a teacher's pet of Angelos. I would think more people than just myself will be curious to see if anything's beneath the surface of Flanny not being on the trip, and his contract being up this month, as Roch mentioned.
Roch--After you "sauntered," did you go on a "sojourn" and a "jaunt"?
I agree with Glen Burnie Joe - why not throw Luke Scott into the mix and see if we can get back Marquis/Cedeno. The cubs are looking to lose Marquis' salary and are considering non-tendering Cedeno. Win/win.