The worst thing a major league baseball owner can do is disrespect the fans. My definition of the worst owner is one that completely ignore their fans, treats the game only as a business, raises ticket prices without investing it back into the team and cuts payroll to cover non-baseball debts. All of the above end up hurting baseball and passionate baseball fans.
As a passionate baseball fan, I was compelled to express my frustration after listening to Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts discuss the subject on New York's #1 sports radio station WFAN.
So, I went down the list of current MLB owners for the worst owners. I'm happy to say that it appears that almost all of the MLB owners do really care about their fans. But I found two exceptions and they reside in the National League East. The worst owner in major league baseball, in my opinion, is Jeffrey Loria, owner of the Miami Marlins. Right behind him is Mets owner and Jeff Wilpon.
I'll lead off with the reasons why Mr. Wilpon is bad for baseball fans and baseball in general.
Fred Wilpon New York Mets
Everyone knows that the Wilpons are in financial trouble. But most baseball fans don't know it all started way before the Madoff scheme.
Back in 2000, the Mets offered malcontent Bobby Bonilla a deferred deal of $1.2 million a year for 25 years, starting in 2010. It all started with a bonehead agreement back in 2000 with Bobby Bonilla. They offered him $1.2 million for the next 25 years.
They did a similar deal years earlier with Bret Saberhagen, who pitched for the team from 1992 to 1995. For 25 years starting in 2004, Mr. Saberhagen receives annual deferred payments of $250,000.
In fairness to Wilpon, he was minority owner when the Saberhagen deal went down and 50% owner when Bonilla got his deal.
But these deals show precedence as to the blatant disregard of financial common sense that evenually affect the fans. As majority owner he knew this money was due. Why didn't he try to negotiate a buyout of these contracts back when the Mets were good, and popular.
Next, call it bad timing or whatever, but they sunk a fortune on building a new stadium. Didn't they do a cost benefit analysis, work some what-if scenarios? There is just no excuse. None at all. Sure, he could say he did it for the fans but we all why he did he!
What makes Fred Wilpon one the worst owners in baseball is the fact that he has cut payroll by $50 million. That would be ok if the money wasn't being used to pay down exorbinant debt on his other business entities, like his sports network, SNY.
Finally, now the Wilpons are "shopping" for minority owners to raise $200 million. Even if they reach that goal that money will go to paying off a $25 million loan from MLB, cover operational costs and pay the deferred contracts. What it won't make up for is the millions they are losing at the gate.
Could Wilpon be that naive as to think that New York fans would come out in droves to support a AAA team, at almost double the ticket price? Come on!
Bankruptcy is a real possibility for the Wilpons. It would be a sad day for the Wilpons but a great one for Mets fans.
Jeffrey Loria Miami Marlins
As bad an owner Fred Wilpon is, there is one worst. Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. Loria's baseball legacy goes back to the Montreal Expos. He cried to MLB front office when he lost out to Peter Angelos in a bid to purchase the Baltimore Orioles in 1994. He ended up buying 24% of the Montreal Expos. After the owner couldn't make a cash call, he ended up with 94% of the team.
So what was the first thing he did? He moved the team. "We cannot stay here." Loria was quoted as saying. Talk about pissing off baseball fans. But the story gets even better...
The sale of the Expos in 2002 was a very shady deal by MLB and MLB owners. Bud Selig and then-Marlins owner John W. Henry sold the Expos back to an LP which was a partnership of the other 29 MLB teams at the time, for $120 million. Henry then sold the Marlins to Loria for $158.5 million, including a $38.5 million no-interest loan from MLB. This paved the way for John Henry to buy the Boston Red Sox.
This deal was so seedy that Loria's partners in the Expos ownership consortium filed a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) lawsuit against Loria and Major League Baseball, but it eventually went to arbitration, with the arbitration panel finding in favor of Loria. Did you expect any other outcome?
Loria never had any intention of staying in Montreal, who ended up moving to Washington, D.C. and became the Nationals.
As you can see, Loria's involvement in baseball has nothing to do with the love of the game. It is purely a business venture. I would be fine with that if at least had some respect for his fans. Sleazy dealings, disregard for anyone, F-you must be his mantra.
Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts discussed the topic of the Miami Marlins and owner Jeffrey Loria. He came up with five more actions that demonstrate his disrespect for the baseball faithful, especially Marlins fans. So, I give Evan all the credit:
Loria's ego is too big for baseball. It resulted in the firing of manager Joe Girardi in 2006. Girardi's departure after only one season had been expected after his rift with Loria boiled over two months earlier in an on-field confrontation over the owner's heckling of an umpire. Who suffered? Marlins fans.
Then in 2010 he fired manager Fredi Gonzalez and let shortstop Hanley Ramirez walk right all over the manager. Talk about no respect. If he doesn't respect the manager, how can have respect for the game. It's all about power. Does it affect baseball fans, tough SH%$!
Right now the Securities and Exchange Commission has subpoenaed some records from Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami over their ballpark deal with the Marlins. They're looking at the $500 million in bond sales, and they're also going to look at campaign contributions to local and state elected leaders. Another seedy backroom deal.
Who will be left to pay the debt if things go south? You guessed it taxpayers, many who are baseball fans.
The final straw is the unretiring of No. 5 so a guy named Logan Morrison can wear it as a tribute to his dead dad, who idolized George Brett, who wore No. 5. Do you believe this?
No Marlin has worn the number. It was retired in 1993 before the franchise's first game in honor of Carl Barger, who was team president when he died in 1992. Barger's favorite player, Joe DiMaggio, wore No. 5.
Talk about disrespect. I am outraged. Talk about breaking tradition. I mean they didn't even contact Barger's family before they took action.
If this isn't pure disrespect for the game and all baseball fans, nothing is.
But I have hope - Karma is a bitch!
sources: wfan sports radio, mlb.com, wikipedia.com, miamiherald.com
