If Steinbrenner owned the team...

by moomacher on May 1, 2007 12:39 PM MDT Comment 25 comments

So yesterday Georgie boy issues a fax from down in Tampa (its an open secret that he basically senile)that says he isn't ready to fire Torre or Cashman, but that the players sure as hell better start playing better. The Yankees, let me remind you, are currently in the unfamiliar position of looking up at the Devil Rays in the AL East. Meanwhile we have heard nary a peep from the Brothers Monfort or Dan O'Dowd about the Rox' pathetic opening month.

Anyways, to move this thought experiment along, assume that you are mid-1980s Steinbrenner, you own the Rockies, and you are ready to hit the panic button. What can be done to make the team play better? Or, if we are already giving up on the season, what can be done to set up the team for a more succesful 2008?

For instance, should we just can Hurdle right now? Can we entice Joe Girardi to give the Rocks a go, even though he is probably next in line for the Yanks job?

What about our players? Should we start exploring some trade possibilities? It does seem to me that we have a surplus of bats at corner positions, and could use some pitching...How about trading Helton?

Let's not forget that most of the statistical projections this year had the Rockies at well under 500, and so far the models seem to be right on. So we can't just sit around next year with the same team, also projected to have a losing record, and hope that by some miracle everybody has a career year, can we?

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).

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Get suspended by the commisioner.

Oh, you said the mid-1980's.

I don't believe Girardi is next in line for the manager's job. Donnie Baseball is the next guy up. At least that's how I read the situation.

The team should speak softly and carry a big stick.

by Russ Oates on May 1, 2007 1:17 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Go for Girardi

I love making a move for Girardi, but that won't happen. Actually I think we sort of just have to play out the season because of the young guys, who shouldn't be traded, are hurting the team now but will probably not continue to do so in the future. But I can think of one thing that would be huge that we should do, if we are resigned to playing for next year. Trade Holliday and possibly Taveras. Three team deal. Trade Holliday for some pitching prospects and then move the pitching prospects and maybe some of our own farm talent to the D-Rays in exchange for one of their young center fielders, Baldelli/Crawford/Dukes. Then move Baker to left permanently for the rest of the season, and bring up Spilborghs to play the fourth outfielder role. Since we probably won't sign Holliday in the off season we can use him to significantly upgrade in center. Then depending on Baker's performance after a full year we can keep him for next year or sign a free agent corner outfielder if he does not perform well.

by RandyMann on May 1, 2007 2:00 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Baker

If having a gigantic head is one of the characteristics we're looking for in a corner outfielder, Jeff Baker is our guy. If we're looking for the ability to play baseball at a very high level and the capability to improve the Rockies, maybe we should go in a different direction. I don't know what makes everyone think Baker is the long term answer in the outfield. His bat has been dead lately (though this could certainly turn around) and he has looked pretty shaky judging flyballs. Is it just hope that he'll learn more with experience? How about we nut up and sign Holliday long term, or is that inconceivable at this point?

Free Jason Bates!!

by rox in october on May 1, 2007 4:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

80's Steinbrenner

I loved him back then, loved his no excuse for 2nd bull dog attitude.

80's Boss wouldn't have put up with this crap for one season, let alone so many on end. He'd fired Hurdle a long time ago, brought in Billy Martin's zombied body, fired him, and then brought him back. He'd send notes from the owners box. He'd throw some money at the situation. If we had 80's Boss to day I think the whole attitude would be different. And our payroll would be up, the fans would still believe, and buy tickets like they used to, and we'd have a much more competitive team. We'd have guys like A-Rod or Ivan Rodriguez or Carlos Beltran on this team. We'd have an ace like Webb or Derek Lowe leading the team, and he'd be courting Santana right now, knowing that we'd throw more money at him then the Twins.

Now would the Rockies have a television deal like the Yankees? hell no. Just not enough TV sets in the Denver market, so the Rockies would be bleeding money...but I'm not sure guys like Steinbrener or Kroenke care about that...

Stan Kroenke? hmm? wonder if he'd rather buy the Rockies over England Arsenal? What a not so orginal but great idea! He needs an MLB team, and we need new owners!

Could we throw "REGGIE" candy bars on the field in Coors? (look it up)

We may stink, but we won't be swept!

by Redhawk on May 1, 2007 3:07 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Stan Kroenke is an interesting name to bring up

Because he has been very good to the Avs, willing to carry a top 5 payroll in the pre salary cap era to have a winning team. And the AI trade and his willingness to pay luxury tax for the Nuggets would seem to indicate that he is willing to sustain negative cashflow for a while. Also his sports network would seem to have a hole in their progamming over the summer that could be filled by Rockies games.

I found out today (I sort of knew this already in the back of my mind somewhere) that Fox owns 15% of the Rockies, presumably as part of the FSNRM TV deal?

by moomacher on May 1, 2007 3:35 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Kroenke

I read somewhere that a few years ago he approached the Monforts about the Rockies and they told him they weren't interested. I don't remember where I read that, but it's too bad.

by Knepster on May 1, 2007 3:51 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

yep on the Fox and TV deal

The Monforts needed big cash when they did the TV deal. Altitude offered some...but the competition got Fox to really pony up. The Monforts had had a cash call with owners in each of the 2 years prior to the Fox deal, and a 3rd even bigger cash call was looming. (a cash call is when the team is so far in the red they have to get operating capital i.e. cash to pay salaries and loans. All the owners have to pay based on their share of ownership. And not having any money to give isn't an option. I went through 2 of these when I worked for the OKC Cavalry CBA club. It was UGLY!)

Fox had just sold their Dodgers shares when the Dodgers were sold, and it was great timing, that they could give more then a basic TV deal, just when the Denver sports market got a new local compition to Fox RM.

My understanding is the Monforts still dream of a long term family owned baseball...like the olden days when the Rickeys owned the Dodgers, and the Wrigleys owned the Cubs. They've shown no interested in selling the team, any more then they've show in providing the resources to make the Rockies competitive. Mostly cause as rich goes, their not THAT rich.

We may stink, but we won't be swept!

by Redhawk on May 1, 2007 5:13 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rich

Not nearly as rich as Kroenke, that's for sure.

by Knepster on May 1, 2007 8:16 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

This game is easy

Mid 80's Steinbrenner would have:

Moved Hurdle to the head scout position after relieving him after game 10.
Brought in Bob Lemon to manage. Give Lemon vote of confidence for whole year.
Announce after game 20 that Billy Martin will be back in 2008 as manager since Lem didn't turn the team around

4)Traded Tulo to the Brewers for Jeff Suppan and Matt Wise, announcing after the trade how we are a couple pitchers away from winning it all.

by comedian on May 1, 2007 3:37 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

On a more serious tact

Would Girardi want to come manage here, considering the trade (the rumor I remember hearing being he was the Union Rep during the 94 strike and the ownership group wanted him gone after that)? May not be any bad blood but at the same time what aside from money would you offer him and does his one year in Florida as manager give you the confidence to throw big money at him?

He was up for bigger jobs that the Rockies this last year. The danger he may face is his name cooling off, but then again some guys stick around for years and get mentions for high profile jobs, without doing anything real.

I do think we need just a managerial change. I don't know who you get that in and of itself turns this team around. The problems are bigger than that. And I don't see the status quo changing until ownership changes. The fact of the matter is that the Monforts are OK with mediocrity.

by comedian on May 1, 2007 3:44 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

That last paragraph should say

I do believe we need more than just a managerial...

by comedian on May 1, 2007 3:45 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree the problems are deeper than Clint

But the fact is that its very hard to fire 25 guys for underperforming, especially when so many of them represent years of investment from the farm system. Ergo, the easiest move to make is to get rid of the manager.

by moomacher on May 1, 2007 4:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

You can't fire the whole team. I guess while I certainly wouldn't mind if they did replace Hurdle and in fact believe it to be warranted, I just don't see it happening. I don't think that the Monforts would pay the money it would take to get a top flight manager, and in fact think they are happy with Hurdle because he supports the company line. He isn't going to make any waves or complain about any moves/trades. He strikes me as a "I'm just happy to be here" guy. It's management's sand box and gosh durn it, he's just playing in it.

But assuming that the Monforts were to make a wholesale change, how about someone out of the Twins org for GM, like Joe McIlvaine who has previous GM experience or even Terry Ryan himself? Maybe someone like Assistant GM David Forst or the head of scouting Eric Kubota from the Athletics?

I bring up those names only thinking that if I had to emmulate two organizations with similar markets and similar constraints, you could do worse than the A's or Twins. I suppose we could try and steal Josh Byrnes away from Arizona, but I'm not sure he would want to come, or that he would be the best guy to go after.

As far as Manager, You could go for a long established guy like Davey Johnson, or completely in the other direction and grab a former player/now coach like Andy Van Slyke from Detroit or Roger McDowell or Terry Pendleton with the Braves. I don't know if those guys have managerial hopes, but who knows.

Inside the franchise, outside of Walt Weiss I am not sure who I could think of whom I would even consider, and again, like the above suggestions, I don't even know if Weiss would be interested.

by comedian on May 1, 2007 8:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually have had

the pleasure of getting to know Walt Weiss. He lived down the street from me after he retired. I spoke to him about managing, but at that time he was taking it slow with the Rockies, not traveling with them because he wanted to spend extra time with his family, especially his son who was playing baseball in high school through '04. However he did not rule out the possibility of managing one day, and I think he would be far and above the best in house possibility for the Rockies. Furthermore his role with the Rockies has progressively been expanding and as time goes on he is getting more and more involved.

by RandyMann on May 2, 2007 11:56 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

That would be great

I had no idea if he would or would not be, but he's at least someone to consider I think.

by comedian on May 3, 2007 9:07 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well if not Girardi

I'm sure Bobby Valentine would love to come to Colorado.

ducks head from thrown debris

We may stink, but we won't be swept!

by Redhawk on May 1, 2007 5:05 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

I'm gonna put in a bid to buy the team. How much could we be worth? I've got $1 in my pocket.

The Coors Effect... thinking about changing the name to The Humidor Effect.

by Rox Fan in TN on May 2, 2007 11:07 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Ya know...

If the town of Green Bay can own the Packers, why can't the Row own the Rockies?

P.S. I've got 40 bucks in my pocket to throw in.

by SlamDunkTheFunk on May 2, 2007 2:04 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

According to Forbes

The Rockies are worth $317 million. Check it out here http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/33/07mlb_Colorado-Rockies_336931.html

by Knepster on May 2, 2007 4:10 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Uh-oh

We gotta lotta penny-pinching to do, fellow Rowers.

Ryan Spilborghs: Saving the world from evil Rockies clones since... uh.... well, now would be a good time. Ya listening, Clint?

by Silverblood on May 3, 2007 10:19 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

We can manage that!

Anybody know how to launder money? Maybe we should look it up...

by SlamDunkTheFunk on May 2, 2007 6:21 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice Office Space reference

"I can't believe what a bunch of nerds we are. We're looking up 'money laundering' in a dictionary." - Michael Bolton

Free Ryan Spilborghs!

by malakian on May 2, 2007 7:41 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yay

I was hoping somebody would get it.

by SlamDunkTheFunk on May 2, 2007 7:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just doing a little math here

Lets say there are about 1000 die hard fans of the Rockies, there are probably more but I'm just using this number as a starting point. The team is worth 317 million. If we split that 1000 ways thats only 317k a piece. Who's with me? oh by the way, money's a little tight right now so maybe somebody can help me with my part.

The Colorado Rockies: Making the opposition look better since 1993.

by Blake20th on May 3, 2007 1:36 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I absolutely would be in

my idealism has got to be getting annoying by now. But think about it! The Row would make up for all that the Monforts lack. The biggest difference I see in the Rockies that the other teams I love don't have (Broncos, Nuggets, Avalanche) is ownership that absolutely sells out to win. Pat Bowlen is one of the best owners in all of sports and Stan Kroenke hasn't done anything except get people to stop making fun of the Nuggets (seriously. The Nuggets. This is the team that constantly got jokes like "A man walks into a gas station and leaves two Nuggets tickets on his dashboard. When the man came back out, he found two more sitting there." That crap doesn't happen anymore). The Monforts lack everything I love about Kroenke and Bowlen. I want my owners to be passionate. Is there any collection of Rockies fans more passionate than those found here at the Row?

by SlamDunkTheFunk on May 4, 2007 11:15 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs