MLB Commisioner Bud Selig moments ago approved the Marlins trade with the Blue Jays in which Miami sent Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck in return for Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino, Jeff Mathis, Jake Marisnick and Anthony DeSclafani.
It was a trade that drew the ire of many Marlins fans who felt in a word “betrayed” after what they felt was a promise that if they got a new stadium they would be more competitive in fielding a team for their fans. In the days that followed the announcement of the trade many articles echoed this feeling. Here are a few excerpts from some of those articles.
Time to ship Loria out of town, too
“Loria broke the public covenant of a new stadium and dropped napalm on the sport in South Florida by trading five Marlins regulars with expensive contracts to Toronto for a minor-league roster to be named later.
He betrayed your trust. So you’ll betray him now. He sold off his team. So you won’t buy what he’s selling anymore.”
Dave George: Miami Marlins betray their fans yet again
“It makes it impossible to like this team, much less love it.
It makes Miami and Miami-Dade politicians look like fools for throwing precious recession-era millions at a company that has just exported its top-quality products to Canada and is perfectly happy offering up seconds to the locals.
Josh Johnson is gone to the Toronto Blue Jays, just four months after Hanley Ramirez was traded to the Dodgers. Can’t draw up a better in-your-face to fans than to ship off the two supposed faces of the franchise, the same players who were advertised as the cornerstones of a grand new Marlins legacy in a brand new ballpark.
Kiss Jose Reyes goodbye, too, as if he were the reason that the Marlins stunk it up so badly last season. No matter what else was happening, Jose always brought a smile and a jolt of energy to the clubhouse. Those commodities would only have increased in value in the years to come, if and when Miami ever displayed the patience to build momentum rather than feeding it through the payroll shredder.”
The joke is on us: Jeffrey Loria has his stadium and dumps his star players
” Shooting down the Dolphin Expressway a couple of weeks ago, I glanced over at Marlins Park. It seemed to be laughing.
I couldn’t exactly determine the type of mirth in those brief few seconds.
Now, as the Marlins deal pitchers Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle and their best position player, Jose Reyes, to finish a roster cutdown that began at midseason, I can identify it as the sinister belly laugh of a sentient Death Star-like construct.
“My master, Lord Loria, merely dangled a few promises before you to fool you into helping to create me! Now, the mighty tractor beam of my debt will suck the money from your present and future pockets as you slave while I make Lord Loria ever richer and more powerful! BWAAAA-HA-HA-HA!”
Here is what the Official Press Release by the Commissioner had to say.
Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig issued the following statement today regarding the trade between the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays:
“Since Tuesday, I have carefully reviewed the proposed transaction between the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays. I asked our Baseball Operations Department and our Labor Relations Department to compare this proposed transaction with similar deals. I also consulted with experienced baseball operations executives to get their input regarding the talent involved in this transaction.
“After a thorough examination of this information, it is my conclusion that this transaction, involving established Major Leaguers and highly regarded young players and prospects, represents the exercise of plausible baseball judgment on the part of both Clubs, does not violate any express rule of Major League Baseball and does not otherwise warrant the exercise of any of my powers to prevent its completion. It is, of course, up to the Clubs involved to make the case to their respective fans that this transaction makes sense and enhances the competitive position of each, now or in the future.
“I am sensitive to the concerns of the fans of Miami regarding this trade, and I understand the reactions I have heard since Tuesday. Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities and I fully understand that the Miami community has done its part to put the Marlins into a position to succeed with beautiful new Marlins Park. Going forward, I will continue to monitor this situation with the expectation that the Marlins will take into account the sentiments of their fans, who deserve the best efforts and considered judgment of their Club. I have received assurances from the ownership of the Marlins that they share these beliefs and are fully committed to build a long-term winning team that their fans can be proud of.”
15 comments
Stick
11/19/2012-4:13pm at 4:13 pm (UTC -4)
without reading it, I am sure the gist is “because I am a spineless jellyfish wholly owned by the good old boys club owners that keep me in this sweet gig”
Mr North Jersey
11/19/2012-4:14pm at 4:14 pm (UTC -4)
Vegas surely has a spot for you my friend.
srt
11/19/2012-9:02pm at 9:02 pm (UTC -4)
Just wow…..None too happy there in Miami, are they?
Can’t say as I blame them.
You just have to wonder what Selig would have had to say if the Yankees attempted to dump all that payroll and send everyone packing. Something tells me the response would not have been quite the same.
I really think Loria has some incriminating pictures on Selig somewhere. LOL.
srt
11/19/2012-9:03pm at 9:03 pm (UTC -4)
Mets announce 2013 Spring Training schedule
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121119&content_id=40365906&vkey=pr_nym&c_id=nym
Trs86
11/19/2012-9:40pm at 9:40 pm (UTC -4)
I would say he allowed it because it isn’t illegal to be an idiot or to lie to your fans.
Donal
11/20/2012-11:02am at 11:02 am (UTC -4)
Selig’s job isn’t to stop owners from being d-bags. If he wanted to prevent this sort of thing, he should have stepped in last winter and made some sort of arrangement with Loria then.
The problem is, he really can’t tell owners what to do with their own teams. If he did, the owners and players would revolt.
Still, I wonder if the citizens of Miami can sue or something.
TRS86
11/20/2012-11:14am at 11:14 am (UTC -4)
Your last question, I believe the answer is yes… well at least I believe the deal was being investigated but I don’t recall if there was a culmination to that.
Oh and by the way, welcome. We promise not to call you a slurper, hater or any other middle school rhetoric.
Donal
11/20/2012-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
Then how are supposed to discuss anything?
TRS86
11/20/2012-11:34am at 11:34 am (UTC -4)
Good point. I guess we would actually have to rely on civil discussion backed up by rational, intelligent thought processes.
Stick
11/20/2012-12:30pm at 12:30 pm (UTC -4)
Just throw an occasional D-bag at him, and he will feel right at home!
jajajajajajajajajjajajajajajajjajajajajajajajajajajajjajajajaj
Stick
11/20/2012-12:32pm at 12:32 pm (UTC -4)
I recall there being some sort of federal investigation (not sure who it was by though). And I suspect that all the new attention could give that some serious legs.
the odds of a few local politicians taking the fall just went way up! And it would be poetic justice if Loria and his gang went down with them.
Donal
11/20/2012-12:50pm at 12:50 pm (UTC -4)
The SEC was investigating him about the funding for the new stadium.
srt
11/20/2012-12:58pm at 12:58 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, now I’m confident….is this the same SEC that investigated Madoff about a half dozen times?
Donal
11/20/2012-1:44pm at 1:44 pm (UTC -4)
16 times in 20 years.
I wonder if one of Loria’s kids is the compliance officer.
srt
11/20/2012-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
No way the SEC didn’t know what was going on.
We’ll never know that story in its entirety.