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Are We Being Fair to Loria?



The Miami Marlins stink. There is no arguing that. The fans are upset and with good reason. We were told that if we kicked in our money, and tax dollars are OUR money, let's not forget that, that the team would be able to be competitive with a sparkling new stadium. We were told the team would spend money on talent to be competitive. That lasted about a half season before we were treated to the all too familiar Marlins salary dump.

We saw similar salary dumps after World Championships in 1997 and 2003, although the 1997 fire sale was under Wayne Huizenga. We were told those were necessary because of the stadium issues which prevented the team from selling tickets and making a profit.

So understandably, without that excuse any longer, the 2012 salary dump was met with considerable fan anger. Fans felt as if they were hoodwinked into building the Marlins and Jeffery Loria a new stadium to increase the team's value so he could sell it and make a profit, using OUR money as capital. And that is a viable point.

But as I look at the current baseball standings, I see the Toronto Blue Jays are in dead last place. Why does that matter? Because the Jays are the team that acquired most of the Marlins "talent.", Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Mark Buerhle and Emilio Bonafacio ended up in Toronto along with the Mets Cy Young Award winner R. A. Dickey. Where has it gotten them?

Let's also remember that the Marlins were in last place when they dumped all of these guys. Apparently this was not a fluke. If you are going to come in last place, why do it with high priced veterans who are not going to get any better? Why not start over with young guys who have a chance to improve?

This is going on all over baseball too, not just with the Blue Jays. Look at the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angles, New York Mets, etc.

The Mets have repeatedly spent money on free agents that busted. Look at Jason Bay, Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez, the list goes on and on. Where are they?

The Angels have spent a ton on Albert Pujols and Josh Hamiliton. Where has that gotten them? How about the Dodgers with all that high priced talent in Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Zach Greinke?

It seems like the successful teams in baseball are the ones who bring up their own talent from the minor leagues or at least acquire their talent while they are still young and hungry. The Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, and San Francisco Giants come to mind. Oh sure, you do occasionally see a Detroit Tigers or New York Yankees hit pay dirt with a Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera or C.C. Sabathia.

Maybe the Marlins have figured out though that those are few and far between. Maybe we should wait and see before we pass final judgment?

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