Marlins inching toward the door?

[Guest JMT]

Marlins threaten to move

Sun-Sentinel.com

Posted November 22 2005, 3:12 PM EST

MIAMI -- Unable to reach a deal to build a stadium in Miami, the Marlins have been granted permission to explore relocation outside South Florida, Marlins President David Samson said Tuesday.

While Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria would prefer to remain in South Florida, Major League Baseball has agreed to allow the team to look elsewhere, Samson said.

"It is very clear to us there will not be a baseball stadium in Miami," Samson said.

Samson said Loria will not sell the Marlins and will not sign an extension to remain in Dolphins Stadium beyond the 2010 season.

"We will not sign an extension even if offered to stay in Dolphins Stadium," Samson said. "We simply need a baseball-only facility."

The Marlins' lease with Dolphins Stadium runs through the 2007 season that includes a series of one-year options through 2010. Under the team's lease with the stadium, the Marlins receive only percentages of concessions, parking and sponsor signage.

Samson also said the team's payroll will reflect its revenue.

[Guest LeVeL]

You know after giving away Beckett to the Sox, I really dont care if they leave anymore.

I been a long time supporter of the Marlins and I am one of those fans that has gone to games even when they were the worst of the pack. Its 1998 all over again, Delgado will be soon to go and after that who knows who will go, the organization has simply not gotten the support by its fans it has deserved to tell you the truth.

But shipping away players that the fans love and pay money to see expecially someone as important as Beckett who was the MVP of the 2003 World Series. Basically shipping him away and whoever else they want to ship away will definetely not help with attendance and it will not help in getting this team a new Stadium.

Basically the city and the team had their chances an dI gues its time for South Florida to say goodbye eventhough its going to be very hard but its going to happen... :'(

[Bling]

MLB Gives Marlins Permission To Relocate

MIAMI -- The Florida Marlins will look into relocation as early as the 2008 season, after years of unsuccessful attempts to secure a baseball-only stadium in downtown Miami.

Marlins president David Samson said Tuesday the team has received permission from Major League Baseball to investigate its options in other cities. Samson added owner Jeffrey Loria's primary intention is to keep the team in South Florida.

"There will be no deal in the city of Miami," Samson said.

The Marlins' lease with Dolphins Stadium is in effect until 2007. The team has a series of one-year options that could keep it there through the 2010 season. Samson said the team will not extend its current lease at Dolphins Stadium under any circumstances.

"We simply must play in a baseball-only facility," Samson said.

Samson wouldn't get into specifics of any trades, but said there would be an immediate "significant market correction" to the team's payroll.

Samson said some cities have called the Marlins to discuss possibilities, but he wouldn't reveal any details. Marlins officials met in December with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

"What does this mean? It does not mean that the Marlins are necessarily leaving South Florida. It does mean, however, that we need to seriously explore all of our options, including those in other markets," team owner Jeffery Loria said in a statement read by Samson. Loria was in Europe.

The team has lobbied for its own stadium since original owner H. Wayne Huizenga sold the team to John Henry in 1999. The team's latest ballpark plan, 38,000-seat stadium with a retractable roof that would be built next to Miami's Orange Bowl, came apart this spring.

The ballpark had an estimated cost of $420 million to $435 million, and the financing plan included $60 million in state funding. While money was approved in April by the Florida House, the state Senate refused to go along.

Then, South Florida government officials and the team didn't meet a June 9 deadline established by Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, for a detailed update on the funding plans.

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz didn't immediately return messages seeking comment. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez said he will "continue to be supportive of the team's efforts to build a stadium in South Florida."

Meanwhile, the Marlins appeared to have begun to pare their payroll, which was at around $60 million on opening day last season. The Red Sox and Marlins reached a preliminary agreement Monday night on a trade that would send pitcher Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell to Boston for three prospects. The trade wasn't finalized because physicals were pending, according to a baseball official who requested anonymity.

The 25-year-old Beckett, eligible for salary arbitration, is expected to earn between $4 million and $5 million next year and can become a free agent after the 2007 season. Lowell, 31, is owed $9 million each of the next two seasons.

[Guest trancelator]

The earliest they will leave is 2008. If they stay in Sofla I expect to see them in Palm Beach as the county seems to be the only ones genuinely interested in having them.

[Guest JMT]

the bottom line is their stadium lease with H Wayne sucks big time, and there arent enough asses in the seats to support a decent payroll, thus they cant win consistently to make the playoffs (which is the only time people show up in force). its unfortunate, but thats reality. i will miss the team.

they should have persued the idea to build a stadium in palm beach county when they had the chance.

[Guest LeVeL]

But the whole sole reason for having the Marlins was to have it in Miami not West Palm Beach.

Yeah Palm Beach gave the team a gracious offer but it just wouldn't be right. And who knows if the attendance would of been any greater if the team was in Palm beach anyways. Thats a question that has yet to be answered, but it all is up to the Senate and House of representatives to approve the Stadium and their part in the funding.

Because as much as we would like some portion of our tax dollars to go to the stadium, its all up to those people we elected to office to approve the funding, since I guess those guys have other things in mind instead a Baseball Stadium and now that after all these Hurricanes...who knows :-\

I just dont see it happening..here in Florida..because it will be the same scenario.

[Guest swirlundergrounder]

I think the whole thing sucks. This team has won 2 World Series titles in less than 10 years and this city won't give them a stadium. There are other cities with teams that have never been to the WS and got new stadiums (Seattle Mariners being one of them Ahhhhhemm!)

The new staduim in Seattle did wonders for the community and brought baseball to life with it's new stadium. I'm sure it would do the same thing down here.

Personally I've been to a few games at Pro Players and it doesn't have the same vibe as a smaller 40K seat stadium. You can have 30,000 people at a baseball game at Pro Players stadium and the place will look empty. Hell you don't even need to fill a 40k seat stadium half way and still have a good baseball vibe there...

I don't blame the Marlins for wanting to leave.

[Guest JMT]

there are kids who dont even have books for school in miami.

dont get me wrong, i love the franchise, but the last thing tax dollars should be used for is a marlins stadium. let the fat-cat billionaire owners leverage it themselves.

Joe Robbie (may he rest in peace) build the dolphins' stadium with 100% private funds. there should be a bronze statue of that man 30 ft. high outside dolphins staduim, and H Wayne should personally polish it every week! he should bow before it, hoping to one day be as devout and revered an owner to his predecessor's hand-built organization. but no, that would only remind the fans of what a real team owner was like.

someone needs to step up to keep the marlins here. apparently, no one wants the team here bad enough...

P.S. Delgado has been shipped off the the Mets.

[Guest LeVeL]

You's got a point there...

Wayne Huizenga is hugely responsible for bringing a Baseball Team to South Florida so after winning the World Series he turned his back on the Organization bought the Miami Dolphins which came with the rights of the Stadium and now charges the same organization he worked to built for playing there.

I mean, I have to give him credit, hes a business man but at some point you have to be realistic and see that what he did to the Marlins was turn his back and slowly but surely he's destroying the Organization little by little.

Wayne when he first started as the owner as the Marlins, he should of gotten them the Stadium but instead got the ring and sold the organization and traded all its players back then. This is all Waynes fault in my opinion.

[Guest swirlundergrounder]

there are kids who dont even have books for school in miami.

WTF do kids need books for anymore? Fuck getting kids more books................

....They have computers now a days!!! LOL