Detroit packing it in?
brianj
they just in a salary-cutting mode? And second, I noticed that the
attendance at Comerica Park was down this year--a year in which the
Tigers were in contention until game 163. I can't help wondering,
with the changes in the national economy: Will it be possible for a
city like Detroit to maintain a healthy MLB team? I really don't
follow other sports much, but you don't have to know much to know the
Lions are perennial losers. I have heard it said that Detroit is one
of these cities where there are vast parcels of land that are,
essentially, uninhabited.
It would be pretty amazing if the whole city just downsized itself to
a position where it could no longer field professional sports teams.
And it would be really weird if there were no more Detroit Tigers and/
or Lions.
Now, Scott, you, of course are free to comment, but this wasn't
intended to be a thread about bashing the city of Detroit. ; ). No
doubt, with all the economic turmoil in places like Detroit, there is
a lot of human suffering going on, but what got me thinking about this
was my pondering the future of the AL Central.
brianj
G
$583,000. It cost 55 million to make it...
Dear God that's just bad and horrible to hear about that. You can't but feel
sorry for that place and it's people suffering...
"brianj" <firs...@turtlecreek.net> wrote in message
news:36c31c15-9beb-445e...@u1g2000pre.googlegroups.com...
powrwrap
> With Detroit sending Granderson away, I have to wonder, first, are
> they just in a salary-cutting mode?
I don't think so. If so they would have limited Ordonez' ABs so he
wouldn't reach his incentive forcing the Tigers to pick up his $18M,
yes $18M option for 2010. Granderson was set to make 'only' $5.5M next
year. The Tigers have a lot of horrendous contracts that they will be
saddled with for years. Dumping Granderson makes no sense.
> No doubt, with all the economic turmoil in places like Detroit, there is
> a lot of human suffering going on,
How bad is it? Pretty bad:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/01/news/economy/_morgue/index.htm
Scott Smith
>> On Dec 9, 3:06�pm, brianj <firstp...@turtlecreek.net> wrote:
>> With Detroit sending Granderson away, I have to wonder, first, are
>> they just in a salary-cutting mode? �
>
>I don't think so. If so they would have limited Ordonez' ABs so he
>wouldn't reach his incentive forcing the Tigers to pick up his $18M,
>yes $18M option for 2010. Granderson was set to make 'only' $5.5M next
>year. The Tigers have a lot of horrendous contracts that they will be
>saddled with for years. Dumping Granderson makes no sense.
There is a reason they've nicknamed Dombrowski "Dumbrowski".
Personally, I can't believe they're bringing Leyland back for
another season to manage.
>> No doubt, with all the economic turmoil in places like Detroit, there is
>> a lot of human suffering going on,
>
>How bad is it? Pretty bad:
>
>http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/01/news/economy/_morgue/index.htm
"Detroit: Too broke to bury their dead"
Yeah, that sounds like the Detroit I remember from a couple
years ago. More vagrants wandering the streets downtown
than actual customers for the businesses there. Sad.
It's too bad, too...Comerica is a nice ballpark.
.
.
Likely Story
"brianj" <firs...@turtlecreek.net> wrote in message
news:36c31c15-9beb-445e...@u1g2000pre.googlegroups.com...
You are uninformed (no surprise)-- 95 % of the Comerica crowds are from the
suburbs.
I also believe that it isn't Detroit that can't keep teams.
Northstars? Lakers? Almost contracted Twins?
I hear that L.A., another city that can't keep a football team, may want to
take your Vikings.
They might actually make it past the first round if they move there.
;-)
brianj
> "brianj" <firstp...@turtlecreek.net> wrote in message
>
> - Show quoted text -
None of this was meant as a criticism of Detroit. It was mostly an
observation and a question. The Twins and Vikings situations aren't
really all that relevant to the conversation because those teams draw
crowds, whereas the attendance at Comerica in 2009 is a real puzzle.
brianj
brianj
Well, if it is not a salary dump, then are we to believe that the team
believes it is getting better by giving up Jackson and Granderson?
Maybe that's so, but it sure doesn't seem clear to me.
For all the people who want the Twins to enter into more long-term and/
or high-dollar contracts, let Magglio be your constant reminder of why
it is a bad idea. If the Yankees had anyone at all calling for salary
constraints, Carl Pavano would be their poster child. It is dangerous
business, and a team with a budget like the Twins' could do damage
that would last for years and years.
brianj
Scott Smith
Brian, I think the poor attendance at Comerica is a two-factor issue.
Issue one is that Detroit, and the surrounding suburbs, have been hit
harder than most areas by the economic downturn. Less jobs, less
education, more unemployed and less money.
Issue two is that Comerica is in a terrible location downtown. It's a
beautiful ballpark, but when you have to walk through blocks of
boarded up and burned out buildings and dozens and dozens
of vagrants bumming for change, it loses it's appeal quick.
There could be a third factor about how poorly Leyland manages
the team, and the fallout from their awful 2008 season. But real
fans go see a team, even if they're not winning (e.g. Cubs).
.
.
brianj
I haven't seen a game in Detroit since old Tiger Stadium days, so I
will have to take your word for the way the neighborhood looks and
acts. That surely would be a bit of a deterrent.
But I can't really think the attendance is related to Leyland. I
think fans are generally happy with winning and don't really know that
much about how a team is managed. And that is the big puzzle. If the
Twins had a lead that was slipping away toward the end of the year,
don't you think the crowds at the 'dome would be large and raucous?
But, then again, the 'dome is in a pretty nice neighborhood.
brianj
Scott Smith
True, but once you get into Comerica, it's a beautiful ballpark. One
of the nicest I've been to...and I've been to many of the pro baseball
parks around the country (and in Toronto).
>But I can't really think the attendance is related to Leyland. I
>think fans are generally happy with winning and don't really know that
>much about how a team is managed. And that is the big puzzle. If the
>Twins had a lead that was slipping away toward the end of the year,
>don't you think the crowds at the 'dome would be large and raucous?
Without a doubt.
>But, then again, the 'dome is in a pretty nice neighborhood.
And the new stadium is in an even better location downtown. Looking
forward to seeing that new park this spring! Sure looks nice from
the outside.
Parking may be a pain for the new stadium, though.
.
.
powrwrap
> But, then again, the 'dome is in a pretty nice neighborhood.
The Dome isn't in a "neighborhood", it's more accurate to say that
it's in a commercial area. The closest neighborhood is the Elliot Park
neighborhood (about 5 blocks south of the Dome) and I wouldn't
consider that nice by any stretch.
Scott Smith
wrote:
>> On Dec 10, 9:26�am, brianj <firstp...@turtlecreek.net> wrote:
Yes, it probably makes more sense to say the dome is in a good
"location". It has easy access via freeway/highway, is located
in an area downtown within close walking distance to several good
bars and restaurants, has ample parking (although with all of the new
lofts and condos, a couple of the good big surface lots are now
gone), is right on the train line, etc.
I think the location of the new stadium will be a little better for
all of those things, except for maybe the parking/tailgating. It's
also not as close to the U of M, so students will have further
to travel to get to games.
.
.