TOM YOUNG gave up a long homer to Otis Nixon and said:
 TY> Actually, Kansas City when the Athletics ere there was the Yankee's
 TY> major league farm team.
Until the mid-sixties and then the Indians took over that honor.
 TY> top that as well?  It's overspending that destroys franchises.  They
 TY> sign one or two stars to huge contracts and cannot afford the other
 TY> midlevel players that are needed to win.
The Indians had already saved money by getting rid of Baerga and Murray. 
Williams is going to make AT LEAST $6.5 mil next year and they showed no 
compunction to throw money at several free agents. Obviously the money was/is 
there for them to spend (They STILL would have spent less money to sign Belle 
AND keep the players that they traded away for Williams. They made a run at 
Sandberg and their offer was for more than what he signed for with the Cubs. 
The Indians, in fact, lost out on every significant free agent that they went 
after).
 TY> If Belle was worth so much more, why didn't the Marlins continue to
 TY> up the ante?  They've certainly shown no reticience in spending
 TY> money.
Chicago paid more than what even Belle was asking (The Marlins had already 
said that they'd pay $10 mil so minus the White Sox's offer, Belle would have 
gotten what he wanted).
 TY> They did not do so, just as Cleveland did not.  You have to make a
 TY> business decision somewhere. To follow your logic, they must continue
 TY> to top the White Sox and pay Belle whatever he wants.
To follow YOUR INTERPRETATION of my logic, you would. To follow MY logic, you 
give Belle the money that he wanted and be damn happy that you have him, 
Vizciano and Kent.
 TY> Belles conrtract.  Using your logic, they is no way they could afford to
 TY> sign them all, but they must display their loyalty and do so.
To follow YOUR INTERPRETATION of my logic.....
 TY> I don't recall him telling his agent not to listen to other offers.
He didn't have to tell him anything. Florida's interest in him was widely 
known and their $10 mil per year ante was common knowledge. Belle didn't 
actively solicit it nor would his telling his agent made that offer go away.
 TY> I'd rather you come up with something factual.
Ok -- they're full-blown idiots. They threw $3.3 mil per year at Naehring and 
even more than that at Sandberg when they could have had Vizciano ($2.2 mil) 
and Kent ($1.9 mil) PLUS Albert Belle.
--- TrekEd 1.00
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