The Boy That Broke His Toy

I don’t get any of it. I don’t get what Derek is doing.  So yeah… I had to map this latest article out for you.

Look, the truth is I like Derek Jeter, but I cannot for the life of me understand what he is attempting to do in Miami. Sure, wants to cut payroll, I get that. Sure, he wants youth in the Miami farm system, I get that too.  But doing it all at once is a sure way to tick off a fan base.  In a moment you will see that first hand. For now, I just have to get this off my chest…

Derek and Sherman are surrounded by other “top” guys in this Miami organization. It’s not just DJ, I know this. Plus, investors are involved in this team.  People will read this again and say “You’re not being fair JUST ripping Jeter for his ‘alleged mistakes’ with his team.” 

Well, the truth is, he’s the only one putting his neck out to take the heat.  And when I say heat, realize that I’m NOT the only publication going after this guy for poor ownership skills. There are plenty of other publications going after DJ.  NY Post. Miami Herald is owning it right now. Incredible reporting.  But look, I’ve been stating since day 1 here on Bleeding Yankee Blue that I respect Jeter the player all day long.  No one better.  But this businessman / owner thing is not flattering on his personality.

He cuts all the iconic Marlins loose. That for one is a red flag. Guys like Jack McKeon and Jeff Conine.  Then under the pressure from target media, he backtracks and tries to offer them new positions back with the club, less money of course. Conine says “go scratch,” and why wouldn’t he?

Then Jeter trades away Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna.  Of course he’s slashing payroll here… maybe even gets some young players for the farm, but now he’s managed to piss off an entire fan base who already had next to nothing. Now he gets rid of Miami’s home run hitters?  Not too many people are wearing a Dan Straily jersey, you know what I mean?

Then, in case you missed it, the world famous rumored “Miami Town Hall meeting that took place recently.  That’s right, an emergency Town Hall meeting that was a true testament to how the Miami fans really feel. They are heartbroken, folks. That’s what Derek Jeter doesn’t understand.  The fans don’t care about business. They want to go see their heroes, they want to bring their kids, pay a low price for tickets and go see the games. 

I mean, what’s next, will Jeter fire DJ Vertigo next?  Anyway… here’s some of that recap of the town hall brought to you by the New York Post.  Classic right here:

“Derek Jeter’s coming-out party with his Marlins fanbase Tuesday night was more like an intervention. The new co-owner met with a group of mainly disgruntled fans for a town hall-style gathering at Marlins Park and, for nearly 90 minutes, answered questions about the current state of the franchise.

Jeter’s flurry of activity out of the gate, including trading away three star players and prompting two others to say they want out too, has apparently not sat well with a fanbase that already is used to losing and poor management.

‘This makes me miss [Jeffery] Loria,’ the famous Marlins Man said at the town hall of the team’s former owner, who was far from fans’ good graces by the time he sold the Marlins to Jeter and Bruce Sherman in August. ‘Who would have thought that?’”

And now, the Miami Herald, who’s literally been all over Jeter and his missteps obtained something called “Project Wolverine” from the Jeter camp… a project designed to cut payroll to about $90 million.  Right now it’s at $104 million. 

And as I’ve written several times here… Christian Yelich… Justin Bour… J.T. Realmuto will probably be next because if they are, that will get the Marlins to where Jeter wants it. And empty shell of itself. Low payroll, sure, but the fans will no longer come and you can forget Marlins Park. 

It will be a white elephant in no time. You know, one of those stadiums that get built when the Olympics come to some famous city in the world, only to just sit there long after the Olympics is gone, never to be used again.

But now the New York Post has Jeter’s plan mapped out, again, echoed by BYB extensively, and distributed by the Miami Herald who’s been all over this guy.  Check this out:

“First: Make your team unwatchable.
Second: See an immediate boost in ticket sales with this eye-sore squad.
Third: Convince your TV network it should pay more for a team no one wants to watch.
Fourth: Coax more millions from corporations, thinking they will be further inspired to support a franchise that is now much worse on the field.

…how do Jeter and Sherman visualize the boon coming to Miami?

The Marlins made about $30 million in ticket revenue last year with a team that finished 77-85. Now that the best player in franchise history, Giancarlo Stanton, and his friends have been dealt away, Jeter and Sherman project to make $37.5 million in sales this year.

The Marlins have the worst TV deal in all of baseball, which will pay them $17 million, $18 million and $20 million from Fox Sports Florida over the next three seasons. The new regime plans to renegotiate that deal and projects $51.6 million in 2021 and $53.6 million in 2022. Such an enormous jump likely would require a second TV bidder for the Marlins, which could be difficult to find.

The final aim, on its face, seems the easiest goal to hit. Wolverine predicts the team’s sponsorship revenue will go from $19.1 million in 2017 to $24 million in 2018, then $32 million, $37.8 million and $41.6 million.

The dramatic increase is a reach, but selling the naming rights to Marlins Park will help revenues.

This is how Jeter imagines dismantling a team and enraging its fan base will result in more Marlins dollars. Good luck. “

This maps it out wonderfully… kind of like I’ve written many times before. Lose the stars, increase ticket sales.  Yup, that makes sense. 

So before you bash me for ripping Jeet… here’s just another publication of someone just as confused as I am, and believe me, there are plenty more… Google it.

As I have said here… we are following the Marlins debacle closely, even though it has nothing to do with the New York Yankees. This story is big. We will stay on it.