Indians Claim They're Losing $16 Million This Year

There's an old saying that one should beware Greeks bearing gifts (it has to do with the Trojan War, not a bad batch of feta), but a good modern interpretation could be beware of baseball owners crying poverty. In both cases, it's about bad intentions.

Indians owner Paul Dolan sent a pretty chilling message to the team's fans during an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday. Don't expect a contending team for a while, because the Tribe lost $16 million this season.

"Every four or five years, if we can have a shot at the World Series and compete for the playoffs like we did in '05, that's as good as it gets," Dolan said.

I don't doubt that the Indians took in less money this season than they expected. Their attendance dropped and, you may have heard this before, we're in the midst of some rough economic times. While both of those things doubtlessly impacted the bottom line, it's hard to believe that they accounted for a loss of $16 million rather than less profit than originally expected.

It may seem semantic, but there's a difference between loss and a smaller profit margin. One way to illustrate that difference is that a massive loss could rightfully be used as an explanation for trading away two reasonably priced veterans for packages of prospects that are less than universally loved by the baseball cognoscenti.

If it's just a shortfall, though, trading Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez makes no sense. They don't make that much money relatively speaking, and since you thought your team could make a run for a playoff spot, it stands to reason that you'd have the same thoughts with a team including them in 2010.

Now, it's fair to say that those thoughts were misguided and that the team didn't have a prayer of contending or that you were worried about another underachieving squad. That would seem to fall on the shoulders of manager Eric Wedge or GM Mark Shapiro, but Dolan made no indication that a move is forthcoming on either of those fronts.

The route he's chosen, dealing off good players and publicly writing off chances of contending, means that the Tribe have all but assured that there will be another season of diminished attendance and fan interest in 2010. That gives Dolan all the reason in the world to pare the payroll down to the minimum, especially with the motive of making a profit very much in evidence.

If the Marlinization continues, Grady Sizemore's trip to the trading block seems inevitable. That should do wonders for the atmosphere at Progressive Field.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

8-06-2009 @ 10:43PM

billcarol88 said...

they would not be losing money if they and all the other teams paid these players what they were worth and not what some agent thinks they are worth. none of these players are worth more then 500,000 a year. no wonder these so called athletes are always in trouble.

8-07-2009 @ 12:16AM

daveenlakwood said...

Botcott the Indians and any talk show host or writer who tries to support what Dolan has done to the Indians.... he's losing money cause he's a cheap ass....... he wants fans to go watch prospect play against real major league teams..... Dick Jacobs called him a disgrace.... he wanted his team back because he said he would ruin it, and he did...... and guess what..... Mark the ripper and Wedge the Stooge will be back to..... traded Indians players are saying off the record that both men don't know baseball.... and also saying that when they had a chance to win it all in 2007, Dolan refused to spend a buck...... the Dolans are losers.....

8-07-2009 @ 12:01PM

cahillio said...

Dave in Lakewood I agree...I am definitely boycotting this team as well. I have been saying it since they let Millwood walk after 05. The Indians are ruined...We are now back to the 70s and 80s and I hear they are already filming Major League: This Team Sucks Again. I will never go to another game until the lying Olans(No D as in Dollars)sell. Put your lot in with the Cavs and Browns(who despite the fact they currently suck arent afraid to change things up even if it costs them money. At least they attempt to win) I also know it will be another year of Wedge next year cause the Olans still owe him money. Guess we will just have to "grind it out".

8-07-2009 @ 6:32PM

thetruckerking said...

Hurry up and get rid of Sizemore and Hafner so I will offically have never heard of anyone on the team. What a freakin joke! Why are the Indians losing 16 mil a year? Because I can drive to Akron and see more major league talent than the Indians have on a double A team. If Dolan doesn't have any money then why does the construction of his sons multi million dollar home continue? 44 years of this crap and I'm about done.

PS The Browns suck too!

8-08-2009 @ 5:02PM

Harvey said...

The Dolans are the second coming of the late, great Vernon Stouffer. Dick Jacobs sold them the team for more than it was worth, because Larry Dolan always wanted to be an owner. Now he [and Sonny Boy] will never get anything close to what they paid for the franchise.

If I want to see minor league baseball, I can go to Akron or Eastlake [or even Cowlumbus].

Football and basketball seasons cannot start soon enough.

8-08-2009 @ 6:02PM

janandrick84 said...

Sad times again in Cleveland. His ego is bigger than his bank account. Nothing will change till he sells the team and until then losing baseball with minor league talent.