Why We Are Critical Of Tribe Ownership.

As an homage to Terry Pluto, we are talking to ourselves this week.

Why do you dislike the Dolan ownership of the Indians so much?

Because we believe there is a trust that when you buy a professional sports team, the agreement with the fans is that you will try to win.

We believe the fans of Cleveland understand the market size and the way baseball is structured the large media markets have an advantage, but we feel a payroll in the $100-110 million range should be sustainable.

And when you have a pair of young superstars, both in their prime years, and a very affordable young pitching staff, you should do want you can to win a world championship.

If you don’t want to make the financial commitment, then sell the team. No one is making anyone own a professional sports team.

Do you believe the Indians’ owners are losing money?

We do not believe any owner of a professional sports team is losing money. With the revenue from media contracts and merchandising, we think all owners of professional sports teams are making money, despite what they try to tell us.

If they were losing money consistently, and knew that by selling the team they could triple their initial investment, they would sell. Everyone would.

Do you think the Dolans miss the cash influx of former minority owner John Sherman?

Certainly, and don’t forget it was reported that Sherman had an option to buy the team. Do you think he would want to do that if the team was hemorrhaging cash?

We would have to believe Sherman knew the profit and loss statement of the Indians. And you know wha t he did? He bought another major league team in a smaller market. Unless Mr. Sherman is into burning money…

What about the low attendance at Progressive Field despite the success of the team?

True, it could and should be better. However, we believe it is on the front office to find out why fans don’t go to the park. In the past three years where fans were allowed in Progressive Field, attendance is at its highest level since 2011.

Remember, gone are the days the Tribe can draw more than 3 million fans. With the remodeling of the park, if the Indians sold out every game, attendance would wind up being just a little over 2.8 million fans. If Cleveland drew at the same percentage of capacity in 2019, they’d have drawn 2.1 million.

No one is obligated or forced to attend games. The front office needs to find out why fans don’t go and fix the problem. Have they? We don’t know.

What do you see for 2021 around baseball?

No doubt Major League Baseball teams lost revenue during the shortened 2020 season with no fans. Will teams be forced to make tough decisions on veteran players who are making big cash? Without a doubt.

However, we do not feel all teams will be in a cost cutting mode.

Remember one thing. The CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) end after the 2021 season. Complaining about lost revenue and reducing salaries could be a negotiating tactic. Remember, the owners have been found guilty of collusion before.

Anything else you want to get off your chest?

Yes. One thing we do not understand is the defense of the Dolan ownership and their cost cutting ways by some fans. Why do folks not want the ownership to spend as much as they can? Are they part of the accounting department for the team?

One fear they have is that a new ownership group will move the team. Why don’t the current owners extend the lease agreement with the city for Progressive Field?

Keeping the team in Cleveland is the lowest bar for an owner. Would everyone believe these people would be happy with a team that finishes last every year as long as they are still playing in Cleveland.

What about the moves this week?

Very predictable and actually, we have no problem with them. We didn’t think the Tribe would pick up the options on Brad Hand or Carlos Santana, although it wouldn’t be a shock if the latter returned at a lower salary.

If the front office was going to use the money saved here to upgrade in other areas, that would be fine, but instead fans can apparently look forward to their star shortstop being moved in a deal, and perhaps along with the longest tenured Indian, starter Carlos Carrasco.

Hard to imagine the Indians will be a contender for a playoff spot in 2021.