Rosenthal had previously reported that 5/75 was the starting point for Hunter. With a lot of money around and not a lot of players to spend it on, I'd be shocked if Hunter were really available for $15 million a season. If I have $30 million to spend, I rather have A-Rod, Kemp, and Kershaw (and whoever else would go in a Cabrera trade) than Hunter and 2 years of Cabrera.

I'm sure others have said this, but I can't remember reading it in a while ... but it just seems to me that $30MM a year spent on A Rod is not really going to be $30MM a year coming out of a team's coffers, given the revenue that a star like A Rod is likely to generate in ticket sales/luxury suites/parking/concessions, merchandise (I think teams keep a significant portion of that, no?), TV revenue, marketing, etc. And that's even if he starts his contract with a few "down" years like 2006. Spending $30MM on A Rod is not at all like spending $30MM on Torii Hunter and Mike Lowell in that regard ... I'd reckon that for the first few years, at least, it's more like spending $15-20MM a year on A Rod. After that, figure the % likelihood of revenue spikes from him chasing and catching Mays, Ruth, Aaron, Bonds, and factor that in.

I agree with those who think that, on the field, from a VORP/MORP perspective, $30MM can be spent better to improve a team than just spending it on A Rod. I just wonder if the $30MM spent on A Rod isn't really only $15MM or $18MM ... or even less. Now, Boras spoke about this last month and wanted to get this revenue integrated into the contract ... but given the depressed market, I think a team with normally tight purse strings would be wise to come to the fore with an 8/280 or 9/300 offer. Pat Gillick, I'm looking at you!

it just seems to me that $30MM a year spent on A Rod is not really going to be $30MM a year coming out of a team's coffers, given the revenue that a star like A Rod is likely to generate in ticket sales/luxury suites/parking/concessions, merchandise (I think teams keep a significant portion of that, no?), TV revenue, marketing, etc.

But this argument only works for a team that has room for significant growth in those areas. The Dodgers and Angels (and most other teams mentioned as realistic A-Rod suitors) are probably already too close to maxing out revenues for this equation to work.

BTW, individual teams keep revenue from merchandise sold at their stadiums. The rest is shared.

The Angels could act similarly, or go after Mike Lowell at third or Andruw Jones or Japan’s Kosuke Fukudome in the outfield. Try to swing a trade for Marlins starter Dontrelle Willis, another suddenly expensive player for the Marlins. And still keep beer prices down.

Or how about the team actually plays the young turks that were hitting the crap out of the ball in the 2nd half of the season, instead of just making moves for the sake of moving?

I wish I could afford to buy a billboard in LA - it would be black text on a white background (Georgia, maybe Impact), and it would say THE PROBLEM WITH THE DODGERS IS THE FRONT OFFICE, NOT THE ROOKIES.

Here’s a better idea for the Dodgers: Sign free agent Torii Hunter and put him in center, and then try to swing a Matt Kemp-for-Miguel Cabrera deal with the Marlins.

The LaLaLAnd media really hates Kemp don't they? At least in NYC I know why the MSM hates Milledge, I disagree with their "reasoning", but at least I know what it is. WRT Kemp? No idea.

When I grew up the Dodgers were one of the elite organizations in baseball, well run and organized at every level with a coherent organizational philosophy.

Now, anytime LA starts moving in a direct that hearkens back to those old days- you know develop talent build from within etc etc., the LA MSM digs in their heels and rebels. It's almost like the very idea of trying to do what worked for the Dodgers all those years ago is completely anathema to them.

Ignoratio,

How about the profits from team stores outside the Stadium, such as the ones the Yankees have in NYC? (Times Square, South street seaport and I think somewhere around northeastern mid-town/lower upper west side).

JPWF13,

While this article was weak in a number of places, he's not comparing doing nothing to signing Hunter and trading for Cabrera. He's comparing signing A-Rod and keeping Kemp to signing Hunter and trading for Cabrera.

And frankly, that's not an unreasonable argument, IMO (money wise, the Dodgers come out better in this guy's proposal, and long term, I'd say most of us agree that A-Rod makes more sense for an AL team than can put him at DH if his contract is for 8/10 years).

The LaLaLAnd media really hates Kemp don't they? At least in NYC I know why the MSM hates Milledge, I disagree with their "reasoning", but at least I know what it is. WRT Kemp? No idea.

He made a few baserunning mistakes that, apparently, completely negated his .342/.373/.521.

Matt Kemp does not have proper respect for trash can placement in the clubhouse.

How about the profits from team stores outside the Stadium, such as the ones the Yankees have in NYC? (Times Square, South street seaport and I think somewhere around northeastern mid-town/lower upper west side).

Also, how about internet sales on their team store site?