Bob McCown: There may be no limit to payroll

[TwistedLogic]

Okay, just to preface this, I should drop a triple disclaimer here; the tweets at the bottom of the page are from some random dude on twitter, the article about it was written by Stoeten (I accept my ban), and the source behind it all is old-man McCown. But for whatever it's worth, eh? On with the news:

 

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McCown: “May Not Be A Real Limit” To Payroll, Rogers Intends To Use Jays To Burnish Image

 

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Stoeten

 

 

Very interesting stuff from Tuesday night’s edition of Prime Time Sports on the Fan 590 here in Toronto, in which Bob McCown offered his take on the conversations he says he’s been privy to within the halls at Bloor and Jarvis, and what his understanding is of how new CEO Guy Laurence intends to do business with respect to the Jays.

 

In short: if true it’s very, very, tremendously good news for Jays fans.

 

The key points: the club wants to spend — they’ve already budgeted for an increase — and ownership is willing to go over-budget if the right deal comes along. Better still, the club specifically wants Jon Lester, but is concerned about the seven-year term he’s asking for. That would almost seem to be more a Beeston concern, though — i.e. the policy — as Rogers, if we’re to believe it, sees tremendous value in repairing their reputation, and thinks that standing behind a well-funded, successful Blue Jays club could be a great way to help do so.

 

Don’t just take my word for it, though. Here is the full quote from near the beginning of the segment you can hear here, as McCown lays a bunch of inner-workings stuff on co-host Ken Reid before, just as quickly as our nugget of a tangent began, the conversation slips back into typical Toronto radio hockey talk nonsense.

 

 

http://i.gyazo.com/6d5a04ff54df9a1b67c7fb0ad96773ea.png

 

 

REID: So you produce a winning team and everybody loves the owner. Which we see in pretty much every team that wins. Is that what you’re getting at?

 

http://i.gyazo.com/9290124ea4c436c803b8fc9cfb7266df.png

 

 

REID: That would be going against the five year plan. But would this — I’ll call it a P.R. move — would that be enough to bend it?

 

http://i.gyazo.com/867b50969ca18a371964698cb37645b4.png

 

 

REID: They’re going to have to break that egg at some point. I don’t know if it’s this year, but at some point you’re going to have to just realize that the price of doing business is as much term as it is money — because term is money. I’ll take $20-million a year, but I want it for eight years, not for five, so… that’s 60-million bucks.

 

http://i.gyazo.com/a445f283c8009d9a6157b95c52498d24.png

 

 

So… weird. It’s like I’m getting deja vu here, and not just because I’ve whined forever about how all the talk we hear about term in these free agent dealings is just a shorthand for more money — as in: Russell Martin didn’t choose the Jays because he really wanted a five year deal more than a four-year one, he did so because the five-year pact was worth $82-million, and the four-year one was topping out around $70-million.

 

No, I’m getting deja vu because it’s like so much of what’s being talked about here is lifted straight from Kelly Pullen’s October Toronto Life cover story on Edward Rogers III, as well as — if I do say so myself — my own thoughts pivoting off Pollen’s work (which you can see by way of last night’s Presented Without Comment…, in the bottom post at this link).

 

 

http://i.gyazo.com/494b40b64a7bd87bd0e0cab73379e8e5.png

 

 

Reflecting on Pullen’s passage, I added: “The fact alone that they hired Laurence in part on the basis of upper management’s concern for the brand — unlike the complacent preceding years — would seem good news for Jays fans given what should be obvious about how a well-funded and successful club would reflect on ownership, as opposed to the perception that currently persists.”

 

Pullen later explained that “Laurence believes that the NHL broadcasting rights are a project the entire company can rally behind, and one that can be leveraged to help resuscitate the Rogers brand. The rights may not substantially raise ad revenues, but Laurence is hoping they’ll translate into increased revenue in cable and mobile.”

 

I suggested that, “in theory those same ideas should apply to the Jays, [even] though the parallels are not perfect.” In fact, I later concluded that “if ‘critics of the NHL deal [who] say it has quickly transformed Rogers from a communications company into a sports marketing company‘ are right, in addition to the company’s greater willingness to take risks, and the keenness on un-poisoning their brand, fans can at least feel a little hopeful that sports and the marketing of their teams might now be a central focus of the behemoth, I think. Even those who are fans of the ‘wrong’ sport.”

 

That would seem to be precisely the same message McCown is conveying. Of course, in this case it’s coming from a much more reliable — if not wholly reliable — source than my attempts to make sense of how what Pullen was telling us related back to the Jays.

 

It all sounds pretty awesome to me. Especially the notion of an ownership that — at least for whatever short amount of time Guy Laurence is going to be here — might genuinely grasp the full breadth of immense benefits that being a team that can go out and sign a Jon Lester, and could keep him for more than a half-decade without allowing his contract to strangle the budget, would bring.

 

As always with this stuff, though, I’ll believe it when I see it. Maybe this is all just a cynical ploy to get people to think twice about renewing the season tickets they didn’t bother to when they say how much the prices were going up. But after Russell Martin, and the club’s first real foray into the big-dollar free agent market in forever, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little bit more inclined to think it possible than I was a week ago.

 

I hate to get carried away, but it’s a hell of a feeling.

 

Why not us?

 

Now go get Jon Lester.

 

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"Bob McCown just said that their is a sense that new CEO Guy Lawrence wants to improve the image of Rogers and he wants to do that by (1/2)"

 

 

"Improving the Jays and putting a winning team on the field. Also mentioned money is not an issue at all (2/2)"

 

 

"McCown: I'm told the Blue Jays haven't said no yet to the seven year term required to get Lester. They're thinking about it."

 

 

So you can take whatever you will from all of that.

 

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Edited November 20, 2014 by TwistedLogic

[TwistedLogic]

So yeah, it's Stoeten (who plugs himself as much as can possibly f***ing plug himself in that article), and it's McCown, and it's a bunch of the same old "he said", rumory type stuff/garbage we're accustomed to, but if there's any truth to it (and there better be some, if it's true how much they're hiking up the ticket prices in the upcoming season) then it's good news and good tidings for the Jays and the Jays fans. Not sure I'd agree with Lester being the guy to make that massive splash and statement on, but what do I know.

 

As a side note, how hilarious would it be if Guy Laurence, the guy everyone was afraid would steer Rogers' focus away from the Jays and a sport he doesn't understand, ends up being the catalyst behind a massive overhaul and change in policy for the franchise.

[Brenner]

Break the mother f***ing bank. Sign John Lester. Sign Andrew Miller. Sign Nick Markakis. Boom.

 

Agreed, then roll with Lester/Dickey/Stroman/MB/Hutch with Sanchez in the pen as the 8th inning guy who can move to rotation if needed. Trade Happ & Navarro for prospects. The team would be stacked except would still need someone at 2b.

[Stangstag]

The jays news this week has been making me so hard. I really hope we can sign some more impact players like Martin.

[burlingtonbandit]

Didn't McCown say there was a 50-50 shot the Raptors were getting Lebron in the summer?

[Spanky99]

So yeah, it's Stoeten (who plugs himself as much as can possibly f***ing plug himself in that article), and it's McCown, and it's a bunch of the same old "he said", rumory type stuff/garbage we're accustomed to, but if there's any truth to it (and there better be some, if it's true how much they're hiking up the ticket prices in the upcoming season) then it's good news and good tidings for the Jays and the Jays fans. Not sure I'd agree with Lester being the guy to make that massive splash and statement on, but what do I know.

 

As a side note, how hilarious would it be if Guy Laurence, the guy everyone was afraid would steer Rogers' focus away from the Jays and a sport he doesn't understand, ends up being the catalyst behind a massive overhaul and change in policy for the franchise.

 

That would blow me away. McCown and Blair get there info from Beeston, whether it's a ploy to draw interest from other clubs to jack their offers up or not, remains to be seen. A 179 threshold would be flipping sweet.

[Sammy225]

Didn't McCown say there was a 50-50 shot the Raptors were getting Lebron in the summer?

 

Well either they do or they don't...... Fity motha f***in fity biotch

[burlingtonbandit]

Well either they do or they don't...... Fity motha f***in fity biotch

 

Well he also said there is a "real" chance he comes to Toronto and that ownership had meetings and stuff. Until it happens I don't believe it. Martin's salary is 7 million this year basically the same as Lind's. I could maybe see the payroll approach 150 but that still seems high.

[JFD]

we can get a front line starter, IF, OF, another starter and a fat panda for the hell of it.

[TwistedLogic]

That would blow me away. McCown and Blair get there info from Beeston, whether it's a ploy to draw interest from other clubs to jack their offers up or not, remains to be seen. A 179 threshold would be flipping sweet.

 

This is why my ears perk up when McCown, Blair and even Zaun say something. They seem to have an ear to AA's door, so it's always worth at least taking a note on.

[Ziggyy108]

Didn't McCown say there was a 50-50 shot the Raptors were getting Lebron in the summer?

 

Yea.

[Spanky99]

This is why my ears perk up when McCown, Blair and even Zaun say something. They seem to have an ear to AA's door, so it's always worth at least taking a note on.

 

Ditto, they're all drinking buddies, and why they've been around forever.

[z3r0s]

If we are going to blow the bank on a pitcher, why aren't we talking to Scherzer? The draft pick?

I'd go with Scherzer 9 times out of 10.

[jayswin11]

Fly ball pitcher

[z3r0s]

 

 

I don't believe it. The fx rate is s***, and I know a guy who sells phones for a Rogers competitor, and he tells me Rogers' market cap is tanking, so they aren't going to spend.

 

I don't put any stock into that rumor either, just making a comment on the two pitches.

[AdamGreenwood]

So excited the Jays are going to dig a hole so friggin' deep, we won't climb out of it for ten years.

Maybe we can have $100 million locked up for 2019 on four players. That would be awesome.

[burlingtonbandit]

If we are going to blow the bank on a pitcher, why aren't we talking to Scherzer? The draft pick?

I'd go with Scherzer 9 times out of 10.

 

Because he will cost too much.

[RealAccountant]

didn't mccown say there was a 50-50 shot the raptors were getting lebron in the summer?

 

lmao really?

[TwistedLogic]

I still like Shields more than the other two. Like Lester, he's got a long track record in the East and he's going to be cheaper. I do see the appeal for Lester, however, since he's two years younger and won't cost a draft pick (which I don't think should be as much of a deterrent as it usually is, since they've already ditched the first rounder for Martin).

[z3r0s]

I wouldn't got 7 years on any of those pitchers. Shields is most likely to accept less years.

[bronson44]

Hamels. I think they're going to trade for Hamels.

[TwistedLogic]

Hamels. I think they're going to trade for Hamels.

 

RAJ will probably ask for Stroman, Norris, Pompey, Lawrie, Andrew Tinnish, Howarth, the Man in White, the marketing rights to Alomar, and a full salary dump for Ryan Howard.

[TheHurl]

I wonder where McCown would get this info

[NorthOf49]

McCown said their payroll for 2014 would be $150MM... this rumour doesn't carry water IMO.

[glory]

Hamels. I think they're going to trade for Hamels.

 

That's my guess as well. Maybe Dickey to a 3rd team (since he's a "clubhouse cancer" and all) to help facilitate it, and Hamels will waive his NTC if the team that acquires him guarantees his 2019 option, which judging by the Martin contract, AA will have no problem doing.

[TwistedLogic]

That's my guess as well. Maybe Dickey to a 3rd team (since he's a "clubhouse cancer" and all) to help facilitate it, and Hamels will waive his NTC if the team that acquires him guarantees his 2019 option, which judging by the Martin contract, AA will have no problem doing.

 

How the hell is Dickey a clubhouse cancer? http://i.imgur.com/py2PxcN.gif

[King]

How the hell is Dickey a clubhouse cancer? http://i.imgur.com/py2PxcN.gif

 

http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/4098-Dickey-Drama

[Chappy]

How the hell is Dickey a clubhouse cancer? http://i.imgur.com/py2PxcN.gif

 

Loner = cancer apparently.

[glory]

How the hell is Dickey a clubhouse cancer? http://i.imgur.com/py2PxcN.gif

 

Because (insert whatever Howarth and Blair were talking about yesterday).

[TwistedLogic]

http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/4098-Dickey-Drama

 

Yeah, I've read that garbage (on basically every news outlet that can feature it). My question is still the same. How is he a clubhouse cancer? Keeping to himself (that too according to Evil Jerry Howarth) is cancerous? So Roy Halladay was a clubhouse cancer?