“Chargers-Who’s Right-Who’s Wrong-How Bad is This Going to Be?”

 
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The Cold War has now become a Heated Battle.

 
All the nice guy comments directed at each other over the last couple of weeks have ended. And so has the City-County support to help Dean Spanos build a new football stadium for the Chargers.

 
Since the January 12th meeting in Houston, the one where Spanos’ ideas of building a stadium Carson and relocating, got shot out of the water, both the owner and the mayor have spent time preaching ‘partnership’.

 
They would work together to find a solution to funding a new stadium, and finding the right location.

 
So much for the niceties. Those conversations have ended.

 
Within hours of the Chargers announcement they were joining forces with JMI, owned by John Moores, to seek out building a stadium downtown, and to finance it with an upgrade Tourism Tax on hotel rooms, the relationships between the NFL team and the NFL owner seem to have come to an end.

 
Kevin Faulconeer has gone public saying the 350M in monies offered by the City-County coaliton is off the table. That money will not be available for any stadium package downtown.

Remember just weeks ago when Dean Spanos said he was willing ‘to do whatever it takes’ to get a Stadium built.  What it takes evidentally is more money from you.

 
County Supervisor Ron Roberts, wearing his emotions on his sleeve, revealed that Spanos asked the city-county group to throw 200M more into the pot in Mission Valley, which would have lowered the contribution the owner would have had to make.

 
And despite theories about the public vote next November, anybody who has their mail sent to City Hall, is of the opinion it would take a next to impossible 66% vote to get the JMI package approved. They say it is the law, and the law is not going to bend over for anyone, including the NFL.

 
No one seems to have a firm grasp on how the Spanos-JMI team is going to get the post-stamp parcels of land they need, adjoining the MTS sight, for construction of the hybrid-Stadium-Convention Center Annex.

 
No one on that street corner has descirbed how they can fast forward the cleanup of the MTS sights with its toxic issues, in a short time span. No one has yet proposed where the MTS facilities be relocated too, for it’s not like just parking buses in an open field.

 
Now there are hidden storylines to pay attention to though. In building Petco Park, JMI, the John Moores-Larry Lucchino team, bought up empty property before ever getting into the war with the obstructionists to get Petco built. Might those land purchases have already occurred, and we don’t know about them yet?

 
Might there be a land-swap coming, JMI property for the MTS properties as part of all this dealing? Never say never.

 
What is to be gained by the Mayor turning his back on the Chargers now? It has to be bitterness over a wasted 14-months of efforts by civic leaders in putting the Mission Valley proposal together?

 
Maybe now Faulconer and Roberts stand on the side, and wait to see if the Spanos-JMI deal falters. They can always bring their money idea back on the table, after they say to Spanos “I told you so”.

 
Fred Maas has so much experience moving around obstacles, bet your mortgage that he has already laid the groundwork to creatively find a way to make this work out.  He just hasn’t told us the game plan yet.

But you have to be concerned.  Look out your window, see the opposition lining up on the street corner;  the Convention Center Board, the Hotel Association, Comic-con, and the Padres are apparently lining against using land at Tailgate Park.

 
The wildcard in all this though is the community history of saying ‘no’ to tax money for projects, from a stadium, to firefighters. Add to that the ill-will reputation that still exists between all the things Spanos has done, since taking over control of the franchise from his father, most of them having a negative impact on his once sterling reputation.

 
This looks like only the beginning of another fight. The future of the NFL franchise hangs in the balance on one street corner. The reputation of the mayor heading towards re-election is on the street corner. There will probably be some fatalities before this is decided.

 
And isn’t it odd, the man who saved Padres baseball, John Moores, may be the man to save the Chargers franchise too. But there will be some bloodshed for sure.

 
We’re not done with this for sure, for the Cold War has now become a Heated Battle, again.

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“Suicidal Solution in Stadium Talks”

 
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Why do I have this bad feeling about ‘agendas’ in the launching of Stadium talks between the Chargers and the City-County coalition?

 
The two sides met in an informational session on Monday to explore-exchange different ideas. What I hear, makes no sense, what I hear seems more about agendas and content.

 
The Chargers have told the city they like the downtown idea, linked to the Convention Center. And now the coalition has been expanded to include the expertise of JMI-John Moores group, which has a track record of success in building things, from Petco Park to minor league stadiums and college football renovations..

They want to propose a ‘Tourism Tax’ as a major component to help pay for a mega project, stadium and center.

 
This after 9-months of research and work by the City-County-CSAG, that indicated downtown does not work, because of a likely fight with a hotel tax, land acquisitions, toxic removal, relocation of the MTS terminals, limited parking, and the mass of complexities building on a limited land sight.

 
In the big picture, an additional convention center makes all the sense in the world, for tourism is out biggest industry now, but that takes time, an enormous amount of time. Add in voter resentment about any type of public spending, and you understand there seem to be problems everywhere.

 
The ground-work laid for the Mission Valley, stadium-only sight, seems to have traction. Most all of that funding is in place.

 
Yes, a bigger plan to evolve more acreage for SDSU development, San Diego River development, and business park expansion, is a project unto itself at the Q-sight.. Again you are dealing with money issues, long term planning, and of course financing.

 
I’m connecting the dots to tell you, I don’t like what I hear, and what I think.

 
The Spanos’ are pushing downtown, with all of its issues. They may be thinking ‘big picture’ with the convention center part of the mix.

 
The Moores people are pushing downtown, not just for development, but for use of the land they already own there, but there are complications.

Why would they do this knowing it could take 5-to-7 years to make this come together without any legal challenges? The Chargers have always been about making more money instantly. Why travel a path that has so much resistance stapled to it?

 
Why does it seem to me, in selling ‘tourism tax’ and the bigger picture, the Chargers want others to fund this stadium for them, meaning they put even less money than they would if it were in Mission Valley?. And the greater debate, does it become a city-county vote to make something like this happen.

 
And with agendas, the challenge of pulling together all these different interest groups, Spanos, Moores, City-County, Hoteliers, Environmentalists, Port Commission etc,  becomes a key issue too.  Everyone wants something their way a little different.

And the cost.  1.8B if you build a Center annex and the new Stadium across the tracks.  1.4B if you do a combined Stadium-center complex.  And the original cost of 1.1B in Mission Valley.   The greater good is served if the convention center is part of all this.  The greater cost too.  And the likelihood of even more in fighting from land owners and others, going downtown.

I just have this bad feeling. The Monday conversation wasn’t just about bigger plans, it was about their agenda, to have somebody else build and pay for a stadium, to be given to a rich man. That always seemed to be their mode of operation in the past. Now it seems to be their approach looking into the future.
Please tell me I am wrong. But I don’t think I am.

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“Angels-Helluva Way to Treat People”

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Angry is about the most honest sentiment out there to describe what is going on in Anaheim, home of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, under-achieving, out of the playoff, franchise.

Everyone is angry at everyone. Pick a name, and there is something bad attached to their name.

The firestorm of late involves owner Arte Morena, his inertia this winter in the free agent market, shying away from big money signings, instead approving acquistions of minor leaguers and guys released by other teams.

Fans are furious at the business policies of the man who owns a team in the number 2-market in the nation. Oh how they soon forget, these fans in the 714-949 area code.

Arte Moreno bought the franchise from the Disney group, which lost interest in baseball, as witnessed by their dark sky box at home games in the final years they owned the team. He invirgorated the franchise, marketing wise, drafting-wise, and with a big money roster.

I didn’t see alot of beefing when he wrote the monster check that stole the heart-soul and leader of the St. Louis Cardinals, Albert Pujols. Yes it was an expensive check to write, but superstars at the peak of their careers, earned that type of dollar.

Add onto that the signing of big bat Josh Hamilton, home-runs and baggage included in one price.

When the Angels needed pitchers, that owner went out an inked CJ Wilson, then a front line starter in Texas. In need of a reliever, they traded for the hefty contract of Padres closer Huston Street.

Don’t let your players get away either, thus a big contract to retain Jared Weaver.

The once barren farm system started to turn players over also. Here came superstar Mike Trout, and Garrett Richards, plus Matt Shoemker and Kole Calhoun.

Deals brought them Andrew Heaney and Hector Santiago, now developing as key guys in the rotation.

Of course there have been tough decisions too, letting go of 2nd baseman Howie Kendrick, Tori Hunter, the trading of Eric Aybar, Mark Trumbo, the Mike Napoli decision amongst others. Wasted money on Joe Blanton, Ervin Santana and the likes.

There have been swings, and big-misses too, a-la the deal for Vernon Wells.

1-thing you can say about the Angels owner, he’s been bold, and unafraid to make deals, all the betterment of the franchise. He has spent alot.

Of course, he has also been in the middle of the hand-grenade throwing incidents in his front office, with 17-year veteran manager Mike Scosica, who has the owner’s ear, and confidence, at the cost of a couple of GMs, who have left.

 
But for all the good Moreno has tried to do in Anaheim, there has been negative. You can only drag out the old story ‘well he cut beer prices’ when he bought the team years ago. Yes, that’s alot of beer and foam ago.

The real shortcoming is his inability to handle the criticism of being a public owner. His dislike of the working media, his stand-off attitude of who he talks to, who he shouts down, who he ignores. He wants the accolades when things went well, witness pennant wins and World Series appearances. He refuses to accept the responsibility when he makes mistakes.

At the end of the day, Arte Moreno has done so much good, compared to the waning days of the Autrey ownership and the corporate chemistry of team Disney. But Arte Moreno needs to realize his decisions on the grossly high Albert Pujols contract, the risk-vs-no reward with Josh Hamilton, the Wells deal, and what he is stuck with now with Wilson and Weaver’s conracts, are on his watch.

I like Moreno alot as a leader, a visionary, as an impulsive-make the decision guy. It’s too bad though, he doesn’t seem to be a happy man for all his wealth and his standing in the community, as the owner of a respected franchise. The man has done alot for the fans, that Orange County community, and that stadium.

But he has to realize, I didn’t make those contract offers, neither did the Orange County Register, the LA Times or ESPN. Ownership brings you glory, it also brings you accountability. Arte Moreno wants us to give him a free pass on the pit-falls.  He fails to realize that, and that’ too bad.

He’s treated alot of players very well. His treatment of the working media is very poor.  He’s taken some really unfair heat from the public.   He’s dished out some unwarranted anger in response.

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Dodgers have the money-Do they have the answers”.

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It might have been a once in a lifetime opportunity to see what we saw last summer when the Dodgers played. Frontline pitching that equaled Koufax and Drysdale. An individual effort similar to the dominance of a Bob Gibson.

That was then, and this is now.

Despite the brilliance of the tandem of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, the Dodgers did not get to the World Series. It’s been since 1988, thank you Kirk Gibson, since they won a ring, raised a trophy, had a parade.

And now that special summer, when Kershaw had a (2.13ERA) and Greinke outdid him with a (1.66) mark, is over.

 
So is the era of the Dodgers record 281M payroll. Greinke is gone to the Arizona Diamondbacks. And now the challenge, with a bit lower payroll, to find enough arms to replace Greinke.

The challenges are great, despite what President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman may believe.

You give the ball to Kershaw on opening day. After that, somebody else starts, and maybe you have to hope for the best. New manager Dave Roberts hopes it’s not that.

Each of the arms seems to come with a question mark attached to it.

 
Scott Kazmir, who has become a journeyman lefthander, is now part of the rotation. Some years better than others, depending on where he is, Oakland, Houston, Cleveland, Tampa Bay. You never know one season to the next. If the cat has nine lives, Kazmir has indeed been able to re-invent himself.

Kenta Maeda got a whopper of a free agent contract coming out of Japan. Might he be the next Hideo Nomo or Chan Ho Park? Time will tell, but already there is concern about elbow issues. You wonder if he becomes Dice Matsuzaka.

Yes Brett Anderson returns for his second year, but his solid seasons have been interspersed with injuries of all kinds, bad luck if you want to call it.

Hyn Jin Ryu underwent torn labrum surgery last spirng. He had all the ingredients of being a lead arm, but now the arm issues have to be of concern. Who knows now about durability, dependability.

Alex Wood came from Atlanta, but erratic outings shunted him out of the postseason rotation. Yes the ex-Braves lefty has potential, but it’s not there yet, start to start.

The young arms of a year ago, forced into the starting slots, eventually wound up back at Oklahoma City. No one is talking much now about Mike Bolsinger nor Zach Lee.

There won’t be any Brandon McCarthy sighting for a while, the aftermath of elbow surgery, and that rehab comeback takes forever.

A year from today we may be talking about the next generation of Kershaw types, Julio Urias and Jose DeLeone, but that takes time to grow them on the farm, even if the Dodgers have the best farm system in baseball.

So LA has 6-weeks now to figure this out. Find the right people to put behind the greatness of Kershaw. All the money in the world cannot buy you guarantees on the mound.

 
The Giants and the Diamondbacks went big-time on spending sprees to upgrade their staffs, and in San Francisco and Phoenix, those starters look better than the ones on Elysian Way. Thank goodness Colorado and San Diego are in the division.

The Dodgers have been caught in the crossfire of criticism about whether they should have given Greinke a 6-year deal at mega money that would have taken him thru age 37.

They didn’t like the criticism this winter. They won’t like the criticism this summer if they don’t find find the right arms to back up that great lefthander

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“Padres-Losing the Arms Race-Do They Have Enough”

 
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What you see today might not be what is here opening day.

The Padres pitchers and catchers and assorted early arrivals, go thru their first throwing drills today in the Cactus League. The Padres begin searching for the right combination of 11-arms to get them to opening day.

What’s on the roster right now, might not be there come first pitch in the season lidlifter, because we all the know the track record of rogue GM-AJ Preller. A deal could be made anytime-any day, and even any middle of the night.

Pitching was indeed a problem last season. The cornerstone of Bud Black’s teams were depth in the rotation, a strong cadre of relievers, getting you to a closer. That starting staff started badly, got guys hurt, got worse, got the manager fired, before figuring it out, too late to do anything to salvage the season nor anyone’s job.

3-front of the rotation starters return, but you’re looking for better things from James Shields and Andrew Cashner, and a season of dominance from Tyson Ross. They are slated to make a combined 40M of the payroll this season. Last season, that threesome combined for just 29-wins.

Shields started (7-0), but it was not a dominant (7-0) start. Then he became a 6-inning per start hurler and finished under .500-the rest of the way. Now he’s slated to make 21.3M this year, and there better be quality starts that get into the 7th inning. Tyson Ross struggled early, but found his groove and was solid, even with little run support. He gets 10M this year, so they need lots of wins. It was an ugly year for Cashner, but he made his starts, did not have arm problems, and though the record was terrible, (7-17), he suffered from real lack of run support. This is his walk year towards free agency, and at (7.8M), they need much more than what they got.

Beyond that, what do the Padres go to, who do they rely on, is there any track record of success? No, no, and no.

Brandon Mauer found his niche in the bullpen, but suffered from over-work and was finally shutdown. He did better out of the San Diego pen than he did as a Seattle starter. Why they would yank him out of a comfort role is strange. Drew Pomeranz is now with his fourth club. He never has been what many thought he could me, a strong armed starter. Moved from Cleveland to Colorado to Oakland, he still has a vibrant arm, but no big time track record.

Brandon Morrow has had success, most of it in Toronto, but now he has had two surgeries, forearm and shoulder. He was (2-0) before encountering arm problems last year that led to a clean up surgery. If healthy, he becomes the veteran 4th guy you’d want to give the ball to, but the key word is ‘if” he can hold up..

Robbie Erlin has been in and out of the rotation. Not over-powering, but crafty, he has pitched well at times, but been overwhelmed too. Who knows what you get till you give him the ball. Ditto for young Colin Rea, who had some limited good starts, but also got shelled, at the end of the lost season last year.

The Padres are hauling in 31-pitchers in all onto the field today. Ex-Cardinal long reliever Carlos Villanueva has some starting experience, but obviously not enough for St. Louis to bring him back. Jose Dominguez can throw hard, and spent limited time with the Dodgers amongst other clubs. Carlos Pimental put up really good numbers in the Pacific Coast League, where he was MVP in the league, for the Cubs AAA-team at Iowa. Anybody that has a sub 3.00-ERA in the PCL deserves a look, but prior to last year, there was no track record of consistency.

 
After that, it is a mish-mash of really young guys, or journeyman people, including no-hit knuckleballer Philip Humber, a former White Sox rotation guy and a group of lower minor leaguers including a couple of Rule 5-arms, probably all a year at least away..

A team that gave us a flawed defense, and a roster full of utilitymen a year ago , now adds lack of true pitching depth to the checklist of things they need to figure out over the next 6-weeks over in Arizona.

This is a league where everybody craves pitching, San Diego no longer has what it once had, a deep, proven trusted rotation. That and we haven’t even mentioned the overhaul of the bullpen, where new names don’t equal last year’s names they let get away.

Pitching, the arms war, everyone wants it, need it, San Diego doesn’t seem to have it, or enough of it..