based on statements that he was considering it previously.. based on the fact he is absolutely inactive this offseason...at the risk of being completely irrelevant in a sports market where the competition includes an exciting young NBA team and a brand new NFL team.. based on the fact he came on the radio right after the season ended talking about how he'd have money to make a splash in the offseason...but still nothing...and seemingly little effort at anything, including resigning Shane Reynolds (whom he needs to have signed by Saturday if he hopes to retain him).. based on the fact he's been whining about losing money for so long.. and just based on a hunch...
I wonder if anyone has expressed interest in purchasing the team from him. Based on the fact that he claims to have lost a lot of money and that I don't really get the vibe that he enjoys being a baseball owner, I would think that if a party showed interest he would jump all over it.
since he's absolutely guaranteed to make money on the deal, i doubt he's ever been opposed to it. how is this offseason any different? he hasn't been active since he signed caminiti in '99 and even he came at a discount. well, which is it? did he say he has some cash to burn or has he stuck to his losing money routine? personally, i've never heard him say anything about spending money, except that he won't. and i don't think he's getting ready to sell the team; he may not be investing in it heavily (player-wise), but he's also not taking drastic steps to reduce his investement. i think he WOULD sell, but doubt he's actively pursuing it.
I hope he sells the team so we can get an owner who gives a damn. It's time this team starts winning serious!
We need to email Mark Cuban to be the Astros owner. He cares more about winning than making a profit.
again...i don't have any hard and fast evidence...i'm not saying i have an insider scoop...just a hunch is all. i think he's avoiding adding payroll for a reason at this point...in fact, won't payroll actually be down this year??? ric -- we've made moves in the offseason in years past...we've at least been active, even if it's adding utility guys...there are no rumblings of any action at all this offseason. and yes..i've heard him say he is losing money...and in different interviews say he had money to spend this offseason...you do the math! in fact, lance zierlein pointed that out this morning on the radio, as well. i never said he was selling the team immediately...simply that he was preparing to do so.
Max, Just to follow up on what you were stating. My guess is, if the Astros stand pat and dont make any significant improvements, coupled with the point about the Texans and Rockets, the Astros attendance next year might be close to 20,000 per game if not below. If so, McClain will end up having to do what you feel he may be doing already.
McLane is probably banking on the fact that the Astros will be the third attraction in this city. It is a viable excuse as to why he will not be able to up the payroll because there aren't enough AIS. If he does indeed sell the team, it won't be until after the 2004 season when Minute Maid Field will host the All-Star game. McLane plans on making money from that event, after that he will probably sell the team, unless they are actually competitive (which I doubt they will be). My beef with Drayton McLane goes back to the whole Oilers-Astrodome debacle when the Oilers refused to play the preseason game due to "bad conditions" of the field. I remember distinctly that McLane came out and defended the Astrodome as a "world-class facility" and that he was honored that his team had the opportunity to play there. Then not even a couple of months later, he starts rumbling that his team needs a viable stadium to compete with other teams, so that he can field the kind of team this city deserves. Drayton is built a playpen downtown at hardly any expense to him, and now claims that he is still losing money. When asked why payroll hasn't jumped as he stated it would after getting a new stadium, he turns and says he has lost over $100 million since owning the team, and that the money that would've been spent in the stadium was used to keep the 1997-1999 playoff teams together. It certainly sounds like bullsh!t to me, but there are too many Drayton Apologists out there. He has certainly done nothing to make me think he is the kind of owner that can help bring a championship baseball team to Houston. I truly hope he does sell the team. I thnk Jeff Bagwell said it best, [well, if we don't make any moves we'll be competitive, but we won't be a contender]. I guess thats enough for the man who asks people,"What have you done to make the Astros champions?" Well I can definitely answer for him...Nothing For the Dratyon apologists and defenders, I could care less about your rebuttals and excuses for the penny-pinching miser, so flame away if you'd like.
I don't think you will be made a martyr today, Jared. If you will look back at the many on this BBS debating McClane's intentions and methods of running the team, those that have defended him (to varying degrees) almost always discuss the points with logic and polite discussion. There is very little flaming.
Is John McMullen still alive? Maybe he'll buy the Astros again. Here's my prediction: No matter who buys the team, there will be a not-insignificant number of people complaining about him soon enough. Drayton is not what I'd call a great owner, but I expect a great many people are going to be disappointed when whoever buys the team sticks to essentially the same budget. There are very few owners who are willing to lose significant money on a sports team. They didn't get to be rich by running losing businesses. Even the vaunted Mark Cuban has noted that he's not interested in losing money on the Mavericks. He'll take a small loss here and there, but overall, he's going to be profitable. That's been how Drayton McLane has operated, as well. But hey, if baseball didn't have the anti-trust, Drayton would've sold years ago.... to Bill Collins. That's enough to make Drayton a bad guy. I just think you're all looking to be deeply disappointed if you think the next owner is going to be significantly different. Oh, and keep in mind that the next owner could actually be worse than Drayton.
i won't flame...but i will say i completely disagree with you. the teams in 1998, 1999 and 2001 were legitimate championship contenders. had they performed in the playoffs like they had in the regular season, they would have at least been playing for a world series berth. i don't think we can blame the owner because the all-stars who produce all season long don't show up at all in the postseason. while i LOVE jeff bagwell, that comment above rings absolutely hollow to me...do something meaningful in the playoffs, jeff, before you turn the blame to anyone else.
i don't have any numbers in front of me, but i don't think his payroll has significantly increased the past two or three years. remember, while he may be adding parts here or there, he's also removing parts (hampton, everett, alou) to help counterbalance everything. i think mcclane would sell the team like THAT, but i don't think what he is or isn't doing this offseason has anything to do with it. when you ready a team for sale, you drastically slash payroll, and/or set the team up to be in a position to drastically slash payroll within the next year (in a salary cap league). he's merely maintaining status quo.
I was at that game, damnit. I still have my ticket stub. I hung out with Spencer Tillman on the Club level of the Dome (where my parents had season tickets), trying to milk him for info on the whole debacle. What a crappy day that was... As for Drayton, he's not the best owner by any stretch, but he's certainly not the worst. Sure, I'd love to see the Stros bring in an owner who'll spend gobs of money, but the possiblity is remote at best. How many potential owners out there are willing to spend freely on a mid-market team that doesn't draw nearly the revenue that the Braves, Dodgers, and Yankees get? Unless we get an owner who views his team as a play toy (see: Paul Allen), you're still going to be in the same boat. Besides, there seems to be a market correction this year in free agency, anyway. Not many owners are buying right now (collusion!). So if the freaking Yankees, of all teams, are trying to get rid of their players, you could be SURE that Drayton isn't interested in adding any. ... Good Lord! Did I just (indirectly) defend Drayton? I think I need a cold shower. This'll never happen again.
Drayton McLane, Astros . He followed a familiar pattern, spending freely, then preaching restraint. None other than George W. Bush, then general managing partner of the Rangers, reprimanded McLane for more than doubling the Astros' payroll after McLane bought the team in 1993. "Drayton is going to learn,'' Bush said then. "Today's glorious signing can be tomorrow's bust. Sometimes, you just can't satisfy the public or the press.'' Astros payrolls since Drayton bought the team in 1993: 1993: $28.8 million 1994: $32 million 1995: $31.6 million 1996: $26.8 million 1997: $32.9 million 1998: $40.6 million 1999: $55.2 million 2000: $52.3 million 2001: $60.4 million 2002: $63.5 million By the way, in the years prior to Drayton buying the team, the Astros' payrolls were: 1992: $13.35 million (2nd lowest in baseball) 1991: $11.55 million (lowest in baseball) 1990: $18.83 million 1989: $16.01 million 1988: $13.45 million So in the ten seasons that Drayton has owned the Astros, payroll has increased 120%, and is up 376% since the year before Drayton bought the team. The Yankees, by the way, increased their payroll only 250% in that same time frame (1992 season through 2002 season).
and in that time, a ballpark was built for him using tax payer's money and his franchise value has probably quadrupled.
