Non-White Sox Off-Season Hot Stove

[oldsox]

I had no idea Brooke had that kind of a baseball background. My only negative slant on her work is that once she gets on air, I have a feeling that she does not want to give up that microphone, regardless of what is happening on the field.

[kitekrazy]

2 hours ago, oldsox said:

I had no idea Brooke had that kind of a baseball background. My only negative slant on her work is that once she gets on air, I have a feeling that she does not want to give up that microphone, regardless of what is happening on the field.

the female version of Chris Collinsworth?

[Autumn Dreamin]

 

 

[WestEddy]

That Cristian Mena trade looking even worse for the D-backs. I wonder if anyone gets fired over this travesty...

Diamondbacks Notes: Kelly, Pfaadt, Mena - MLB Trade Rumors

Quote

Beyond that group, the depth is lacking in experience. Cristian Mena, Yilber Díaz, Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt and Dylan Ray are on the 40-man roster. The latter three haven’t yet cracked the majors. Díaz has just 31 1/3 innings while Mena has only 9 2/3.

Mena is also unlikely to be available anytime soon. He didn’t pitch after June last year due to a strain of the teres major in his throwing shoulder. Per Piecoro, Mena has re-aggravated that teres major injury recently. His timetable isn’t exactly clear but he has been shut down from throwing for the time being.

 

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

That Cristian Mena trade looking even worse for the D-backs. I wonder if anyone gets fired over this travesty...

Diamondbacks Notes: Kelly, Pfaadt, Mena - MLB Trade Rumors

 

Nothing burger for both sides.

We'll see if Fajardo ever makes it as far as the Boozer trade.

A+ ball players are usually still likelier to make it to the big leagues than intl draft pool "lottery" signings.

 

AZ isn't hurting all that badly...they still have a lot of young high-quality depth, especially on the position player side of things.

[caulfield12]

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/drew-brees-warriors-owner-joe-lacob-among-groups-to-submit-bids-for-padres-ownership-per-reports-000822046.html

Padres have at least five bidders...

3-4 seasons ago they were even with the White Sox in Forbes valuation...but Sox are still stuck at $1.8 billion, potentially $2 billion for those control shares.

 

"The Padres could fetch between $2.5 and $3 billion. The Mets set a record for Major League Baseball teams when Steve Cohen purchased the franchise for $2.4 billion in 2020. Seidler (Peter, his brother, had died, wife was contesting) - who officially took control of the franchise last year - announced their intent to sell in November."

_{6 hours ago}

Edited yesterday at 02:52 PM by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

"The Padres’ sale is viewed as a litmus test for valuations at a critical time for baseball. Many investors believe the sport’s clubs are undervalued—the MLB revenue multiple is 6.6x in Sportico’s valuations, by far the smallest of the five major U.S. leagues—and there are potential structural changes coming that could grant owners greater cost certainty. To get there, however, the league and its players must navigate a labor battle that many believe could result in missed games in the 2027 season."

https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2026/feliciano-friedkin-potential-padres-buyers-1234883438/

 

"Earlier this month, Sportico estimated the franchise value around $2.31 billion. It seems the Seidler family is aiming a fair bit higher. Acee writes that people within the industry anticipate the sale price will land north of $2.5 billion. Rosenthal and Lin report that the Seidlers are seeking a purchase price closer to $3 billion than to the estimation from Sportico.

Anything north of $2.5 billion would be a record for an MLB franchise. Steve Cohen’s 2020 purchase of the Mets from the Wilpon family was for roughly $2.475 billion. That remains the high-water mark. More recent sales of the Orioles and Rays have landed in the $1.7 billion range. Peter Seidler’s group purchased the Padres for $800MM in 2012. The reports from the Union-Tribune and The Athletic — each of which are worth a full read for San Diego fans — suggest an agreement could be reached around Opening Day."

MLBtraderumors.com

 

344% increase in value over just 13-14 years....pretty impressive investment by the Seidlers

Edited 21 hours ago by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

25 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

"The Padres’ sale is viewed as a litmus test for valuations at a critical time for baseball. Many investors believe the sport’s clubs are undervalued—the MLB revenue multiple is 6.6x in Sportico’s valuations, by far the smallest of the five major U.S. leagues—and there are potential structural changes coming that could grant owners greater cost certainty. To get there, however, the league and its players must navigate a labor battle that many believe could result in missed games in the 2027 season."

https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2026/feliciano-friedkin-potential-padres-buyers-1234883438/

 

"Earlier this month, Sportico estimated the franchise value around $2.31 billion. It seems the Seidler family is aiming a fair bit higher. Acee writes that people within the industry anticipate the sale price will land north of $2.5 billion. Rosenthal and Lin report that the Seidlers are seeking a purchase price closer to $3 billion than to the estimation from Sportico.

Anything north of $2.5 billion would be a record for an MLB franchise. Steve Cohen’s 2020 purchase of the Mets from the Wilpon family was for roughly $2.475 billion. That remains the high-water mark. More recent sales of the Orioles and Rays have landed in the $1.7 billion range. Peter Seidler’s group purchased the Padres for $800MM in 2012. The reports from the Union-Tribune and The Athletic — each of which are worth a full read for San Diego fans — suggest an agreement could be reached around Opening Day."

MLBtraderumors.com

 

344% increase in value over just 13-14 years....pretty impressive investment by the Seidlers

On the date the sale closed, the SP 500 closed at 1410.49.  Today it is at 6869 as we speak.  That would have been a return of 487%.

[caulfield12]

2 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

On the date the sale closed, the SP 500 closed at 1410.49.  Today it is at 6869 as we speak.  That would have been a return of 487%.

But what do all billionaires crave?

To down differentiate themselves from the herd.

Sports teams are unique, with a finite number available.

Plus you can use depreciation of stadium/equipment as a tax writeoff.

https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-roster-depreciation-allowance-how-major-league-baseball-teams-turn-profits-into-losses/

This article discusses one such tax issue: the Roster Depreciation Allowance. The topic has been discussed in simple terms in the popular press, as in this quotation from Time: “owners get to deduct player salaries twice over, as an actual expense (since they’re actually paying them) and as a depreciating asset (like GM would for a factory or FedEx a jet).”6 It has also been discussed in the academic field with in-depth mathematical and economic language and analysis.

Or getting free land/infrastructure improvements for surrounding entertainment dustricts, etc.

 

[caulfield12]

"The Battery Is Becoming Atlanta’s Profit Engine

The Atlanta Braves own 3 million square feet of mixed-use development space surrounding Truist Park. This mixed-use development, called The Battery, now generates more than $100 million in annualized revenue, going from just 7% of total revenue in 2018 to 13% in 2025. But revenue isn’t the story. The Battery is now significantly more profitable than the baseball team, accounting for $69 million in OIBDA last year (64% of the total) compared to $51 million from baseball-related events. With 9 million visitors last year, compared to just 2.9 million tickets sold at baseball games, the Braves say that their 30 tenants generated $137 million in annual sales. That makes The Battery one of the most successful mixed-use developments in the country."

https://huddleup.substack.com/p/inside-the-atlanta-braves-2025-earnings&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj0_sLKv_qSAxUIjpUCHUT5COIQFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw3RYgORl1c2MzIMRdbcNrNj

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/baseball/2026/atlanta-braves-battery-revenue-surges-main-street-1234885613/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjVnb6awPqSAxUtlJUCHV4ONjgQFnoECAcQAg&usg=AOvVaw3WfJ4tgYzmpY1xOIQH6Ch5

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7070967/2026/02/25/atlanta-braves-annual-revenue-report-surging-finances/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjVnb6awPqSAxUtlJUCHV4ONjgQFnoECAQQAg&usg=AOvVaw1f39xNLi-8lLyHDRL338Na

Edited 18 hours ago by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

5 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

But what do all billionaires crave?

To down differentiate themselves from the herd.

Sports teams are unique, with a finite number available.

Plus you can use depreciation of stadium/equipment as a tax writeoff.

https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-roster-depreciation-allowance-how-major-league-baseball-teams-turn-profits-into-losses/

This article discusses one such tax issue: the Roster Depreciation Allowance. The topic has been discussed in simple terms in the popular press, as in this quotation from Time: “owners get to deduct player salaries twice over, as an actual expense (since they’re actually paying them) and as a depreciating asset (like GM would for a factory or FedEx a jet).”6 It has also been discussed in the academic field with in-depth mathematical and economic language and analysis.

Or getting free land/infrastructure improvements for surrounding entertainment dustricts, etc.

 

More billions.

[caulfield12]

11 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

More billions.

And "prestige"...

Which is why those MLB teams that own their own networks are even more profitable AND have even more writeoffs/tax benefits available that other teams do not.

•  

 

 

“We are fortunate to have much of this expertise in-house at the Braves … and we have one of the largest [local] television territories in baseball, which affords us the opportunity to optimize our financial outcome and is a factor that provides us an advantage that no other Main Street team has,” McGuirk said on a call with analysts, via Front Office Sports. 

Other teams have had to go to MLB to create their television broadcasts in-house. Meanwhile, BravesVision was announced on Tuesday. It'll be on traditional television, carrying regular-season 140 games, and will be available on streaming with no blackouts.

Most teams have a metropolitan area to pull from. The Braves have about six states with multiple major cities to pull from, including Charlotte, Charleston, Nashville and Birmingham. Some of those towns want an MLB of their own, but for now, they're in Braves Country. Even after, there will still be plenty of fans in those regionals.

How deeply rooted they are in this part of America (see Superstation WTBS) is another reflection of why they're able to flex this muscle. Even in a down season, where they won just 76 games, they still saw major boosts in the money coming in."

https://www.si.com/mlb/braves/onsi/news/how-braves-revenue-boosts-influenced-their-tv-future

Edited 18 hours ago by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

Salt Lake City becoming a future MLB expansion site?

 

"The latter locale is home to: The NBA’s Jazz. The NHL’s Mammoth. MLS and NWSL franchises. A successful Triple-A baseball team. Pro softball and volleyball franchises. Plus the Big 12's BYU and Utah, flush with cash to spend on winning college teams. UFC. X Games. NBA All-Star. Massive youth sports complexes. One of the most ambitious, innovative young owners, Ryan Smith, who owns the Jazz and Mammoth. State politicians squaring up on the prediction markets. Obviously, the Housewives are everywhere.

An MLB expansion team could be next, and well before 2034.

While many have been provincially focused on stodgy East Coast cities, the Bay Area’s 2025 victory lap, Las Vegas’ thirsty past decade or Chicago’s NFL standoff, Salt Lake City has been busy becoming the modern-day model of U.S. sports-city development."

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7044898/2026/02/23/utah-mlb-expansion-sports-city/?source=athletic_moneycall_newsletter&campaign=16988333&userId=310262

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_District_Stadium

 

Readiness has put Utah at an advantage. While other cities announced their entries into MLB expansion consideration with renderings and merch, Salt Lake City arrived with a 100-acre site, a coalition of prominent Utahns, broad bipartisan support, a plan for public funding and a reputable anchor investor. 

“City and state officials are not subtle about their aspirations. They want Salt Lake City to be a larger dot on the map. Part of their plan is to continue building a robust sports scene

 

Edited 13 hours ago by caulfield12

[77 Hitmen]

13 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/drew-brees-warriors-owner-joe-lacob-among-groups-to-submit-bids-for-padres-ownership-per-reports-000822046.html

Padres have at least five bidders...

3-4 seasons ago they were even with the White Sox in Forbes valuation...but Sox are still stuck at $1.8 billion, potentially $2 billion for those control shares.

 

"The Padres could fetch between $2.5 and $3 billion. The Mets set a record for Major League Baseball teams when Steve Cohen purchased the franchise for $2.4 billion in 2020. Seidler (Peter, his brother, had died, wife was contesting) - who officially took control of the franchise last year - announced their intent to sell in November."

_{6 hours ago}

The Padres play in a top-tier ballpark and have averaged fewer than 26k per game only once since Petco opened in 2004.  They've drawn over 3M three years in a row and just missed 3M in 2022.   They're also the only team in San Diego among the 4 major sports leagues.  I can see why they're valued greater than the White Sox even though the Sox are in the 3rd largest market.

[caulfield12]

2 hours ago, 77 Hitmen said:

The Padres play in a top-tier ballpark and have averaged fewer than 26k per game only once since Petco opened in 2004.  They've drawn over 3M three years in a row and just missed 3M in 2022.   They're also the only team in San Diego among the 4 major sports leagues.  I can see why they're valued greater than the White Sox even though the Sox are in the 3rd largest market.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/196680/revenue-of-the-san-diego-padres-since-2006/#:~:text=In 2024%2C the revenue of the San Diego,from 2001 to 2024 (in million U.S. dollars)

Look at how abysmal SD revenues were in the early 2000s compared to the White Sox...

And now the White Sox were just 29th and only ahead of LV/Oak in a minor league ballpark.

One obvious point is the well-regarded new stadium, its capacity, weather, ballpark village and festive atmosphere.

But things really picked up with the signing of Machado and the arrival of Tatis as a Top 5 prospect in 2019.

As noted, losing the Chargers and Clippers and never having a hockey team put all the corporate sponsorship dollars in their pockets.

But signing eight players to $100-340 million contracts was supposed to be the inevitable end of a franchise.  It was decried almost universally by fellow owners (except by the Dodgers and Players Union) as unsustainable/foolhardy.

Yet here they are.

4 playoffs in 6 years and four playoff series Victorian has been enough to completely transform that franchise, overhanging debt in the $300-350 million range be damned.