Yes, I am already sorry about the above headline. MLB’s owners meetings are taking place in Rosemount, IL this week, and in the wake of Miami throwing competition to the wind with the proposed gifting of Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Mark Buerhle among others to the Blue Jays, fans and media are hardly alone in their frustration. As the New York Post’s Ken Davidoff writes, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria (above) spent Wednesday, “alone in the lunch room, not conversing with his fellow owners.”
Teams from the American League East were unhappy that the Blue Jays improved dramatically, clubs from the National League Central and West were displeased that the four other NL East members would be able to feast on the carcass posing as the Marlins and there was a general sense of embarrassment over the Marlins cutting bait just one year after opening a new ballpark built overwhelmingly with public monies.
In a separate interview with CBSSports.com, Loria alluded to the team’s last-place finish and said, “We have to take a new course.”
The Mets, represented here by CEO Fred Wilpon and COO Jeff Wilpon, declined comment, but they had to be thrilled. The NL East just became easier, and whatever the Mets’ problems are, they pale in comparison to those of the Marlins.