Twins Owner Jim Pohlad this week said that there are "no serious restrictions" on GM Terry Ryan when it comes to "spending in free agency." In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman reports this is "in contrast to what was said on a recent conference call Ryan and Twins President Dave St. Peter held with season-ticket holders, when they said payroll will be close to last season’s total" of around $85M. Pohlad said, “I’m not saying we’re going to have a payroll of $200 million or $150 million but we’ve been up past $100 million before, and if Terry finds the opportunity, we’re willing to go there again" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 11/7).
GOING ALL IN? In Chicago, Mark Gonzales noted clearing nearly $41M from last season’s payroll, along with a "lucrative television contract on the horizon, points to an aggressive shopping spree" this offseason for the Cubs. Team Chair Tom Ricketts Thursday on WSCR-AM's "The Mully & Hanley Show" said Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein "has a lot of flexibility this offseason." Ricketts: "If there’s a free agent that comes up that makes sense, I’m sure he’ll be aggressive in trying to get there." Gonzales noted the Cubs "don’t have a television package to cover the games once telecast by WGN," but Ricketts "believes the financial landscape will change with the next TV deal." Ricketts: “The next big financial change to the Cubs will be the new television contract. What you’ve seen in baseball over the past handful of years is that the teams that are most aggressive in signing free agents or teams that are spending more are teams that have recently renewed their television deals” (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 11/6).
BOSTON STRONG: In Boston, Justin Barrasso notes Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino "enters the offseason with one objective: bringing a championship back to Boston." Lucchino: “We don’t believe in long-term rebuilding projects. We believe in retooling, refocusing, and reloading. But we’re not rebuilding -- that connotes something that is long and slow.” Barrasso notes despite "initial rumors he would flee," to the Nationals or elsewhere, Lucchino "always envisioned a long-term relationship" with the club (BOSTON HERALD, 11/7).
