MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred yesterday insisted that MLB was "not aware" that Marlins Owner Bruce Sherman and CEO Derek Jeter before buying the team "planned to dramatically slash payroll, a fact disputed" by two sources cited by Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD. Appearing on "The Dan Le Batard Show," Manfred said that he did "not know the plans" of Jeter and Sherman during the approval process. But sources said that Jeter and Sherman "were required to tell other owners their intentions with payroll during the approval process, and that they informed the other owners that payroll would be cut" from $115M to the $85-90M range, with $85M "used at times" and $90M other times in those discussions. Jackson notes last year’s team "would have cost" about $140M if it were "kept together." The Marlins’ "current projected payroll" for '18 stands at about $94M "after the team traded" OF Giancarlo Stanton, 2B Dee Gordon and OF Marcell Ozuna. Another source said, via text, “Commissioner said was not aware of (Jeter) plan to slash payroll. Absolutely not true. They request and receive the operating plan from all bidders. Project Wolverine (the name for Jeter’s plan) called on his group to reduce payroll to $85 million. This was vetted and approved by MLB prior to approval by MLB. Every (Jeter) investor and non investor has the Wolverine financial plan of slashing payroll to $85 million. Widely circulated” (MIAMI HERALD, 12/21).
FEELING THE HEAT: Jeter took heat from fans at a town hall earlier this week, and ESPN’s Amin Elhassan said everything about Jeter has been "shying away from public scrutiny." Elhassan: "Everything’s that’s been sold to this community when they built that stadium with taxpayer dollars, was that ‘We’ll never have a situation where you’ve got tear it down and rebuild.’ ... For them to have promised this, using taxpayers’ money to build the stadium, and then turn around, sell the team, and the next person who walks in says ‘Yep, we’re going to do it again,’ that’s really hard for South Florida to swallow." If Jeter was "going to do that, you have to be Mr. Personality -- out in the streets shaking hands, kissing babies, and connecting to the community and the history of the organization." Jeter has done the "exact opposite” (“SportsNation,” ESPN, 12/20). The Colorado Springs Gazette's Woody Paige said Jeter "spent 20 years building up his reputation and good will, and he has really ruined it over the last several weeks." Paige said he "didn't think he handled the questions well" at the town hall, as he "kept deflecting everything that was asked of him.” ESPN’s Pablo Torre: “This is kind of his role, to be the face of the team. But I also sell the fact this was a plan that was ever going to work in terms of satisfying anyone in South Florida." This is a fan base "dealing with PTSD about the same exact thing, so it was a lost proposition from the start” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 12/20).
NAVIGATING CHOPPY WATERS: CBS Sports Network’s Adam Schein said everything Jeter has done "has been awful." Schein: "Firing the scout who was sick, getting rid of the broadcast crew, getting rid of the legends that were part of the organization ... I do give Jeter credit for talking and being accessible, but wow. Everything he’s done has been absolutely, positively horrendous” (“Time to Schein,” CBSSN, 12/20). But ESPN's Mike Wilbon said, "Derek Jeter can calm anybody. … Nothing Derek Jeter said there is out of line. He's not giving you fake news. He's saying something that ought to make sense to most people." ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said the new ownership has "gotten off to a very, very bad start." Jeter is the "face of the franchise, but what he's soon going to find out is that they're going to love him for what he did on the field” (“PTI,” ESPN, 12/20).
