The Brewers yesterday announced that they are offering a limited-edition, $1,000 timeless ticket that guarantees access to one future Brewers home game, including those in the postseason. The brass tickets, of which only 1,000 will be produced, will have a personalized engraving of the owner's name. Owners can redeem the ticket for an actual ticket to any single Brewers game at Miller Park, at any time during the regular season or playoffs (Brewers).
MOTOWN MONEY: In Detroit, Lynn Henning notes the Tigers "are staring at a guaranteed" payroll of about $150M next season, "even with the possible loss" of P Max Scherzer, DH Victor Martinez and RF Torii Hunter in free agency. Five star players alone "will earn" about $100M. The obligations "already owed to players considered -- at least for now -- vital to 2015 are heavy and could easily exceed" the '14 Opening Day payroll of $163M, which "was the fourth-highest salary figure in the big leagues." The Tigers "are one of five teams to ever have paid a luxury tax" since it was installed in '03 (DETROIT NEWS, 10/30).
HANDS-ON APPROACH: In Minneapolis, La Velle Neal III cited a source as saying that Twins Owner Jim Pohlad "has become involved in the club’s managerial search." The Twins at the outset of their search planned to "get Pohlad more involved once a group of finalists was identified, so it is a signal that the team is close to naming their replacement for Ron Gardenhire." Pohlad on Monday was present when the Twins "held a second interview" with Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo "at a location outside the Twin Cities." It also is "likely" Baseball HOFer Paul Molitor "has met with Pohlad" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/28).
STERN-BERG WARNING: In Tampa, John Romano writes of the Rays' relocation rumors, "I'm not suggesting Rays owner Stuart Sternberg is behind the whispers that talks are ongoing north of the border. It actually makes no sense for Sternberg to rattle any cages right now, because he is about to get his long-awaited chance to sniff around Tampa." But MLB "likes to promote the idea of a city breathing heavily on the other end of any phone." Romano: "So do most of the other owners. It's just good business for them. But that doesn't mean Tampa Bay fans have anything to fear in the short term" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/30).
