Baseball Guru
03-02-2002, 09:52 AM
Stadium revenues remain limited
By MIKE PHILLIPS
mphillips@herald.com
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Marlins' new ownership is happy to call Pro Player Stadium home the next two years after extending the team's lease Friday.
That's right, happy -- a word seldom heard from ex-owner John Henry.
Henry, who recently sold the team to Jeffrey Loria, often said one of the reasons the Marlins needed a new ballpark was because of their one-sided lease at Pro Player, where the team was all but shut out of revenues involving suites, parking and concessions.
Henry estimated the Marlins made only about $5 million a year from those three avenues, but said he accepted the lease when we bought the team from Wayne Huizenga because he expected to move into a new ballpark eventually.
The new ownership likely faces the same revenue problems because, according to team president David Samson, the terms haven't changed.
But Samson isn't complaining.
''Nothing has been redone,'' Samson said, ``but our focus is on making sure the fans have a good experience when they come to the game.''
The Marlins are changing their season-ticket package, offering a half-season deal for the first time. Samson also said there will be a ticket window at Pro Player for Spanish-speaking fans.
''We got both ideas from e-mails [from fans],'' Samson said.
KING OF THE HILL
Infield coach Perry Hill is respected throughout the majors as one of the best, and shortstop Alex González is already noticing a difference.
González made a back-handed play in the hole Friday to take a hit away from Atlanta's Andruw Jones, but he looked a little different, planting his foot behind his glove as he made the play.
''Wow, did you see that play?'' Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. ``Did you see his back foot? That's what Perry teaches.''
González said he works with Perry for 10 to 15 minutes a day on the defensive maneuver.
''It helps a lot,'' González said. ``When he showed it to me, I could see a difference right away. It makes the throw easier.''
FREDI GOT `FASTER'?
The first Brave to greet the Marlins on Friday was former Florida third-base coach and bench coach Fredi González, now the Braves' Triple A manager at Richmond (Va.).
''Hey, you don't have that panda look in the dark blue,'' shouted Marlins center fielder Preston Wilson, who hugged González.
''Yeah, I look thinner and faster,'' González said. ``I'm thinner, and I'm wearing No. 80. I'm a wideout now. They thought they were hiring [Kansas City Chiefs tight end] Tony González . . .''
González had been with the Marlins since their inception in 1993, managing the organization's first game with Single A Erie (Pa.). He grew up in Miami, graduated from Southridge High and worked his way up the Marlins' system before being named Florida's third-base coach two years ago. He was then-manager Tony Pérez's bench coach before being fired -- along with every other coach except Tony Taylor -- at the end of last season.
All the former coaches now have minor-league jobs with other teams, while Taylor lost his job three weeks ago when Torborg and his Montreal Expos staff took over.
OUT OF THIS WORLD
Torborg woke up early Friday to watch the 6:25 a.m. shuttle launch from the deck of his condo in Melbourne, Fla., which overlooks the ocean.
''It was impressive,'' he said. ``All that power and light. . . . Everything lit up like you wouldn't believe. I watched it over the ocean, and you could see the stages drop off and fall all the way to the water. It was something.''
By MIKE PHILLIPS
mphillips@herald.com
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Marlins' new ownership is happy to call Pro Player Stadium home the next two years after extending the team's lease Friday.
That's right, happy -- a word seldom heard from ex-owner John Henry.
Henry, who recently sold the team to Jeffrey Loria, often said one of the reasons the Marlins needed a new ballpark was because of their one-sided lease at Pro Player, where the team was all but shut out of revenues involving suites, parking and concessions.
Henry estimated the Marlins made only about $5 million a year from those three avenues, but said he accepted the lease when we bought the team from Wayne Huizenga because he expected to move into a new ballpark eventually.
The new ownership likely faces the same revenue problems because, according to team president David Samson, the terms haven't changed.
But Samson isn't complaining.
''Nothing has been redone,'' Samson said, ``but our focus is on making sure the fans have a good experience when they come to the game.''
The Marlins are changing their season-ticket package, offering a half-season deal for the first time. Samson also said there will be a ticket window at Pro Player for Spanish-speaking fans.
''We got both ideas from e-mails [from fans],'' Samson said.
KING OF THE HILL
Infield coach Perry Hill is respected throughout the majors as one of the best, and shortstop Alex González is already noticing a difference.
González made a back-handed play in the hole Friday to take a hit away from Atlanta's Andruw Jones, but he looked a little different, planting his foot behind his glove as he made the play.
''Wow, did you see that play?'' Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. ``Did you see his back foot? That's what Perry teaches.''
González said he works with Perry for 10 to 15 minutes a day on the defensive maneuver.
''It helps a lot,'' González said. ``When he showed it to me, I could see a difference right away. It makes the throw easier.''
FREDI GOT `FASTER'?
The first Brave to greet the Marlins on Friday was former Florida third-base coach and bench coach Fredi González, now the Braves' Triple A manager at Richmond (Va.).
''Hey, you don't have that panda look in the dark blue,'' shouted Marlins center fielder Preston Wilson, who hugged González.
''Yeah, I look thinner and faster,'' González said. ``I'm thinner, and I'm wearing No. 80. I'm a wideout now. They thought they were hiring [Kansas City Chiefs tight end] Tony González . . .''
González had been with the Marlins since their inception in 1993, managing the organization's first game with Single A Erie (Pa.). He grew up in Miami, graduated from Southridge High and worked his way up the Marlins' system before being named Florida's third-base coach two years ago. He was then-manager Tony Pérez's bench coach before being fired -- along with every other coach except Tony Taylor -- at the end of last season.
All the former coaches now have minor-league jobs with other teams, while Taylor lost his job three weeks ago when Torborg and his Montreal Expos staff took over.
OUT OF THIS WORLD
Torborg woke up early Friday to watch the 6:25 a.m. shuttle launch from the deck of his condo in Melbourne, Fla., which overlooks the ocean.
''It was impressive,'' he said. ``All that power and light. . . . Everything lit up like you wouldn't believe. I watched it over the ocean, and you could see the stages drop off and fall all the way to the water. It was something.''