David Glass and an angry ad and what might be his last chance
The Kansas City Star
Well, this was inevitable. If anything, it’s a wonder that it took this long for a Kansas Citian to take out an ad in the Star telling David Glass to sell the Royals.
There is real money behind this — my daily massages don’t pay for themselves, you know — and real emotion. In every way that matters, this was a long time coming.
David Glass is the most hated sports figure in Kansas City, and it’s not close. The two easiest ways to start a conversation in this town are to ask how the Chiefs will do this fall or curse Glass’ name. Yesterday, I spoke at a Rotary Club. They invited me mostly to talk about the Olympics, but soon enough a nice man asked what I thought it would take for Glass to sell the team.
It doesn’t matter that Glass has been — all things considered — a very good small-market owner the last six years. I’m sure I’ll receive a few angry emails for even writing that, because every time I’ve written that I’ve received at least a few angry emails.
Fans don’t want to hear it, and I don’t blame them. Under Glass’ leadership, the Royals became quite possibly the worst franchise in sports so if your stance is that nothing short of a parade can make up for that, I understand. The Royals have done nothing but lose under Glass.
He turns 77 next month and if he’s the man I think he is — a very different one from the public perception of being disconnected and apathetic — this season is as frustrating as any for him. I’ve always wondered if he sees this current group as his best and last chance to see the franchise he saved from leaving with a bargain-basement purchase actually win.
This group is his best chance to quit being the caricature.
This offseason is his best opportunity to help make it happen.
And, yes. I’m still pimping that column because it’s still hot fire.
Jake White
8 months, 4 weeks agoAt least Posnanski made us empathize with Buck O’Neill, who no one questioned was a terrific man and deserved recognition. I’m tired of being told I need to feel bad for David Glass, because the Royals sucking is so painful for him. I was born in ‘91 and have never been to a playoff game. Who’s side are you on, Mellinger? You might still be pimping that column, but its not hard to tell who owns your ass.
Sam Mellinger
8 months, 4 weeks agoPlease work on your reading comprehension, Jake. Either that or point me to the part where I say you should feel bad for Glass.
Jim Fetterolf
8 months, 4 weeks agoI had heard that some local petit riche entrepreneur was behind the drive to get David Glass to sell the team, to him, and that is the fount from which ads such as this might well.
Clint Scoles
8 months, 4 weeks agoSam,
Appreciate the opinion unfortunately I can’t share it. The time prior to 2006 counts and the fact that he has went from being terrible to doing the minimum expected (still turning a very large profit) doesn’t get him off the hook.
In my opinion and I’m probably off if an owner takes that much money from the city and will cash in at the end the way he will then Glass should operate at a break even point for the length of the lease. I don’t expect him to lose money but he cleared the hurdle in which he can’t profit from the sale.
At that point when he takes the amount of money he did as a non-resident of the city he should be required to operate at the break even point until the end of the lease. At which time he can sell and cash in on the 200+M that Selig allowed him to make when he was awarded the team as the second highest bidder.
Clint Scoles
8 months, 4 weeks agoJim instead of spreading false rumors like that why don’t you listen to the many podcast with Joe on in the city on why he did this. Or just email him yourself since his address is right on his website.
Dennis Lawrence
8 months, 3 weeks agoNot an angry e-mail, but..
What he did in prior years to the club IS the point. He pocketed the money he took from Baseball in luxury taxes and that is an ongoing detriment to the team. To be the ideal small market owner, he needs to put all that money he took in the Royals coffers.
Not angry, but a little tired of hearing how Glass has changed - was bad news - still is bad news
Sam Mellinger
8 months, 3 weeks agoJust to be clear: nobody says pre-2006 shouldn’t count. It does. It’s why there’s such a hole to dig out of. All I’m saying is that the last six years, he hasn’t operated like the worst owner in the history of the world. And like I said, I don’t blame anyone for not caring about that, I just think it’s something worth remembering, especially as he enters such a critical offseason to whether this “new” approach is real.
Clint Scoles
8 months, 3 weeks agoThe model owner for a small market team is in Milwaukee. The city stepped up built the team a stadium, from their they developed the players, made the playoffs and continue to spend the money some 11 years later.
The Brewers spent $98M this season which makes it the 12th time in 13 years that they’ve outspent Glass and the Royals. They’ve outspent Glass and crew by an incredible $150M in that time despite being in a smaller population and smaller TV market than Kansas City.
Sorry Sam love your work but their is the model. Glass is nothing more than the Walmart knock off.
Dennis Lawrence
8 months, 3 weeks agoI understand your point, Sam. And I like the “he hasn’t acted as the worst owner in the world” description of Glass better than “a very good small-market owner the last six years”. There is little doubt he was the worst previously and not a lot of lasting evidence he will ever be the latter.
What he did before completely trashed the franchise, and I don’t think there is anything he can do (will do) now to save it. We have been presented with a very short window of opportunity because we know he will not resign these players. Then we are back to wait until next year.
An owner who truly has found the light would begin by investing the money he kept over those years into the operation right now.
Jim Fetterolf
8 months, 3 weeks agoBeen giving this some thought and here are a few:
David Glass didn’t ruin the franchise, Ewing Kauffman did, first by trying to trade for and buy a last championship, then by leaving a succession plan designed to drain the value from the club in favor of the Foundation.
Second, the Brewers are a model, but not a good one, trading the farm, creating an unsustainable payroll, then sinking back into irrelevancy. The mighty Brew Crew is a couple of games better than the Royals with their big payroll and got one playoff series last year for the effort. Tampa Bay is a much better model.
Third, luxury taxes go to MLB, not the other teams. Small market teams have a certain amount of revenue sharing.
Fourth, the reason I give credence to the idea that this is a choreographed hostile takeover attempt is that Judging the Royals was inundated for a month or two with nearly verbatim versions of the ad, including the discredited claims about county money.
Finally, David Glass was a terrible owner at first, a career employee finally playing with his own money and trying to rely on his experience in a completely different field. I thought six years too long for the learning curve, but he moved past and has been a quite competent owner since. The organization has reached the point where the team is competitive, as witnessed by recent play against play off contenders, and is maybe a good starter, some good health, and some turnaround seasons from Hosmer and others from being a championship team. The pieces are there and even now they are racking up about the same number of wins as some high rollers like the Phils and Marlins.