Kovacevic answers readers honestly--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has unusual candor for a baseball newspaper writer--he reveals a definition of "money put into the team..."

"Rather, my understanding is that the money they have put into the team -- as you can see detailed in the article today -- has gone toward buying out other investors. And the money that is being used to operate the team is money that already was in the team or comes as part of the cycle of revenues, expenditures and profits."

• Also, I would remind: This stuff is only an issue in the extremely imbalanced economics of Major League Baseball.
• In the other three major professional sports, owners are judged much more by the decisions they make rather than the money they spend because they all are limited in their spending by salary caps.
• Did the owner hire a good coach? Did the owner hire a good GM? Did the owner give final approval to a truly terrible player transaction that he might have nixed? Did the owner provide the best facilities? Did the owner ensure that operations at all levels of the franchise are on par -- or superior -- to those of the competition?

I agree that the Nutting ownership should continue to be held accountable for payroll, particularly as it compares to teams in similar settings such as the Reds and Brewers. Until the Pirates can adequately explain why they spend less -- they did not do so Friday, despite being asked -- questions should continue to be raised."

From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates Readers Q&A by Dejan Kovacevic, 1/15/07

(And Mr. Kovacevic adds a frame of reference--not just the Brewers, but also the Reds). sm

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