Smithers, what’s that sports thing we just bought?

The Braves’ evolution to corporate pawn is now almost complete, as Time Warner and Liberty Media have concluded their agreement to exchange the home team like just another entry in a spread sheet.

As he has throughout this protracted process, longtime Ted lieutenant and Braves president Terry McGuirk says Liberty assures him the club will keep running as it has. So that means holding the payroll steady as most other clubs spend more and more. When the local organ’s Tim Tucker asked McGuirk what he’d tell concerned fans, the best he could muster was, “That is a really good question” followed by a bunch of corporate-speak about the transparent effect on management, blah, blah.

Best guess here is that Liberty leaves the payroll stuck. It’ll be up to JS to work within that framework. Boy, that Hampton deal looks pretty bad now.

Actually, the Liberty purchase is not final. Three-quarters of MLB owners must approve it. Seeing as how MLB just struck a $700 million deal with Liberty-owned DirecTV to show games, pissing off legions of fans who don’t have DirecTV in the bargain, it’s hard to imagine Bud and his cronies not signing off on this.

Let’s just hope Liberty sells the team to a local owner in three or four years. 

–CD 

Braves soon to be a small market club, thanks to Time Warner

You’ve probably heard about those new regional TV contracts that have allowed teams like the Rangers and Angels to spend big this offseason. That got me optimistic, since the Braves, more than most, are truly a regional team.

But the Bravos won’t be able to take advantage of that enhanced revenue stream for 20-plus years, thanks to the team’s previous corporate overlords.

“Whenever old [TV] deals are up and new deals get realized, there are big jumps in value. I have predicted that, knew it was coming,” McGuirk said. “And I think we have an undervalued local rights [deal].

“That being said, we inherited a deal that was done under [previous owner Turner Broadcasting/Time Warner] a little over four years ago, before the sale, that lasts out through 25 years. So there is no opportunity for a different deal than the one we have. Every single set of games on the different networks that we are seen on [Fox Sports South, SportSouth and Peachtree TV] are all 25-year deals or thereabouts.”

McGuirk said the deals call for “cost-of-living type increases” each year, but contain no options for renegotiation.

Corporate ownership sure has been good for the Bravos, hasn’t it? Score another gutter ball for Bud.

Good news for Bravos: Prince to Tigers

Nine years, $214 million. To quote Wimpy Paciorek, “Wow.”

I was convinced Fielder was going to end up with the Nats, a move that would’ve made D.C. instant contenders in the East.

Thank you, Mike Illitch.

Frank Wren should stop making trades w/ Pittsburgh

We were all pleased with Matty D.’s re-acquisition last summer. Now …

Diaz, who has a .302 OBP and 7 homers in his last 200 games, will make $2 million this year. Hell, Brent Clevlen could give you that for a quarter of the price.

Two million might not seem like much but consider the consequences of the Diaz trade.

If not for Matty D.’s contract the Braves would’ve likely dealt for Seth Smith, who Oakland received for a couple of aging hurlers who project as fifth starters. The Braves could’ve easily offered a more talented package of pitchers without sacrificing any of their better prospects.

The only fathomable reason Smith is not a Brave is his $2.5 million salary. Subtract Diaz and they could’ve made him fit (one hopes $500,000 wouldn’t have been a barrier.)  It seems minor, but Smith is a better hitter and fielder capable of playing CF in a pinch.

As it stands the Bravos will likely have to carry three back-up OF’s since neither Diaz or Hinske can play CF. If something happens to Bourn who plays center? Good news for Jose Constanza, at least.

Perhaps Matty D. will rebound in 2012. He better, because we’re stuck with him.

Petah coming back

The Braves re-signed Peter Moylan today for 1 year and $1 mil. Good move, and it leaves Fredi with no excuse for overworking the ‘pen.

Seth Smith should be a Brave

Seth Smith will make about $2.5 mil next season, apparently too much for the Braves to take on. Though I never advocated trading Martin for Smith the former Rockies outfielder would have been a nice acquisition as a platoon LF and pinch hitter par excellence.

Instead he’s going to Oakland, acquired for two middling pitchers ages 28 and 27. Hell, Todd Redmond and J.J. Hoover would have been a much more desirable package. The Braves could have afforded to trade both but apparently can’t afford another $2.5 mil.

Instead of a lefty hitter with a career.833 OPS backing up Martin, one who can play CF in a pinch, the Braves will have Matt Diaz, a liability with the glove who finished 2011 with an OPS lower than those posted by Gonzo and McOut.

New alternate home jerseys look sharp

Unfortunately, I don’t think this means we’ve seen the last of the awful red jerseys.

Braves better have a good April

Sluggish starts have become the norm for the Bravos but a winning April is key in 2012. 

The Braves play the Mets in six of their first 12 games. In between they face Houston and a Brewers team likely without Fielder and Braun. They end the month with four at home against the Pirates. 

May will be significantly tougher, with 12 games against the Reds and Cards, their first series against the Phils and a road trip to Tampa.

Braves re-sign Jack Wilson

One year, $1 mil, reports Bowman (sorry, having link trouble). Wilson is Alez Gonzalez without power at the plate and is a better-than-average defensive SS. Considering the Braves SS will be flanked by Chipper and Uggla, defense matters most here. 

Let’s just hope he can stay healthy.

The Used Car Salesman is, surprise, a liar

After repeatedly insisting this year would be his last, the Used Car Salesman today signed a two-year extension to stay on through 2014. He’ll be making Pujols-like money – $22 million annually along with the use of a private jet.

It galls me to read otherwise intelligent baseball minds laud the commissioner. To them I ask: Is baseball better off today than it was 20 years ago, when Bud’s reign of terror began?

(reposted from ATLmalcontent, 9/12/11)

The man who’s run the sport I love into the ground must be doing so deliberately. Bud Selig isn’t baseball’s caretaker, he’s its undertaker, responsible for P.R. blunders so staggeringly ignorant they must be intentional.

The latest: disallowing Mets players from donning the caps of the NYPD, FDNY, PAPD and other first responders, as the team did 10 years ago when it returned to the field after 9/11. Then, as now, MLB said no.

Mets players, then as now, said fuck you, Bud, but this time the Used Car Salesman was prepared to squash any mutiny. According to Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey, Bud’s henchmen literally took the hats from the dugout.

What could have provoked such soulless overreaction? The bottom line, of course. The “official” American flag hats the Mets were mandated to wear, along with every other MLB team, are now available for $36.99 on the league’s official website.

To be fair, Bud needs to hoard every last cent, as he’s largely responsible for turning America’s pastime into little more than a boutique sport. Television ratings have nosedived since he took over in 1992; now the World Series barely outdraws an NFL exhibition. Attendance is also down through much of the sport, despite baseball’s dishonest calculations.

Under Bud’s watch, the owners of the Cubs, Rangers and Dodgers have declared bankruptcy. The Dodgers, once the gold standard of all professional sports franchises, have been gutted by the team’s heavily leveraged owners, who were endorsed and approved by the Used Car Salesman.

Don’t forget the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. And the steroid scandal.

He’s even partly responsible for George W. Bush’s presidency. Seriously.

Fay Vincent — baseball’s former top dog — relayed a story about how George W. wanted to succeed him as commish. Selig had apparently told Bush he would support his candidacy, but Vincent warned him not to trust Selig.

Vincent was right. Bud wanted the job for himself and the owners wanted someone who wouldn’t act independently.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Bud claims he’s presiding over baseball’s golden age. No surprise, since shameless propaganda is the trademark of enemy agents.

At least they outscored the Birds

The Braves scored more runs in their season-ending game than the Falcons scored points today.