FROM THE SEDALIA DEMOCRAT (6/15/06)
Royals' owner sorely lacks class
A commentary by Tim Davis, Democrat sports reporter
Dear David Glass,
Your actions in the past week have convinced me you're an arrogant jerk.
I know this whole "running a Major League Baseball team into the ground" thing
isn't easy, but why can't you accept the blame for your actions?
Last week, you introduced the Royals' new General Manager, Dayton Moore. At the
press conference, apparently some reporters did their job and asked questions.
Because these questions were asked in your direction and challenged your
previous indecision, you had the credentials of these reporters revoked. Can
they still shop at Wal-Mart, where you were CEO?
Now the Kansas City Press Club is standing up for radio reporters Bob Fescoe and
Rhonda Moss, asking you to reconsider.
You ought to think about it before you make the team more of a laughingstock
than it already is.
I've got a news flash for you -- a baseball team can't be run like Wal-Mart.
"Always low prices" shouldn't be the motto for the upper-level management.
As a business model, I'm sure it's nice to have a team that's almost entirely
subsidized by the New York Yankees. According to a January edition of the Kansas
City Star, the Royals received around $55 million from baseball's
revenue-sharing program.
The 2006 payroll, according to ESPN.com, is $47.2 million. My guess is that
total will go down as higher-salary players get traded once your team is
mathematically eliminated. (Slogan: Now on clearance, the right side of the
infield.)
As for your treatment of the reporters, how much more gutless can you get? Sorry
if your pride was hurt during this past Thursday's press conference, but think
for a moment how it feels to be a Royals fan -- their pride is hurt on a daily
basis.
Kansas City fans are too good to deserve the treatment they've suffered since
Wal-Mart's yellow smiley face starting bouncing around Kauffman Stadium rolling
back payroll. Royals fans have become suckers for relentless torment about how
they are cheering losers, a double-A baseball team (the best comeback a Royals
fan has: "Hey, we're at least triple-A.")
All Fescoe and Moss were doing was their jobs, and they were doing it well. As a
fellow reporter, I know how it feels to ask the tough questions. It's not as
easy as you might think. The questions the radio-station representatives asked
were fair.
You're a major-league owner; learn how to handle a fastball. We're all sorry
that the reporters didn't just lob slow-pitch softballs in your direction.
Your reactions last week were icing on the cake. Mr. Glass, your name has no
business being associated with Ewing Kauffman. That man cared about looking and
acting professional, and he put pros on the field.
The cut-rate team you've paid for, no ... let other teams pay for, is headed for
the embarrassing mark of dead last -- in history. Your name should be put right
along with it.
I don't have any credentials, so what will you do to me? Maybe I'll be banned
from Wal-Mart.
I'd gladly drive to Target if that's what it would take to get an owner in K.C.
that would try to put a winner on the field.
You are classless.
Sincerely,
Tim Davis
[email protected]
