Just getting rid of Sexson has got them more than a third of the way there already. Subtract the stupid money they have sunk in Silva, Vidro, and Washburn ($25.35M) they’d be in the $77M range already. Unfortunately they’re on the hook for even more stupid money in Silva ($11M), Washburn ($10.35M), and Johjima ($8M) for next year.

And that’s the real problem. Heaven forbid the M’s were an $80M payroll team like the Brewers; I mean, just look at their respective records — clearly, having less than $117M is certain doom and $117M is guaranteed success, especially in a non-competitive division like the NL Central. Last I checked, the M’s were looking up, way up, at the Rangers ($68M) and Oakland ($48M). (Let’s not even mention Florida –$20M– or Tampa Bay –$43M). No, it’s clear you can have a winning team with an $80M payroll. But the real problem for the M’s is all those contracts Bavasi has wound around their necks, so that now they need more than $80M just to make up for the deadweight they’re already paying for. This is a hole the next GM will spend years digging the team out of, and more money will just allow him (or her) to do that faster.

Hey, wait, if Vidro was protecting Ibanez, what happens now?

The Power of Beltre, bubba.

and yet the pi printed an article last week how the m’s were going to lose money this year and may have to make a cash call on owners for next season.

what article was that?

We’re just being set up for the under 80 mill payroll next year.

I’m actually good with that. This year’s payroll includes two highly paid players who are worth having (Ichiro and Beltre), some reasonably priced guys under club control and more dead weight than the Titanic. If the $80 million doesn’t include Vidro, Cairo, Washburn, Batista, Johjima and Yuni, there’s a chance it would be a far better team than this year.

Oh yeah, and the Watchmen trailer was pretty awesome. When it came on I raised my fist and cheered, and I was probably the only one in the theater who even heard about the comic, much less read it.

That will make for some scintillating Fox Baseball.

This franchise will never stop minting money, no matter how bad the on-field product gets. You can thank the casual fan for that.