12-15-2012, 03:36 AM
(12-14-2012, 10:34 PM)Nystul Wrote: Since Mike Ilitch took over the Tigers everything changed. Last year he paid way too much money for Prince Fielder. One could look at it and say, this deal will paralyze the Tigers and they won't be able to afford a complete team. But he seems willing to solve that problem by simply spending more money than the Detroit market can support. Dude is 83 years old, loaded with money, and he wants to win a World Series. Basically the ideal owner from a fan's perspective.
Ilitch also owns the Detroit Red Wings, and during his 30 years of ownership they have been a very competitive team. They won the Stanley Cup 4 times under his ownership, and have successfully kept a competitive team together after the 2004 lockout/salary cap era. The Red Wings have basically been the model of a perfect NHL franchise under his ownership. As long as people keep buying his pizzas, the Tigers will be fine.
I'm sort of hopeful for the Blue Jays. They had some really ugly years since winning the World Series in 92/93, but they now have new ownership and have a solid core of young and talented players. They've made some blockbuster trades which might possibly put them into playoff contention, but their major roadblock is being in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox. No one can hope to compete with those payrolls.