MLB Special: 2011 Major League Baseball Offseason Review – Part 2
An interesting mix of ex-professional baseball and basketball players to real estate moguls made up the list of bidders for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team, having previously gone to court for ownership of television rights, was now on the chopping block
as Major League Baseball was looking for a suitable owner. Although most of the dealing is done behind closed doors, the franchise is expected to be valued around $1.5 to $2 billion. Bidders such as Los Angeles Lakers’ Magic Johnson, real estate mogul Jared
Kushner and hedge fund manager Steve Cohen are still in negotiations for ownership of the team. Although the thought of any MLB team being sold is a sad sight, the franchise will be hoping that their new potential owner can fix their financial woes soon.
After a disastrous past few seasons, the Chicago Cubs were looking to re-build their entire organisation from the top down. Theo Epstein was brought in as president of the club and Jed Hoyer became the new general manager in a move that showed the fans that
the team is ready to make serious changes and do whatever it takes to create a positive winning environment within the franchise. Also in the mix, Dale Sveum was brought in as the Cubs’ new manager to help re-build the team and hopefully start winning.
Often the media likes to focus their attention on players that have had trouble in the past either with personal demons or run-ins with the law. One such player is Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers. Hamilton has had a long arduous struggle with alcohol
and drug abuse. These issues actually threatened his career a few years ago, so any news regarding Hamilton and the possibility that he has slipped off the wagon will always make headlines. Although the player has successfully undergone some extreme rehabilitation
for his issues, unfortunately it was learned recently that he had a few drinks. The media made such a huge deal that Hamilton came out with a public apology and promised to stay clean. The Rangers were not amused as they will be hoping Hamilton can stay clean
and sober for the start of Spring Training which is right around the corner.
Although the 2011 MLB offseason had its fair share of player trades and mega-contracts, the fans and most of the clubs will be hoping that Spring Training starts soon. This session gives all the Major League teams the opportunity to test their strategies
and finally see if their offseason work of acquiring players has paid off. Most teams understand the importance of Spring Training as it becomes the official end to the offseason and all the drama that goes on with it.
For the fans, Spring Training and the upcoming 2012 regular season will provide for plenty of excitement as many big name players will be representing new teams. The 2011 MLB offseason has given the fans plenty of drama to keep their attention on baseball.
As the offseason is coming to a close, it will be interesting to see which team made the right moves for a successful regular season. The excitement of Spring Training and the regular season is starting to build, as fans are lining up to take a glimpse into
their favourite teams and popular players. If the offseason didn’t provide enough drama, then the regular season will not disappoint.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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