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Blue Jays to increase payroll again
By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press Writer
September 5, 2006
TORONTO (AP) -- Blue Jays owner Ted Rogers thinks the team needs to increase its payroll again next season.
The Blue Jays made a request to ownership several days ago and Rogers thinks the request is warranted. The team boosted its payroll from about $45 million last year to $72 million on opening day, and general manager J.P. Ricciardi doesn't think it is high enough to win the AL East.
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"I do think we need to increase the payroll," Rogers said Tuesday. "We are getting results from our fans. We have 38 per cent higher TV ratings, 22 or 24 percent higher ticket sales. As long as the public supports us, we can afford to do those things," he said.
Rogers is president of Rogers Communications, which owns the team. He praised Ricciardi, who added free agent pitchers A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan and traded for infielders Troy Glaus and Lyle Overbay.
Toronto entered Tuesday third place in the AL East, trailing New York, which had an opening-day payroll of $198 million and Boston ($120 million).
"We're so lucky to have him," Rogers said. "When he started the payroll was about $50 million and I raised it so that we would have it $70 or $75 million for three years."
Team president Paul Godfrey and Rogers wouldn't specify a 2007 payroll level. An increase requires approval from the Rogers Communications board of directors.
"His remarks today indicate to me that he wants to win," Godfrey said. "Nothing has been finalized with respect to numbers. We do know that he looks upon it favorably, but I don't think anybody should jump to conclusions of what that number could be."
Ricciardi said in Boston last Friday that the team needed to spend more.
"I think you can be competitive and you can have some good years, but I think these two teams, with their payroll, it's going to be really tough to catch them if we stay at $70 million," Ricciardi said. "If everything goes right, we might find a way to make the playoffs, but a lot has to go right to overtake those two teams. It's not sour grapes or anything -- it's just the reality. We'll be competitive, but up to a point."
Rogers didn't mind that Ricciardi spoke his mind.
"I'm never angered when I have a brilliant manager say what he thinks should be done," Rogers said. "That's what Rogers is all about. We don't go around telling people what they can say and not say."
Link to article
Blue Jays to increase payroll again
By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press Writer
September 5, 2006
TORONTO (AP) -- Blue Jays owner Ted Rogers thinks the team needs to increase its payroll again next season.
The Blue Jays made a request to ownership several days ago and Rogers thinks the request is warranted. The team boosted its payroll from about $45 million last year to $72 million on opening day, and general manager J.P. Ricciardi doesn't think it is high enough to win the AL East.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I do think we need to increase the payroll," Rogers said Tuesday. "We are getting results from our fans. We have 38 per cent higher TV ratings, 22 or 24 percent higher ticket sales. As long as the public supports us, we can afford to do those things," he said.
Rogers is president of Rogers Communications, which owns the team. He praised Ricciardi, who added free agent pitchers A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan and traded for infielders Troy Glaus and Lyle Overbay.
Toronto entered Tuesday third place in the AL East, trailing New York, which had an opening-day payroll of $198 million and Boston ($120 million).
"We're so lucky to have him," Rogers said. "When he started the payroll was about $50 million and I raised it so that we would have it $70 or $75 million for three years."
Team president Paul Godfrey and Rogers wouldn't specify a 2007 payroll level. An increase requires approval from the Rogers Communications board of directors.
"His remarks today indicate to me that he wants to win," Godfrey said. "Nothing has been finalized with respect to numbers. We do know that he looks upon it favorably, but I don't think anybody should jump to conclusions of what that number could be."
Ricciardi said in Boston last Friday that the team needed to spend more.
"I think you can be competitive and you can have some good years, but I think these two teams, with their payroll, it's going to be really tough to catch them if we stay at $70 million," Ricciardi said. "If everything goes right, we might find a way to make the playoffs, but a lot has to go right to overtake those two teams. It's not sour grapes or anything -- it's just the reality. We'll be competitive, but up to a point."
Rogers didn't mind that Ricciardi spoke his mind.
"I'm never angered when I have a brilliant manager say what he thinks should be done," Rogers said. "That's what Rogers is all about. We don't go around telling people what they can say and not say."