And This and That

Cardinals’ owner Bill DeWitt Jr. was trying out a new comedy bit this week, or that’s how it may have sounded to listeners on St. Louis radio.  DeWitt offered that, “The [baseball] industry isn’t very profitable to be quite honest.  And I think they [the players] understand that.  But they think owners are hiding profits and this and that, and there’s been a little bit of distrust there.”  Gosh, ya think?

 

This has to be a joke, or else De Witt is trying to blow smoke in a whole bunch of places.  He’s owned the Cardinals since 1995.  Why hasn’t he tried to get out of the game—excuse me, the business—if it’s not making money?  Didn’t he learn from his father, who owned both the Browns and the Reds?

 

Come to think of it, why is son Bill DeWitt III team president?  That’s just going to screw the kid up and make him think baseball is profitable or, in the case of the Cardinals, an excuse to print money.  Interesting, though, that any salary paid to a DeWitt can be taken off on taxes and affect the purported profitability of the franchise.  DeWitt bought the team for $150 million, in case you’re wondering.  It’s now worth a reported $2.1 billion.

 

I never thought I’d be in the same corner with millionaire ballplayers.  But a person like Bill DeWitt Jr. leaves me no choice.