“I regret to inform you that your petition to purchase the New York Yankees has been denied. A majority of owners have decided that your ownership group fails to meet the high standards that major league baseball has established for admission into this closed fraternity. As a result, the Yankees have decided to move in a different direction. The Commissioner’s Office appreciates the time and effort your group has invested. We wish you luck in future endeavors.”
“Screw you, you pompous windbag, and screw the rest of you that voted no. Your fraternity is nothing but a sham. I’ll see you in court. This isn’t over by a longshot.” Having vented his immediate rage, Malcolm Linebaum stormed out of the conference room. His attorneys and minority partners followed, with one exception. There was always Plan B.
Jim Simpson made his decision. Malcolm could have his revenge and the new owners would make a very nice ROI on their investment. Simpson hurried to catch up with Malcolm Linebaum.
‘Yankees win! Yankees win!’
“Sound familiar? It should. The 2009 World Series victory over the Phillies was the Yankee’s 28th championship, 25% of the championships played since 1903. St Louis is next with 10. Chicago last won in 1908. Milwaukee’s only championship came in 1957, 52 years ago. Is life fair? Is baseball fair?”
“What’s your point?” Malcolm Linebaum asked. “That’s why we were willing to pay $2.4 billion for the privilege of owning that money-making machine. Shit, they could finish last and still be the most profitable franchise in sports.”
“In the short term, yes; but they need to continue winning in order to maximize television revenues. That new stadium gives them a tough nut to crack before they break even.”
“So.”
“So, what if we found a way to equalize the playing field?”
“Are you talking Salary Cap? It’ll never happen, and revenue sharing is a joke? There will never be a level playing field in baseball. It’s been that way since Ruth and Gehrig.”
“I’m not talking revenue sharing – I’m suggesting we beat them at their own game. What if they didn’t have CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira this year?”
“But they do.”
“Imagine what might have happened if Sabathia had stayed in Milwaukee?”
“But, that’s never going to happen. The Brewers are a small-market team. They offered Sabathia $100M over five years, but the Yankees offered $161M. The Brewers will never be able to outbid the Yankees.”
“What if they could, or better yet, what if they didn’t have to?”
“You do remember Curt Flood and Catfish Hunter.” Malcolm replied with sarcasm. “We now have something called free agency.
“Yeah, and Baseball also has the Rule 4 Draft and a bunch of other regulations that protect the owners. Players are still at a disadvantage for the first five years of their career. Let’s use this to our advantage.”
How?” asked Malcolm, leaning forward across the table. Simpson knew he was hooked.
“Form a new league.”
“No way; it would be impossible. We would need stadiums, television contracts and hundred other things. The league would lose money and end up just like the WFL and ABA. Are you serious?”
“Very serious. Baseball revenues are generated by the star system. The league that has the stars will control the market.”
“And how do we sign the stars?”
“Agents.”
BACK COVER
PHENOM - The Search for the Ark of the Covenant - Too good to be true, a mid-year transfer student leads his high school basketball team to the State Championship and along the way helps others become better students and young adults. Ten years later these former classmates are asked to repay their debt when Matthew Wilson is severely injured while searching for the Ark of the Covenant. In the interim, the ancient city of Babylon, the original city of sin, is rebuilt to its former glory despite Biblical prophecies that Babylon will be destroyed.
Did you know?
* Basketball is the world’s second most popular sport, behind soccer.
* The Knights Templar’s 900 year search for the Ark is factual.
* The Koran and Bible suggest that the appearance of ‘The Mahdi’ and the ‘Second Coming of the Lord’ may be dependent upon finding the Ark of the Covenant.
Jim Plautz is a businessman, former basketball player and father of three. Originally from Wisconsin, Jim now makes his home in Tampa, Florida with his wife, Rosann. This is his third novel. “My novels are action thrillers set in a sports environment. My first book (‘Out of Bounds’) is about golf and my second book (‘Double Fault at Roland Garros’) is about tennis. The two Phenom books are about basketball and the search for the Ark of the Covenant.”
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