Tuesday, September 23, 2003
"WINNING IS THE BOTTOM LINE"
That's the headline from a 2001 article from the Puget Sound Business Journal, focusing on Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln.
"If we could have a competitive team for $20 million, I'd do it in a second," he says. "Bringing the focus that it's a business, with the expectation that we make money, keeps us from doing some silly things."
"Howard is always available if (Chuck) Armstrong and myself need advice, counsel or support," says (Mariners GM Pat) Gillick. "He's a guy not afraid to make a tough decision."
"It's the second year in a row Chuck Armstrong and I had to walk into George Steinbrenner's suite (to congratulate the Yankees owner), and quite frankly, I'm getting tired of it," Lincoln says, only half-jokingly. "It's disappointing. When you see grown men with tears in their eyes, it's tough, really tough. I feel for them."
Lincoln doesn't espouse a "win-at-all-costs" mentality. He wants to field a winning and competitive team, but with quality people, not just quality players.
He believes it's all intertwined - a competitive team will keep fans coming to Safeco Field, which generates higher revenue, which in turn leads to increased profit and a higher payroll. It's a sound business philosophy, one which places pressure on the club's marketing and public relations efforts and its player personnel decisions.
This is why you shouldn't hold your breath anytime soon if you think the Mariners are committed to bringing a championship team to Seattle. But they've reached their fiscal goal already, the 90-90-3 ratio (credit to KJR's Dick Fain). Sickening.
"If we could have a competitive team for $20 million, I'd do it in a second," he says. "Bringing the focus that it's a business, with the expectation that we make money, keeps us from doing some silly things."
"Howard is always available if (Chuck) Armstrong and myself need advice, counsel or support," says (Mariners GM Pat) Gillick. "He's a guy not afraid to make a tough decision."
"It's the second year in a row Chuck Armstrong and I had to walk into George Steinbrenner's suite (to congratulate the Yankees owner), and quite frankly, I'm getting tired of it," Lincoln says, only half-jokingly. "It's disappointing. When you see grown men with tears in their eyes, it's tough, really tough. I feel for them."
Lincoln doesn't espouse a "win-at-all-costs" mentality. He wants to field a winning and competitive team, but with quality people, not just quality players.
He believes it's all intertwined - a competitive team will keep fans coming to Safeco Field, which generates higher revenue, which in turn leads to increased profit and a higher payroll. It's a sound business philosophy, one which places pressure on the club's marketing and public relations efforts and its player personnel decisions.
This is why you shouldn't hold your breath anytime soon if you think the Mariners are committed to bringing a championship team to Seattle. But they've reached their fiscal goal already, the 90-90-3 ratio (credit to KJR's Dick Fain). Sickening.
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