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2 Big Sports Issues: MSL Stadium and Yadi’s Contract
by Randy Gardner
There are two huge decisions over the next week or so that will affect St. Louis for many years to come. First is the vote on the downtown St. Louis MLS stadium. Without even guessing, you know which side I am on, but unfortunately I do not have a vote in the matter.
I think this is going to be a really close vote in the City. Residents of the region as a whole though, I think are hoping for this to pass.
Almost everyone I talk to says that this is a no brainer. The greater good of the long term of this franchise and this project will help St. Louis far more than the $65 million in taxes. Numbers that I have heard are thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of full time jobs plus the revenue that will be brought in by the event day games and tourists.
Look at Kansas City which did this thing right and look at the economic impact there. If you look at St. Louis, we are known as a baseball and a soccer town but what is missing for pro outdoor soccer? How can we not support that? It all comes down to one day and one vote.
The MLS commissioner has basically said that if this passes we will get a team by 2020. It would be the dream come true for many who call themselves St. Louisans.
Deadline Nears on Molina Contract
The other big decision is in the world of baseball and whether to give Yadi Molina the contract extension at age 35. He said that he will not negotiate during the season so time is ticking. What is on the table is about $20 million a year. Do you give him 3 or 5 years so he retires a Cardinal or just a couple with an option year?
The Cardinals in the past have looked at decisions like this from a business standpoint, not a fan standpoint. If there is one player that the fans would maybe be okay with overpaying to keep a Cardinal, I think it would be Molina.
From a business standpoint though, the Cardinals have a few catchers such as Carson Kelly in the background that they feel very confident in but by signing Molina this will put their development on hold.
Molina is a guy that wants to play everyday. If it is me, I pay him to keep him for a few more years, we have seen way to many fan favorites traded away like Jim Edmunds and Albert Puhols. Are they sometimes quickly forgotten, yes, but come on it’s Molina for goodness sake.
Are You Ready for Swim Gear?
As for summer approaching, have you kept those New Year’s promises of staying in shape? Are you in swimsuit shape? It’s just around the corner. I have done okay. I haven’t lost any pounds but on the bright side I haven’t put any on either. I wish I had the willpower to be stronger at achieving my fitness goals.
I have willpower to do many other things but I struggle with that one. Even 10 minutes of running a day gets in my way or at least I think it does, but I can spend 10 minutes surfing the web for nonsense. The first time that I have to take my shirt off this summer, hopefully I will realize that I look like an unmade waterbed under my clothes. It will invigorate me to get back in shape.
