Twin Killing

Or
Contracted
(Mad Props to Craig)
Carl Pohlad, the only owner to advocate for the dissolution of his own team when visionary commissioner Bud Selig decided that the answer to the game’s ills was not to impose a strict salary cap or other salary controls, but to eliminate two franchises, and not one that even in the midst of a World Series run can’t sell out its horrible ballpark, but one with 40 years of history that was less than a decade removed from a World Series title, has died at the age of 93. Thankfully, he won’t get to enjoy the fruits of the new stadium opening in 2010 that he held up the citizenry of Minnesota for. The son of a railroad brakeman had an estimated worth of $3.6 billion, making him the 102nd richest man in the United States with interests in banking, financial services, soft drink bottling, airlines and real estate before buying the Minnesota Twins in 1984. Initially hailed as the man who saved the team from moving to Florida, he became seen as a cheap bastard who wanted to disband the franchise as it was a better investment than paying for a decent team. The Twins won World Series titles in 1987 and 1991, but Pohlad ordered executives to cut salaries, and the Twins had 8 straight losing seasons starting in 1993. He almost sold the team to a businessman who wanted to move the team to Charlotte in 1997, then sought to have the Twins contracted in exchange for $125 to $200 million in 2001, not long after he had lent $3 million to the Milwaukee Brewers, owned by Selig’s daughter, in what was in no way a conflict of interest. Instead of being eliminated, the Twins made the playoffs the next three seasons, returned in 2006 and were 2 runs short of the AL Central title in 2008.