makoman

Isn't locking them up cheaper if you have more team control left? I.e. if your 5 year extension is only buying out 2 FA years instead of 3, because you sent them down for a few weeks at the start of their career?

You’re right and that’s what I meant. Doesn’t change it. They knew this was coming and should be prepared. There was never a question that the Nats would get many millions in rights fees. Also, this money isn’t just coming out of their pockets. The point, as I understand it, is that MASN has to pay the Nats rights fees based to some extent on what MASN is bringing in. Even though the programming sucks, they are bringing in a lot of money via the monthly fee that everyone in the area has to pay per month. I doubt MASN is broke. My point was just, this isn’t some surprise amount that is suddenly coming out of the Angelos bank account. This was an expected expense that should have been planned for and that had a revenue stream to pay for it.

I mean, they’ve known all along that they will owe the Nats some large amount of money. They’d be idiots to not have at least the minimal amount ready to go. If I have a $1000 bill coming I save for it; should be no different for MASN’s $150k-$300k bill (Also, someone said, maybe here or elsewhere, that they may have already paid some base amount and we’re just arguing over the excess, but I have no idea).

Sounds like "anyone who knows baseball" would pick, in this late inning situation, 2018 Chris Davis and his 168/243/296 but with 16 HR (1 every 32 plate appearances!) over 2004 Ichiro and his 372/414/445 but only 8 HR (1 every 95 plate appearances). It's all about who is more likely to tie with one swing of the bat and Davis is like 3 times as likely as Ichiro. Is that what you're saying?