Columnist Dean Juipe: Hicks sorry he created this monster

Dean Juipe

Friday, July 5, 2002 | 9:52 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

Henry Frankenstein was simply toying around in his workshop when he realized his latest creation wasn't only anti-social, but that it had the potential for unlimited destruction.

"What have I wrought?" the scientist eventually proclaimed, questioning his motives yet reacting too late to do anything about them.

Immortalized in a 1931 movie that bears his name, the legend of Frankenstein and his square-headed concoction comes to mind now that Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks has announced he's sealing his checkbook. Unfortunately for Hicks and his Major League Baseball colleagues, the monster he let loose has long since disrupted their paradise.

For all the accusatory fingers pointed at Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, it was Hicks who almost single-handedly spun baseball's salary structure into an uncontrollable whirlwind. Worse yet for the Rangers and their fans, Hicks is getting little beyond a lingering headache for his money.

At $103 million, the Rangers have the third-highest payroll in the majors. But, as was the case last season when a similarly steep investment returned only 73 wins, Texas is irrefutably buried in the A.L. West and is in the awkward position of being the team paying the most for each of its victories.

While the Yankees have won four of the last six World Series and pay their players handsomely to do it at $1.2 million per win, the Rangers will miss the playoffs yet again and are paying a league-high $1.4 million per win according to USA Today.

Hicks says he has drawn the line and that, henceforth, his team will attempt to exist within a break-even budget. Yet the Rangers lost $31 million a year ago and appear as if they'll lose even more than that this season, what with a miserable team and the luster of a once-new ballpark progressively wearing off.

Where Hicks erred was in believing he could mimic Steinbrenner and buy his way into the World Series, which is faulty logic given New York's proven expertise in evaluating talent. Not that he (and Frankenstein) didn't have honorable intentions, but Hicks has repeatedly overpaid for free agents and he did the sport a significant disservice two years ago when he courted and landed shortstop Alex Rodriguez.

A-Rod was going to fetch a pretty penny no matter where he chose to sign, but when Hicks offered him $252 million over 10 years it staggered baseball's salary structure yet again. Suddenly every player was worth more than he had been the day before.

Hicks added to his folly this past offseason when he threw $65 million at free agent pitcher Chan Ho Park (whose current ERA is 8.12) and $12 million at moody outfielder Juan Gonzalez. As a result of those expenditures and others, the Rangers are burdened with $241 million in guaranteed contract obligations over the next five years.

During that same period, baseball as a whole is looking at $3.5 billion in contract guarantees to some 229 players. Should the players strike yet this season -- although I personally don't believe they will -- and playoff games are affected, MLB will also owe refunds on its national TV contract.

It's an unhealthy situation, one that might be driving Baron Von Hicks mad.