The charges might not stick legally, but coming off his latest outrageous act, Jeffrey Loria, owner of the Miami Marlins, should face a series of charges all stemming from his fraudulent behavior:

* By the Florida politicians and officeholders whom he conned into approving funds for his new $515 million personal playground;
* By players whom he fraudulently induced to signing Marlins’ contracts with the idea that they would play for the Marlins;
* By Florida fans, who against their better judgment have invested money and emotion into their support for the Marlins;
* By Major League Baseball for fraudulently representing his team as a major league team;
* By Major League Baseball for not acting in the best interests of baseball.

Loria, never a well-loved figure in Florida or in baseball, has outraged fans and baseball people alike by dismantling the Marlins once again …

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Thirteen months ago the Chicago Cubs were in a frenzy to sign Theo Epstein to head their baseball operations. After all, Epstein had been the general manager of the Boston Red Sox when they won two World Series in four years after not having won one in 86 years. The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908, more than a century ago.

The new owners of the Cubs were so eager to get Epstein that they gave him a 5-year, $18.5 million contract and told him he could bring along a former aide (Jed Hoyer), who would be general manager in name while Epstein was president of baseball operations.

Not that the owner Ricketts family and fans expected miracles, but at the minimum would a few more victories than the Cubs had in 2011 been too much to ask? In 2011 the Cubs won 71 games and lost 91. In the first year of the Epstein-Hoyer tandem, the Cubs slid backward, wining 61 and losing 101, the franchise’s worst record since 59-103 in 1966.

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The votes are in, and the winners have been determined. A large segment of citizens, not surprisingly, is unhappy with the results. The voters got it wrong, they contend. These critics will get another chance to complain next week when the Baseball Writers Association announces its post-season awards.

The awards that have displeased the new-age statistics zealots are the Players Choice awards, announced earlier this week by the Players Association.

By a vote of the players, the guys who actually play the game, not the ones who play with their computers, Miguel Cabrera won two awards, Player of the Year and American League Outstanding Player. Andrew McCutcheon was named National League Outstanding Player, and David Price and R.A. Dickey were named the outstanding pitchers in their respective leagues.

Cabrera, the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years, is expected to be named A.L. most valuable player by the BBWAA next week. Anticipating that development, the stats zealots have already expressed their vehement disagreement with that likelihood.

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