Roberts: Diamondbacks sue for the right to abandon Chase Field (and possibly us)

Finally, some bold -- really bold -- offense from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The team on Tuesday sued us in an effort to get out of the apparently broken-down old ballpark we built them in the 1990s.

“It is extremely unfortunate that we have been forced to take action today following several years of attempts to resolve this matter out of court,” D-Backs managing general partner Ken Kendrick said in a statement.

I know. Boohoo, right?

This feud has been going for a year

The D-Backs have been feuding with the Maricopa County Stadium District for well over a year, contending the district (meaning ultimately, taxpayers) is not spending enough to keep the place up.

It is not enough, apparently, that we spent $238 million to build Chase Field, which opened in 1998. Not enough that we’ve spent $40 million in repairs over the last decade.

Now, the team is demanding $187 million in upgrades and repairs between now and 2028, lest its players are forced to endure something less than state of the art.

Roberts: 3 questions about the Chase Field fire sale

Sort of like baseball fans did in 2016, most every time the D-backs took the field. But I digress.

The county is standing tough, saying that many of the upgrades sought by the Diamondbacks are cosmetic and thus the responsibility of the team.

A team, by the way, that Forbes estimated was worth $840 million in 2015 -- or 44 percent more than the previous year.

I’m pretty sure that Maricopa County taxpayers haven’t seen a 44 percent jump in what we’re worth.

Team just wants the ability to leave

Yet here come the D-Backs, angling for a better deal than the one they currently have with the county. The one that county says favors taxpayers.

The lawsuit asks that the team be allowed to explore abandoning Chase Field if it can find a better deal -- something its contract doesn't allow until 2024, four years before its lease is up.

Roberts: Diamondbacks playing some bold offense

“It should be made clear that the D-Backs seek no damages in this suit nor are they seeking any taxpayer funding,” D-Backs attorney Leo R. Beus said in a statement. “They are asking the court for the ability to remove the contract restriction that prevents the Diamondbacks from exploring other stadium options.”

In other words, exploring the possibility of leaving us with an empty ballpark.

Why, all the sudden, does it feel as if I'm living in Glendale?