Business of Baseball Report

Cardinals Players Cash in With World Series Win

The St. Louis Cardinals earned more money than any other team in MLB history with their World Series win over the Detroit Tigers. The Cardinals were allowed to split $20.02 million amongst the team; 48 players earned full shares of $362,173. This was almost $40,000 more than what the Chicago White Sox earned last year for winning the 2005 World Series.

The Tigers made out as well even though they lost to the Cardinals in five games. A full share for the Tigers came out to $291,668, which is a record for a losing team. The previous mark was set by the 2000 New York Mets.

Athletics Fill Coaching Vacancy

The Oakland Athletics were the last team to fill their coaching vacancy this year. Replacing Ken Macha as the manager is Bob Geren, who was Macha’s bench coach in 2006. Prior to that, Geren was the Athletics’ bullpen coach and he’s also coached the Athletics’ Single-A and Triple-A affiliates. He received a two-year contract, and the team has an option for Geren in 2009.

Pirates’ Double-A Affiliate Named Top Minor League Franchise

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Double-A affiliate, the Altoona Curve, was named the top minor league franchise for 2006. The award is based on the team’s contribution to baseball and to the local community. Also taken into account is the long-term stability of the franchise as well as the financial success on the business side of things. The team also won the Freitas Award, which is given to the top franchise in all of Double-A baseball.

Dodgers Shift to Arizona for Spring Training

The Glendale, Ariz. city council recently approved a memorandum of understanding with the Los Angeles Dodgers which would move the team’s Spring Training facilities from Florida to Arizona. The switch will take effect in 2009; this ends the Dodgers’ 60-year relationship with Vero Beach, Florida.

The competition between Arizona and Florida for Spring Training has gotten more intense as both states vie for a larger share of the market. Florida’s state government isn’t ready to cough up money for a stadium for the Florida Marlins, but in many instances, it’s shown that it’ll spend a modest amount of money to help support the state’s Spring Training business.

Andrew Zimbalist on the CBA

Maury Brown recently interviewed Andrew Zimbalist, an acclaimed sports author and Robert A. Woods Professor of Economics at Smith College, about the recently-agreed-upon Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). As always, Zimbalist is extremely insightful and gives an inside look at some of what transpired in this latest CBA. He also touches on expansion in MLB and the posting of Daisuke Matsuzaka. It’s another great read from Bizofbaseball.com.

The Hall of Fame Case for Marvin Miller

New York Times columnist Murray Chass recently penned an excellent column on the many reasons that former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) Marvin Miller should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Miller will be considered by the veterans’ committee for induction in 2007. I have to agree with Chass; few people in baseball have done as much as Miller, and it would behoove the veterans’ committee to vote Miller into the Hall of Fame this time around.

MLB Looks to Florida as Lone Stadium Holdout

With the Oakland Athletics finalizing their deal with Cisco Systems, Inc. to move the team to Fremont, Calif., that leaves only the Florida Marlins who have yet to resolve their stadium issues. Once again, MLB president Bob DuPuy is going to lead the charge to try to get the Marlins some public money. Getting a stadium deal is now MLB’s top priority and DuPuy hopes to meet with the newly elected Florida governor, Charlie Crist, in order to help push the stadium issue.


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