The Business of Major League Baseball

How to fix the MLB All Star Game

The problem with everything Bud Selig does is he half does things, or totally ignores a problem all together. So the MLB All Star Game, and really All Star Games in general, has some problems. I actually like that the winning league gets home field advantage in the World Series, but that makes this a must win game, and other rules need to be written, and some need to be totally ignored.

What will it take to get Cliff Lee?

It seems pretty clear that Cliff Lee will be available on the trade market in the month of July. He is in the final year of his contract, he likely will not be returning to the Seattle Mariners next year, and the club could use an infusion of young talent to help it rebuild. That means any team in a pennant race at the trade deadline will want to add Lee for the stretch run. That list would include the Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, and maybe even the Atlanta Braves. Really any team looking to make a run at a division title will want him, and that will likely drive the price for him up.

Is Interleague play in MLB fair?

I think this question comes up almost every year. To be perfectly honest my first inclination is to say no this practice, as currently implemented, is not fair. For one thing the teams in one division do not play equal competition. For example in the AL East the New York Yankees have played  interleague games against the New York Mets twice, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Los Angels Dodgers. The Boston Red Sox have played interleague game against the Phillies twice, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angels Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, and San Francisco Giants.

MLB General Manger demographics shift

There is an interesting study floating around out there conducted by Glenn Wong, and Chris Duebert. They are taking a look at how the job and the people hired to be General Mangers of MLB teams have changed over the last 10 and 20 years. Of course hardcore baseball addicts now hat the book Money Ball, and the career of Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane has changed the way a MLB Gm does their job, but this stud unveils a litany of other changes to the role of a MLB GM.

100 Million new payroll plateau for success in Major League Baseball

It seems anyone we try to slice this that MLB teams will have to have a payroll of at least 100 million dollars to remain competitive for the post season. On top of that they will have to spend that 100 million very wisely to remain in the hunt for one of the eight post season spots.