Blog Archives
The Royals Or O’s Winning The Title Would Be Good And Bad: MLB Payrolls Part 2

Kauffman Stadium was newly renovated about 5 years ago. It is a nice visual display of a ballpark, however it is far being in the top venues in the Majors for earning money. The Royals fans saw the club struggle to finally end a 3 decade long playoff drought this year. It is imperative that the MLB work with ‘cost control’ in the upcoming ‘Collective Bargaining Agreement. Both KC and Baltimore had to endure lengthy stints of losing campaigns, before compiling enough top-level draft picks to compete in their respective divisions. Hopefully other small to mid market teams will not have to be bad for that amount of time in the future to obtain success finally.
Yesterday I addressed the Dodgers potentially winning the World Series in the next few years while bringing more attention to the inequities of the big and small market clubs.
Even with LAD losing today and being eliminated, it doesn’t change the fact they will be playoff contenders for years to come based on their talent level, and super imposed revenue stream to outspend every team in the National League.
I identified the last several lower revenue teams that have had success, and pointed out that it took them big stretches of poor campaigns in order to collect on some good.
This is the biggest reason why baseball needs to adopt a salary cap – in order to leveling off the field.
Kansas City and Baltimore are perfect examples of this. The narrative is great here Franchises that haven’t appeared in the Fall Classic since 1985 and 1983 respectively, when both organization won their last Titles.
The Royals 29 years since that has been tough to stomach. The later George Brett years, the core from the championship had aged or moved on by the time he hung up the cleats.
After the 1994 strike/1995 lockout, the Royals found themselves at the bottom of the division for years. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Baseball Is A Great Value Live At The Park

Safeco Field is among the very top valued parks in the MLB. A pair of tickets can be had for $35 – $40 at the most, and there are an unbelievable amount of free parking spots within a mile of the venue. The pricing for the 2014 Post Season is decent as well for those with season ticket holder status. $40 for face valued tickets (LF Bleachers) during the LDS round. That goes to $85 during the ALCS – and only $120 per ticket for the World Series games. I can’t even buy a ‘Standing Room Only’ Ticket for my local NHL Hockey team. to see the worst team in the league for that much!
Chuck Booth (Owner/Lead Analyst) Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Stop me if you heard this before…Baseball is dying.. Come on folks, the actual facts don’t suggest that at all. Sure if you are going back to the day when there were 3 networks on TV, and that is it.
I am going to let you in on a little secret here. Back in 2004, I was once a NHL hockey fan. Yeah, let the stereotype stand for living north of the border, but yeah I followed the sport religiously, even more than baseball for a period.
At that point in my life, I had been to about a hundred games live in Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, and had been to exactly 3 MLB games (1 at Skydome in 1989, and 2 at Olympic Stadium) in the mid 90’s.
Once I went to Safeco Field once in 2005, I was hooked and had the vibe to see all other 29 parks in rapid fashion.
My love for viewing baseball parks escalated from there into 4 world record chases – to become the fastest to see a full game live at all 30 MLB Stadiums.
A lot of my friends and family are often baffled why i don’t just watch hockey, and support the local hockey team. My interest dwindles every year, and especially now that I am more rabid about baseball than ever, doing this website daily. Read the rest of this entry
AL Wins Interleague Season Series For The 11th Straight Year Over NL!

After 7 years of Interleague, the AL trailed the season series 4 – 3, and the overall games mark 853 – 833 (.506). Since 2004 it has been 11- years straight of AL beatdowns, winning each campaign for Won – Loss record.
The American League won the season series from the National League for the 11th straight year Thursday night.
By virtue of the Orioles sweeping the Reds in a 3 game Interleague series, it netted the AL a 151 – 128 lead on the campaign, and guarantees the Junior Circuit of a winning year on a 300 game series.
The last time the NL won the season series was in 2003.
This is bad news for those fans looking for an alternative of “home field advantage” in the World Series based on AL vs NL for a year by year basis. Once again, that honor should go to the team with the best record – and not the winners of the “Midsummer Classic”.
For a brief period in 2014, the NL held a 26 – 17 advantage in May, however have gone 102 – 134 since that day.
The AL’s dominance is also showing up in the runs scored department, with them featuring a Run Differential of +93 (1212 – 1119).
This weekend’s 3 game set of games between the Giants and Tigers is a 2012 World Series rematch, and may just seal the fate for the two teams, as both are fighting for playoff berths. Read the rest of this entry
Re – Aligning To 4 Divisions May Help The MLB
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Since the MLB doth refuses to address their salary discrepancies among teams in the league, how about we take another radical approach?
How about eliminate the 6 Divisions – and come back with 4 new divisions!
We can also go back to 14 teams in the AL and 16 in the NL.
I have long since agreed with this websites philosophy on re-aligning the Divisions for payroll and geography reasons. Read the rest of this entry
The Toronto Blue Jays Could Be Facing Yet Another Challenge For Payroll

Toronto is the only team in the MLB not in the USA. With that comes foreign currency. For the years of 1990 – 2007, the Canadian Dollar was hovering around the 70 cents mark for the duration. The last economic crash in the USA – had the dollar at near par for the better part of the last 7 years, including once reaching $1.10 over every George Washington bill in America. The average for the exchange rate has been in the mid 90 cents range since 2008. The loonie has been in a nosedive since 2014 kicked in – and now it is around 90 cents for every US Dollar. If it goes down much more, it will be just another challenge the Jays will face in a vaunted AL East Division.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
It was a big reason the Montreal Expos are no longer in the MLB anymore. It also affected the only Canadian franchise left for that same stretch.
I am talking of course about the Canadian Dollar.
Luckily for Toronto, the last 6 years have been decent for the exchange rate.
The mark has fluctuated predominantly between .94 -.99 cents per US Dollar from 2008 – 2014.
This is even more crucial for the Blue Jays considering they reside in a tough AL East with payroll powerhouses Boston and New York. Read the rest of this entry
MLB’s Payroll Matters Part 2: Just Because Some Low Payroll Teams Have Bucked The Trend – Doesn’t Mean It Will Continue

It seems the only to way to build a team successfully – is to be atrocious for several (talking 6 – 8 seasons like the Twins, Nationals, Pirates, Rays in recent years – and now the Astros are following suit), stockpile top 5 Draft Picks, and have them all become your nucleus for a matter of a few seasons. The reason is because of Team Controllable Salaries. Teams like the Rays and Pirates have also held players in the Minor Leagues longer than needed – due to salary and Arbitration implications. I can think of Desmond Jennings, Wil Myers, Chris Archer for the Rays, while Gerrit Cole and Jeff Locke come to mind for the Bucs. If a player is ready for action in the Majors, he should playing – end of story.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Lets just take a look at the teams that have played well above their value. The Twins are a story much like the Marlins in 1997 and 2003.
The Twins had a good team in the late 80’s, and won 2 World Series Titles in 1987 and 1991. However the economics of the game hit them hard, and they struggled for an 8 year stretch in the AL Central.
For Part 1 of the MLB’s State Of the Union Part 1: Click here.
Major League Contraction Talk Again?
Major League Baseball’s State Of The Union – Payroll Matters Part 1: Oakland Loses Again In Playoffs

The MLB used to be the favorite Past time in America. Now with the NFL ruling the country as #1, the game continues to miss the mark of implementing a salary system – that helps all 30 MLB Teams be competitive from a spending type of structure on a yearly basis. Either you run your franchise perfectly from a transactions standpoint – or if you make a few contract mistakes – it could cripple your franchise for years. Despite many of different teams bucking the trend over the last decade – it doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
As I started a minor fight on Twitter last night (with a supposedly respected writer), it reminded me of how much I hate that social media outlet, yet how it is a necessary evil.
While there were some words caught up in a misunderstanding, it left me thinking about the state of Major League Baseball.
I love this game..I have centered my life around being fan, writer, website owner, by having a job that affords me that highest capacity to receive my fix.
I have gone on crazy ballpark chasing tours, that have also helped feed my addiction.
Yet watching the Oakland A’s lose last night, and then having someone mention a joke aimed at Billy Beane (not sure how much of a joke it was – another stupid flaw of Twitter’s 140 Characters), I began thinking of everything I don’t like about the MLB.
Part 2 of this Series: MLB’s Payroll Matters Part 2: Just Because Some Low Payroll Teams Have Bucked The Trend – Doesn’t Mean It Will Continue
MLB Reports Mid – Week Around The Horn Rant – May 9th: Umps, LAD, LAA and Phillies
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Follow @mlbreportsThursday May.09/2013

Adam Rosales was royally jobbed out of a Game – Tying HR in last nights game in Cleveland. The Umpires being incompetent in the MLB has to be rectified – and right now! Since the game last night – casual observers are thinking this sport is a joke, based on a select few brutal umpires such as Angel Hernandez – constantly proving they are horrible game callers. The MLB never holds their Umpires accountable – and are rarely disciplined. This has given these maverick officials ‘Carte Blanche’ to continually influence results of baseball games. It has to stop!!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Well, the umpires have definitely interjected themselves in the headlines yet again. Angel Hernandez blew the Adam Rosales HR call not only once, but twice last night.
Instant Replay was supposed to help umpires make correct calls, yet this guy (and 3 other umpires) couldn’t come up with the fact that they blew the call?
The MLB has to realize they are behind the technology curve of the other sports entities (NHL, NBA and NFL) when it comes to using video to help the referees.
Adam Rosales Blown Call:
Jose Valverde Returns To The Detroit Tigers: Rondon Also Called Up For The Bullpen
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, April.24/2013

Valverde was the best option available for a club that is expected to win the American League Central Division – and possibly return to the 2013 World Series. The ‘Closer by committee’ had less than stellar results thus far- and Jim Leyland was not a fan of operating that way. The slimmer 35 Year Old from the Dominican Republic will assume the Finisher’s role immediately – and should be available for game action tonight in Detroit at Comerica Park.
By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent) Follow @MatthewLafave
Yes, Jose Valverde has returned to the Tigers and will be available as early as Wednesday night.
This all came quite quickly through the evening on Tuesday. After making three appearances for Class A Lakeland, Valverde was expected to join the Toledo Mud Hens to get some extra extended work before possibly joining the Tigers.
But Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski decided to skip some steps.
Jose Valverde 2011 Highlights – Mature Content so Parental Guidance is advised:
What MLB Park Will Be The Next To Host A WrestleMania?
Wednesday, October.31/2012

Wrestlemania 18 (At SkyDome) was Hulk Hogan vs ‘The Rock.’ Hogan was his heel face character ‘Hollywood’ Hogan from his NWO days in the WCW for the event. The fans of Toronto gave the Hulkster several standing ovations for his entrance and as well for the Match. He was the most popular wrestler in Canada that day. While he lost to Dwayne Johnson in one of his best contests of his career, this match gave the WWE the idea to turn him Baby Face Again. The next week “Hulkamania” was reborn with Red and Yellow.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I have previously mentioned that baseball and wrestling was my entire life as a young kid in the 80’s. To me, nothing was bigger than the World Series every fall or WrestleMania every spring. In 1990, the city of Toronto hosted WrestleMania 6 at the (NEWEST) ballpark in the MLB, “The SkyDome.” Back in the day, the building was considered state of the art. I mean they were the 1st park to carry McDonalds as a fast food joint for a concession, they had luxury suite hotel rooms (in which some people forgot to draw the curtains to in heats of passion) and everything was big league. So when almost 68000 fans packed into SkyDome to watch the 1st ever WrestleMania in Canada (and also an MLB Park), it was an un-believeable atmosphere.
Now I lived in Calgary at the time, yet I had seen my first MLB Game in 1989 at the SKYDOME. I would have loved to have been in that audience. I watched the events transpire from CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) in a big Restaurant in Calgary. (Yes people, there used to be no black box that you would be able to buy ALL PPV events on.)
HOGAN VS THE ROCK FULL MATCH FROM WRESTLEMANIA 18
MLB Parity Is At An All-Time High
Wednesday July.18/2012

The Pirates started today one game behind the Reds and are the leader of the 1st Wild Card Spot in the NL. Officially, they are 3 games up on the Dodgers for the playoff bar. With the 2nd Wild Card Team added to each League, this gives Pittburgh their best chance to make the postseason in 20 years.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- With 2 weeks before the non-waiver trade deadline, there are 21 teams within 6 games or less for the ten playoff positions. Parity has officially hit the MLB like we have never seen before. The Yankees are leading the AL East Division by 9.5 games, so the other 4 teams in the AL East enter action knowing they still have a chance. Mr Selig’s idea for the 2nd wild card has definitely kept playoff dreams alive for teams that would have been otherwise doused in the races. Baseball purists seem to hate the notion that more playoff teams breaks the tradition of yesteryear. I think that ten teams of 30 is still a great ratio (33.33%) compared to the three other Major Sports for percentage of teams making the playoffs. The NFL has 12 teams out of 32 make the playoffs (37.5%) and are the highest revenue generated sport. Both of the NBA and NHL have 16 out of 30 teams make the playoffs-which is 53.33%.
What I also like is that the new format penalizes the Wild Card teams and puts more of an emphasis on winning the divisions. Gone will be the days (like last year) where the Yankees mailed it in being happy to just lock down a playoff position and rest their veterans instead of going for the pennant. The one game playoff for those two Wild Card teams will have the teams playing for the division till the end. Having said this, I just reminded myself of that big lead for the Yankees, so they will probably have a chance to rest their guys this year anyways. The Rangers and Angels are a better example. I believe that Los Angeles will make a charge at the Texas club. None of these two teams wants to see their lives come down to a one game playoff, so if they remain close, this could be a great divisional race. Read the rest of this entry
Ask the Reports: Sunday November 13th
Sunday November 13, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen: Ask the Reports is back! After some thought and re-branding: we have decided to drop the E-mailbag moniker and to keep this section as “Ask the Reports”, which will appear every weekend. E-mails is but one form you can reach MLB reports. You can follow us on Twitter and tweet and direct message your questions and comments. You can “Like” us on Facebook and write on our wall. You can also leave all questions and comments at the end of each article and page on the website. With social media exploding as it has, we are truly connected in so many ways.
So keep reading MLB reports. Everyday. Twice a day or more if your schedule allows it. Subscribe to the site to have all current articles sent to your e-mailbox. But most of all: participate. Send tweets. Write on our Facebook wall. Comment on articles and leave feedback. MLB reports is for you: the readers. The love of baseball is best nurtured if enjoyed as a community. So don’t be shy. Get in touch with us as often as you can. Let your voice be heard on our Facebook wall. There is nothing better than an old-fashioned baseball debate. We call it MLB4Life on Twitter because we all love baseball for life. Baseball is more than a passion. It is a lifestyle. Thank you for enjoying MLB reports and we look forward to hearing from you. Plus you never know when your questions will be answered in “Ask the Reports”: so keep checking and asking your questions every week!
Let’s get to your questions:
“The first published rules of baseball were written in 1845 for a New York (Manhattan) “baseball” club called the Knickerbockers. The author, Shane Ryley Foster, is one person commonly known as “the father of baseball”. One important rule, the 13th, stipulated that the player need not be physically hit by the ball to be put out; this permitted the subsequent use of a farther-travelling hard ball. Evolution from the so-called “Knickerbocker Rules” to the current rules is fairly well documented.
On June 3, 1953, Congress officially credited Alexander Cartwright with inventing the modern game of baseball, and he is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, the role of Cartwright himself has been disputed. His authorship may have been exaggerated in a modern attempt to identify a single inventor of the game, although Cartwright may have a better claim to the title than any other single American.
Cartwright, a New York bookseller who later caught “gold fever”, umpired the first-ever recorded U.S. baseball game with codified rules in Hoboken, New Jersey on June 19, 1846. He also founded the older of the two teams that played that day, the New York Knickerbockers. Cartwright also introduced the game in most of the cities where he stopped on his trek west to California to find gold.
One point undisputed by historians is that the modern professional major leagues that began in the 1870s developed directly from amateur urban clubs of the 1840s and 1850s, not from the pastures of small towns such as Cooperstown.”

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Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)
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