A conversation about MLB, on the field, off the field.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

From the Basement Feb 01 07

Received the most recent edition of Sports Business Journal in the mail today, there is some baseball stuff in it.

Some stuff that I had already read elsewhere, changes in ownership with the Pirates, DirecTV / MLB Extra Innings.

There is an NHL article with an MLB bent to it. GM's in the NHL are jumping on the Statistical analysis bandwagon ala the Billy Beane, Moneyball yada yada yada school. Former Black Hawks GM Mike Smith is part of one of the more succesful consulting companies, Coleman Analytics. I can't see it translating to hockey, so much of what makes a good hockey player cannot be measured by stats.

Couple of other baseball stories in SBJ. The Yankees continue to be at the forefront of generating new revenues. They were one of the first teams to start an RSN, they are on the cutting edge of interactive TV on their YES broadcasts and now they've cut a deal with Google "that effectively sets up a YES Network channel on the site". The Rangers are the most recent team with plans to build a "ballpark village". The Cards, A's, & Twins all have similar plans in the works.

ESPN.com, a list of achievable milestones in MLB this upcoming season: Bonds 756, Glavine 300, Sammy 600, Thomas, Thome, Manny, ARod & Sheffield 500. (Is 500 still a milestone?).

Buster says the back & forth over Barry's contract isn't that uncommon but because it's Barry, it's news.

Phillies trade rumors that won't go away. Rowand for Linebrink; I am one of the guys who doesn't see the Phillies making this deal, thier outfield is already thin. The other persistent rumor is that they will deal a starter - bets are on Leiber. I don't see the former "Stand Pat" making that one either, or not at least until he is confident that his other 5 starters, Myers, Garcia, Eaton, Moyer, Hamels are healthy at the end of Grapefruit. I had been hopeful that the Rios for Leiber trade would happen, but now with Thomson & Ohka...well will they be healthy when the season starts?

MLB.com. Johnny Damon will be facing off against Snoop Dog this Friday in Miami, in a game of Madden NFL 07. I'm 44 and I don't get it, but it is undeniable that video games are a big part of pro sports today and will only get bigger. Licensing dollars are huge, it's often kids first exposure to the sport, and unknown to me up until a few weeks ago, there are now Professional Gaming Leagues, with big purses, Corporate Sponsors, competitons on TV etc. It's part of the present and the future.

Pirates signed Tony Armas. I said it yesterday, they could be decent, young starters Duke, Snell, Gorzelanny, Maholm, plus Bay & Laroche. If 83 wins is good enough again in the NL Central then everybody is in the hunt ( it's February ).

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