Fun With Money

Fun with Forbes baseball team valuations...

The last year either New York baseball team turned a profit was 2003 and the last year the Mets turned a profit was 2002. Anyone calling Wilpon cheap can stop. Although, with roughly the same payroll this season, the launch of their new channel, a higher attendance, and a probable trip the playoffs, the Mets might actually turn a profit this year.

Mets Operating Income

Total   Year
-$16.1  2005
-$11.2  2004
-$19.3  2003
$11.6   2002
$16.84  2001
$21.3   2000

Yankees Operating Income

Total   Year
-$50.0  2005
-$37.1  2004
$26.30  2003
$16.10  2002
$18.69  2001
$21.9   2000

Predictably, the Yankees were by far the biggest earners over the past three seasons and no one else is even close. The Mets were one of six teams to top $500 million. I was aware that the Mariners was the most profitable team since 2000, but I did not know that they brought in comparable revenue with the New York Mets. Of course the Mets have a much higher earning potential when they are playing good, but still interesting to note how close they were over the past three seasons.

Team             '03 to '05 Revnue
New York Yankees       $779
Boston Red Sox         $597
New York Mets          $533
Seattle Mariners       $521
Los Angeles Dodgers    $509
Chicago Cubs           $505
Atlanta Braves         $490
San Francisco Giants   $483
Philadelphia Phillies  $458
Houston Astros         $456

Arte Moreno purchased the Angels in 2003 has seen his team's value increase an incredible 53%. The Mets were impressive movers as they jumped nearly 40% as the Yankees increased 23% in team value which is impressive because they were already worth $834 million and they are the first baseball team franchise to top $1 billion in value. However, the biggest suprise was the Blue Jays increasing their team value an astonishing 69%. Of course, when your team is worth $169 million, there is a lot of playroom. No team decreased in value and only the Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, and Colorado Rockies failed to increase in value at least 10%. Overall, Major League teams increased by a 27% average in team value since from 2003 to 2005.

Team                 % Change
Toronto Blue Jays       69%
Anaheim Angels          53%
Philadelphia Phillies   51%
Washington Nationals    42%
Kansas City Royals      40%
Tampa Bay Devil Rays    38%
New York Mets           37%
St Louis Cardinals      37%
Milwaukee Brewers       35%
San Diego Padres        34%

Since 2000, big league clubs are sitting at $653,260,000 in positive income for an average of $3,629,222 per team per team each year. The biggest earners over that period were not teams that are considered the big market teams, but mid-market teams.

Team             '00 - '05 Operating Income
Seattle Mariners           $86.53
Baltimore Orioles          $84.76
San Francisco Giants       $77.94
Cleveland Indians          $72.78
Atlanta Braves             $69.35
Cincinnati Reds            $68.27
Houston Astros             $65.57
Milwaukee Brewers          $62.75
Chicago White Sox          $62.30
Oakland Athletics          $61.20

The bottom ten has mostly big spenders with a sprinkling of poorly run teams.

Team             '00 - '05 Operating Income
Montreal Expos            - $3.00
Toronto Blue Jays         - $9.90
Florida Marlins           -$12.75
St Louis Cardinals        -$17.20
Texas Rangers             -$22.96
Boston Red Sox            -$39.21
Anaheim Angels            -$44.98
Arizona Diamondbacks      -$46.11
New York Yankees          -$56.71
Los Angeles Dodgers       -$85.08

Good 'ole Fred has kept his team the closest to breaking even without losing money with a total of $3,140,000 saved up for a rainy day. Overall, baseball owners have enjoyed a lot of success lately. For the most part, they are putting their money back into their teams which is precisely what the players want and what the fans want since it should in theory translate to a better product on the field. The state of baseball is a very good one right now with the league enjoying a lot of popularity and plenty of fans are coming to the parks to watch games.

* * *

They both had a total of 18 homers in the first two rounds to make it the finals, but David Wright was edged out by one homerun off the bat of Ryan Howard as Howard took the homerun derby."I was unconscious in the beginning," Wright said. "Then we had the break, and I cooled off. I was brought back down to earth. I wish I would've had all my 30 outs in that first round. I might still be hitting."

Wright had 16 after the first round but ran out of gas after that and only hit six more in the next two rounds. Sugar Pants didn't win, but did us all proud and maybe not winning is the best he could have done for the Mets and Met fans.

Chat Wrap stuff...

Richard, Tampa FL: Robert, who's your NL mvp right now?

Buster Olney: Richard: Only my parents can call me that name (just kidding). Pujols, with Wright a close second.

Not enough???

Brien Fletcher(Carle Place,NY): Do you think david wright has a chance at the NL MVP

Gary Gillette: Yes, an excellent chance with the Mets playing so well. He will have strong competition from Pujols, Berkman, possibly Garciaparra, maybe teammate Beltran, outside chance of Rolen. But I think he would win if the votes were cast now.

This just somehow pours more salt in my deep wounds.

Following Sunday's game against the Yankees, shortstop Alex Rodriguez asked the Devil Rays ace if he wanted to travel to Pittsburgh along with him and Mariano Rivera aboard the slugger's private jet.

Miguel Cabrera is apparently no David Wright.

Olsen was seen shouting at Cabrera as they came off the field before Cabrera reached past teammates in the dugout to poke Olsen in the head with a finger. Olsen attempted to jab back before Cabrera slapped at him with his right hand.

Cameras then caught Cabrera blowing a bubble with his chewing gum while being spoken to by manager Joe Girardi.

Cabrera irked his teammates last season for his lack of maturity and poor work ethic. He was suspended for one game in September for arriving late for a game and said of the veterans, they "better not come tell me anything."

For all the flack that Lastings Milledge has caught, he has at least exhibited respect and willingness to learn.

Just another side note about his size, did anyone see the homerun derby and the clips of Cabrera during his rookie year? He looks like a different person in such a short time. I maintain my assertion that he may look Mo Vaughn-esque in a few years.

Carlos Gomez makes is first appearance of 2006 on the Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet.

Carlos Gomez, of, Mets (Double-A Binghamton): Since returning from an injury in mid-June, Gomez is hitting .321 and is 14-for-32 in July in what is the best offensive run of his career. Plate discipline is still a problem though as he has 58-13 strikeout-walk ratio in 245 at-bats.

Anderson Hernandez? Not-so-hot.

Anderson Hernandez, ss/2b, Mets (Triple-A Norfolk)
Hernandez was Wally Pipped in New York by Jose Valentin and it has only gotten worse in Norfolk. No Met did more to improve their prospect status in 2005, but he is hitting .246 for Norfolk on the season and is 6-for-34 in July with 10 strikeouts and zero walks.

In theory you were nice, but you never fooled me.

Here are some highlights of Baseball Prospectus' This Week in Quotes.

"If he hits .400, I’ll buy him a car."
--Twins outfielder Torii Hunter, on what he'll do if teammate Joe Mauer hits .400 (Kansas City Star)

"A Hyundai."
--Hunter, when asked what kind of car

"David [Wright] should get Jose [Lima] to throw to him. He'd win for sure."
--An unnamed Met, on how teammate David Wright may win the Home Run Derby (MLB.com)

It's easy to feel bad for Lima after that quote, but sometimes the truth hurts. He doesn't recognize he is done, but I guess the Mets are enablers. They took a shot (twice) and it didn't work.

Mike Carp went 3 for 4 with two doubles, a walk, and three RBIs while driving in each run for St. Lucie in their loss to Jupiter.

Brooklyn has recovered after a horrendous start and beat State College yesterday 5-4. New draftee and uber sider armer Joe Smith picked up his third save after striking out the side in the ninth while not allowing a baserunner.

2006 third round pick John Holdzkom threw two scoreless innings for the GCL Mets in their loss to the GCL Marlins and has a 13.50 ERA in eight innings.