MLB News (non-Phillies) 2026 Season

[zambonir]

I don't think Walter is actually in that much financial trouble. I mean, yes, enough that he sold the Lakers (on which he still made a $2.5 billion profit) but the Dodgers make something like a half a billion a year, all the deferred salaries are still funded, and he probably won't face anywhere near the fine he likely should. I think the sale of their soccer team is more about that partnership, and not wanting to be in that business.

I would imagine that Iger (if not Kushner) would have jumped to buy the Dodgers if it was a possibility.

[Philsmania]

Kroenke is 79 years old. I trust they have some kind of a succession plan.

[andyb]

Much more on the Walter Dodger deal today. FYI I do think he just needed cash now and that is why the Lakers were sold. But this part makes me angry. I keep repeating that parity is all about sharing the revenues fairly and we just can't trust the big market teams and the various real estate conglomerates to do that fairly.

MLB and Walter agreed that in the first year of the TV contract, the deal would be valued at $130 million for revenue sharing purposes and would increase every year, the Times reported. Prior to the Time Warner deal, the first year was appraised at about $84 million.

But the revised special terms were still a major windfall for Walter: The TV deal pays an average of $334 million annually. The Dodgers have received an estimated tens of millions annually that they do not have to share as other teams do.

Inside the Dodgers purchase that launched Mark Walter’s sports empire

[zambonir]

Yup it's quite a boon for them, though the story also said their total revenue is almost 1 billion, so it's not just that. And as you note, while this is an extreme and one-off exception, so many other things big-market teams do also evade revenue-formulas that makes sharing and a cap completely skewed. I'm sure the Philles' income from owning part of NBCSN doesn't count. Nor will their involvement in re-developing the sports complex.

The financing mechanisms do sound a little dicey. When it all shakes out with the insurance companies and the way some of that money helped fund it all, they might have to take a few steps. Maybe that's why the Dodgers welcome a cap too!

Walter's personal wealth is still estimate to be much closer to Steve Cohen than Middleton; only question is how much of that is tied up in these deals.

[dcsman]

The point about how some of the revenue is off the books is wholly valid and interesting. So many different ways to hide money.

[andyb]

And so many stadium deals are now real estate deals. No way to really share that revenue at all.

[zambonir]

Can you imagine? Let the MLBPA invest in and profit from the parking money and bar sales at Stateside LIve (neither of which the Philles get, I don't think, that's all Comcast, but that will probably change with the new developments). Whatever the Phillies are doing in Clearwater (which was partly why they brought in new minority owners) will generate revenue too. Of course the owners would say it's their money and their risk but they still have no product without the players, most of whom never even get their first big contract.

[zambonir]

Hey at least they'd be over .500

FanGraphs currently projects Chicago to win the Central with 84 wins, Cleveland to claim the final wild card with 82 and Houston to win the West with 82. Those would be three of the six worst records to ever qualify for the postseason in a full season; one would be guaranteed a spot in the ALCS.

In the upside-down American League, the worst playoff teams may get the easiest...

Because the teams elbowing for playoff spots are playing each other only on occasion, the number of interleague games creates the possibility of a sub-.500 team making the playoffs. The AL is 45 games under .500 against the NL this season.

[Philsmania]

How in the world did the AL have such a dominating ASG win when it has been so inferior to the NL this season?

[BostonRoss]

Maybe nobody was playing to win

[EastFallowfield]

Maybe it was the smallest possible sample size other than judging the leagues by an inning or an at bat?

[andyb]

Article on a new command metric developed by a former Phillies employee. Phillies lead the league in this metric which calculates the miss from the catcher target (rather than the strike zone).

A new metric, Open Command, offers more clarity in evaluating control for young...

[Philsmania]

It's only September 10, but the Rays can clinch a Postseason berth today (magic number 2--Rays win + Blue Jays loss) while the Brewers can clinch tomorrow when they return to action tomorrow night (magic number 1, Brewers win or Diamondback loss).