* Getting down to business: Baseball in Forbes

You know baseball is a serious business when Forbes Magazine makes it the subject of a special issue.

To which I say, well done, sirs.

The issue. titled “Sportsmoney,” is a glitzy combination of thoughtful articles on economic issues, but with a mix of fun tossed in.

Editor Michael Ozanian opines on “Baseball’s Golden Age” in which he writes that television and marketing revenues have not been hurt by the whole PED scandal.
A “Team Transaction” chart indicates the rise in franchise prices since 1996.
Another (groan) look at the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, but more from the board room perspective than between the lines.
An in-depth look at how the Cleveland Indians became the poster team for mid-markets, and “Rays of Hope” for the Tampa Bay franchise.
Mini-profiles of “mavericks” who are “shaking up the game” behind the scenes, including physicians, agent, executives, and front office personnel, as well as another piece on five major league women execs.
My personal favorite: an analysis of the ballparks for the fans point of view. Unfortunately, the actual prices for tickets, parking, concessions, etc. are not listed here. Did they think that would scare off too many readers?
Players and managers are always under the microscope, with pitchers and skippers getting the won-loss credit. I’ve longed believed that generals managers — the ones who assemble the teams and give the managers the “tools” with which to work — should also get the credit and blame, more often than they currently do. “Talent Search” picks the five best (Theo Epstein, No. 1) and five worst (Bill Bavasi of the Mariners brings up the rear), but again, with none of the statistics baseball fans love to support the theories.
And since you can’t spell baseball with fantasy (well, you can but…, oh, you know what I mean) there’s this “Long Shots” piece on a few “under-the-radar” players to consider.
Although TV gets the big bucks, “Radio Rocks,” according to this piece, highlighting the modern greats of the broadcast booth.
“Bargains and Busts” examines exactly that — players worth their salaries and those who aren’t. “Keeping Score” takes a more historical look. Nolan Ryan earned $1.125 million for the Astros in 1980, representing 8.7 percent of the team’s “value.” By comparison, A-Rod’s $30.5 mil is “only” 2.3 percent of the Yankees $1.3 billion. What a bargain.
The publication winds up with “team valuations” for all 30 ball clubs. You won’t find rosters or depth-charts here, but you will get financial snapshots for several categories.
The influence on Asia as a supplier of big league talent.
Sure, players make a boat of load of bucks, but do they know what to do with all that largess? Some do, most don,” according to “Pinched Hitters.”