One of the more detailed pieces of the state of Dodger ball, and who the off-the-field players are and may be was done by Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Roben Farzad this Thursday. The story outlines the groups and their alliances as they line up to battle over each other to see who will be the next king of Chavez Ravine.

What makes the story even more interesting is the insight of Farzad himself, (an Iranian born baseball fan who came to understand the game through following the Dodgers as a child) and how the Dodgers story is similar to many of the largest high profile business deals the world has seen in recent years.  It has international intrigue (the story talks of mysterious Saudi investors, and money from South Korea), media moguls (Fox and Disney), high profile celebrities (Larry King, Magic Johnso), and the always important silent partners with deep pockets.

Roben Farzad

“It really reminds me of the 1980’s and the battle over RJR Nabisco,” Farzad, a longtime business writer and analyst who had never done a sport story before, said this week. “You have all this feeding frenzy and multi-level alliances being built up, with one group adding more high level people to try and top the other, and at this point you don’t know whether you are bidding against other groups or bidding against yourself. It has created a huge buzz in the Los  Angeles business community and in the entrainment businesses to see who can get the Dodgers.”

The Dodgers sale process, all being looked at by current owner Frank McCourt and his designees, will also continue to alter the course of the sale of franchises and all the pieces that go with them, as Farzad pointed out as well.  “The interesting thing is now much media companies, from Disney and Newscorp to Comcast and Time Warner, are looking at the prices and what is going on for the Dodgers franchise,” he added. “You have $1.5 billion being bandied about and it really raises the question of how much the better-run franchises like the Red Sox or even the Yankees, could bring should they ever go up for sale again. Who knows what that ceiling will be?”

Texeira was honored along with Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, Mets ace R.A. Dickey, Mets infielder Daniel Murphy, Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin and collegiate and NBA star Dikembe Mutombo at the 32nd annual dinner benefiting AHRC, a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City.

Question: At what point does the off-season turn off and you start to get ready for the year?
Mark Teixeira: I do get antsy once February hits, so this is the last day I can relax.

Q: We understand that you work out at Bobby Valentine’s facility in Connecticut.  Has he changed the locks or anything?
MT: He didn’t change the locks, but it’s funny I had been hiting there for two years, I had bought a machine for the facility, so when I am around there I can use the pitching machine.  It’s been throwing great, and everything was fine, I was getting all my work in.  As soon as he gets the Red Sox job, I go in the next morning, the first ball out of the machine — right at my head.  I don’t know if it was a bad ball, I don’t know if the gears jammed, whatever happened we had to get a technician in there to fix it.

Q: Other than that, how has the offseason gone?
MT: It’s been great, you know, just recharging the batteries, and looking forward to a great season.  We basically have the same team back, got a couple of key additions on the pitching staff, which is going to be great, and so we’re excited.

Q: Were you surprised about the trade of Jesus Montero?
MT: Never surprised in baseball, this business, I’ve been traded twice, a lot of great players have been traded, and Montero might be really, really good.  He’s got a chance to be special.  But so does [Michael] Pineda, and I think that’s what we’re banking on. We’re banking on Pineda being a top tier starter and someone that can really be a force for a long time.

BBD: You only faced him in, I believe, three at bats, and you have a home run and, I think, a strikeout. From that small sample size, what do u remember
MT: Explosive fastball.  Really good slider.  He’s so big — any pitcher that is that big, that can throw that hard, his margin of error is going to be a lot bigger than everyone else’s.  He can not have his best stuff, but when you’re 6-7 and thrown 97, you’re going to get outs.

BBD: Curtis Granderson has said that Pineda didn’t seem intimidated by the Yankees lineup.  Do you see that in him?
MT: Yes, it’s mound presence and you see it with the best pitchers in baseball.  They have that presence on the mound. And as a young guy, to be able to go out there and have no fear and go after everybody — I think I hit a 3-1 fastball or 3-2 fastball.  I get a lot of sliders or changeups on 3-2.  He went right after me. I got lucky on that pitch, but it just shows his confidence that he’s going to go after people.

BBD: You tweeted that you lost 14 pounds in the offseason.  Why did you feel like you needed to?
MT: I didn’t feel like I needed to, but I’m always trying to get better.  I know that the older I get, the more important nutrition is, and any chance I get to make myself lighter, faster, more energy, its going to be better for my game.  It just kind of happened.  I started changing my diet a little bit, started drinking a lot of raw juice and it really helped.

BBD: C.C. Sabathia talked about eliminating Cap’n Crunch last year; did you do anything like that?
MT: I can’t say I eat a lot of Cap’n Crunch.  I’ve really eaten pretty well the last few years, but this year I think really fine-tuning. I’m always trying to find that little edge to help myself physically, mentally, energy-wise, and I think those little things can help me over a long season and hopefully a long career.

BBD: There has been talk of the Yankees picking up another bat in a trade with some of their surplus pitching.  What do you think of the Yankees lineup as it stands now?
MT: We basically have the lineup we had last year.  Rotating a DH wouldn’t be bad, but if you can pick up a guy who can come in and give some pop off the bench or be a DH every now and then, we’re  not going to say no to that because we can use all the help we can get.

BBD: One of the areas you said you would like to improve is getting on base. Do you and hitting coach Kevin Long have a plan in place for that?
MT: I do. One thing I really noticed is that my average with no men on base was really, really good, and with men on base it wasn’t.  When no one is on base, and they’re playing a big shift, I might lay down some bunts this year.  I’ve been so against it my entire career, but I may lay down a few bunts.  If I can beat the shift that way, that’s important.  And also, not trying to hook the ball so much left handed. So when you have a 1-2 pitch, instead of trying to drive the ball in the gap and drive in the runs, you know take that single to left.  It’s [harder] than it sounds, but one hit a week really adds up.

Thurman Munson plaque at Monument Park at old Yankee Stadium. Photo credit: The Guy With The Glasses

BBD: What does Thurman Munson and the Munson Award mean to you?
MT: A Yankee legend.  Someone who did the right things on and off the field, someone whose legacy has continued to grow, because of the great things he’s done in the community, with the foundation, his family and his wife Diana have done so many great things in the community, so the Munson name is very special to the Yankees.

BBD: How did you get started working with Harlem RBI?
MT: Harlem RBI is an organization I started working with two years ago.  I knew the great work they were doing with kids in Harlem, with education.  Education has always been very important to me, and so to be able to work with those kids, you know it serves over 1000 kids, was just a natural fit for me.

So how do you gauge, if you are a sport, how successful or marketable you are in the global landscape, especially against other entities like the Olympics, Mixed Martial Arts, Extreme Sports and NASCAR?

One of those engagement factors in how popular the game is was released this week in the form of the Bloomberg BusinessWeek Horrow Sports Ventures Power 100, a listing of the most 100 influential athletes based on both their on-field performance and their marketability and impact in the social media world. Bloomberg BusinessWeek worked with CSE Analytics to evaluate more than 3,000 athletes, with 50 percent based on “off-field” measurements and 50 percent on “on-field” performance. CSE’s proprietary analytics utilizes a range of industry statistics, including data from Nielsen’s E-Poll as well.

The results were very interesting for baseball, which placed 16 players on the list (third behind the NFL and the NBA) but did not have a player higher than Albert Pujols, who came in at No. 25. The former star of the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals was followed by NL MVP Ryan Braun (31) and runnerup Matt Kemp (33), with Miguel Cabrera grabbing number 37 on the list. What the Power 100 showed is the viability of the team athlete with a strong personality who can mix onfield success with business success (assuming of course Braun can overcome his issues off the field in the coming months) into a brand that transcends the game. Adrian Gonzalez (44), Justin Verlander (54) and Curtis Granderson (55) all cracked the list for the first time, showing their business potential in combination with their All-Star results, while Derek Jeter of the Yankees, now in the twilight of his legendary career, slid to 81. The mix of where MLB players landed on the list, many of whom were first-timers, showed the great potential on the horizon for MLB and its newer stars. The troubling issue is the lack of a top 20 athlete in 2011, while tennis (three) and golf (three) had solid showings amongst the top 20.

MIguel Cabrera

Baseball after all is a numbers game, so 16 is a great showing for the Power 100. In a year where older stars were transitioning toward the end and new faces emerging the result is strong and sends the message that the game still holds great value on and off the field. What will be telling in 2012 is for the break through guys to continue to move up the list, landing those from The Summer Game in the rarified air of the top 10 along with their NFL colleagues like Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, all of whom finished one through three on this years list. Overall a powerful showing by baseball for The Power 100, more examples that the game is mature, strong and holding its own, the Power 100 rankings also emphasized the importance of team sports, with the NFL’s 26 players ranked in the top 100. The National Basketball Association came in second with the most athletes on the Power 100, with 20 (led by LeBron James at four), followed by MLB baseball (16), tennis (10), golf (8), motorsports (6), Olympics (4), soccer (4), hockey (3), boxing (2), and action sports (1).

What does the list mean? It’s a good litmus test for marketers to see how powerful athletes can be, and it also shows that winning on the field, in the board room, and with fans in the social space are all needed these days to make those who play the game as successful as they can be in a global economy.

The Buehrles, animal lovers and supporters of Best Friends Animal Society, started the petition on Change.org after learning that they would be unable to move to the Miami Marlins’ hometown due to breed-specific animal restrictions in the county. Instead, the Buehrle family, along with their pet pit bull Slater, moved to neighboring Broward County.

“Every day that I look at my sweet-natured, certified Canine Good Citizen pit bull, I can’t imagine having to give him up, or even worse, having Slater taken from me based solely on the way he looks,” said Jamie Buehrle, who launched the campaign on Change.org. “Let’s start making owners responsible for their pets regardless of their breed and celebrating all breeds including pit bulls. I am so happy with the response to my petition on Change.org and the thousands of people helping to change the breed discrimination law in Miami-Dade.”

Mark and Jamie Buehrle

News of the online petition campaign’s success is drawing national attention to HB 997 and SB 1322, which would repeal the only county-wide breed specific legislation in Florida. The Buehrles are encouraging baseball fans and dog lovers sign their petition campaign on Change.org, the world’s fastest growing platform for social change.

“Within the first week, thousands of people have already joined the Buehrles’ campaign,” said Change.org Director of Organizing Stephanie Feldstein. “The Buehrle family was affected by Miami-Dade County’s pit bull ban, and even though they were able to keep Slater safe, they decided to start a petition to help other families and their pets stay together. That’s what Change.org is all about – empowering anyone, anywhere to demand action on the issues that matter to them.”

Combined, TLA intends to become the pre-eminent, fully integrated representation and marketing services agency with an on-field focus on professional baseball. As a combined group, TLA will unite industry-leading capabilities in baseball, broadcasting, coaching, golf and talent marketing as well as event management.

TLA Worldwide, which was co-founded by CEO Mike Principe and Non-Executive Chairman Bart Campbell, sees significant opportunities in a professionalized athlete representation sector, especially in a consolidated full-service offering that combines representation with leading sports marketing expertise.

TLA CEO Mike Principe commented, “TLA’s on-field focus on professional baseball stems from the industry’s strong underlying fundamentals and our belief that we can quickly become a recognized leader in the business of that sport. More broadly across our entire client roster, as a fully integrated company,

The Legacy Agency will offer clients additional commercial opportunities through an enhanced ability to identify, negotiate and monetize off-field endorsements, as well as broadcasting and coaching contracts. In addition, TLA’s combined network creates a stronger platform to recruit new clients and identify new opportunities across the portfolio. We plan to continue our growth both organically and through accretive acquisitions or other combinations, as well as the development of select properties for which we’ve identified a need in the marketplace.”

Legacy President Greg Genske said, “Given the complementary capabilities of our two firms and the incredible opportunities that a merged TLA can deliver to current and prospective clients, we are excited about joining forces. We all share a common vision of what the industry should be and how best to serve our clients. We look forward to what we can accomplish together in the years to come. In fact, in order to demonstrate our confidence in our future together and our commitment to TLA and its vision, all of the principals from both businesses have transferred significant equity into The Legacy Agency and entered into long-term employment agreements.”

The principals of The Agency said in a statement that, “This is an exciting development for talent and corporate clients alike and creates a strong platform for growth. By merging these two industry leaders and an experienced and proven management team, we will not only be able to better and more deeply serve our current clients, but we will also be able to offer a wider array of services to both clients and the market.”

TLA CEO Mike Principe

Legacy, which is headquartered in Newport Beach and was founded in 2004, represents a growing client roster of professional major league baseball players, including 13 MLB All Stars, rising stars and top prospects. Its team of agents have a combined expertise in contract law, negotiation, finance, statistics and marketing.

The Agency, which is based in New York City and was founded in 2000, is a leading full-service independent marketing and management company specializing in representation of high-profile personalities and brands, including but not limited to football, baseball, Olympics and golf for broadcasting, coaching, and endorsement partnerships.

As a combined, platform, TLA will represent over 225 clients, in baseball, broadcasting, coaching, golf and talent marketing, which includes the representation of Olympians and other personalities, from offices in New York, Newport Beach, Houston, San Francisco, Charleston and London.

New York Yankees at Boston, not suprisingly, accounts for two of those, on April 22 and July 8, from Fenway Park.  The Yankees have one other Sunday Night appearance, April 15 vs. the Angels.  The two-time defending American League Champion Texas Rangers host Chicago in the April 8 SNB opener.

The World Series Champion Cardinals also have three appearances (May 20 and July 15, in addition to Opening Night April 4).

ESPN’s first seven Sunday Night games will feature at least one playoff team and several of MLB’s biggest stars will be on display, including the Angels’ Pujols; the Yankees’ Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano; Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury; Texas’ Josh Hamilton; Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria; Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard and Chase Utley; St. Louis’ Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman; Dodgers slugger Matt Kemp; Atlanta’s Chipper Jones and Brian McCann; Chicago’s Paul Konerko; and Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman.

This season will also mark the debut of analyst Terry Francona, who joins play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman and analyst Orel Hershiser in the Sunday Night Baseball booth. Sunday Night games are also available via ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and ESPN Mobile TV.

ESPN Radio’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team will again be play-by-play commentator Jon Sciambi and analyst Chris Singleton.  ESPN Radio, entering its 15th season of MLB coverage, will also broadcast a game of the week each Saturday during the regular season, the State Farm Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, and every Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series game.

The Sunday Night Baseball schedule as selected to date follows (all telecasts begin at 8 p.m. ET).  Game selections for the remainder of the season will be made three weeks (June and July 1, 22 and 29) or two weeks (August and September) in advance.

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball Schedule
Date     Teams (all telecasts at 8 p.m. ET)
April 8     Chicago White Sox at Texas
April 15     L.A. Angels at N.Y. Yankees
April 22     Yankees at Boston
April 29     Tampa Bay at Texas
May 6     Philadelphia at Washington
May 13     Angels at Texas
May 20     St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers
May 27     Washington at Atlanta
June 3-July 1     TBD
July 8     Yankees at Boston
July 15     St. Louis at Cincinnati
July 22-Sept 23     TBD

Beginning on Major League Baseball’s Opening Day, April 4, 2012, gamers can begin their quest for perfection and compete for one of eight spots in the final live tournament. The finalists will be determined by a dynamic leaderboard that ranks the top perfect games thrown. Gamers can repeatedly attempt to improve their position on the leaderboard through the end of April.

As an added bonus, the submission process has been simplified. For the first time in the Perfect Game Challenge’s three-year history, competitors will not be required to submit video recordings of their perfect games. To participate, players will simply compete in Major League Baseball 2K12’s Perfect Game Challenge mode and submit a unique code at www.2ksports.com/perfectgame upon completion of a perfect game.

“Winning $1 Million for being the first to pitch a perfect game in Major League Baseball 2K11 was an unreal experience,” said Brian Kingrey, who won the contest in 2011 using Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies. “I can’t wait to watch the competition unfold and see who will join me and Major League Baseball 2K10 winner, Wade McGilberry, in what’s becoming the coolest fraternity in sports gaming. We like to call it ‘The Perfect Club.’”

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, right, presents 2K Sports' MLB 2K11 Million Dollar Perfect Game Challenge winner Brian Kingrey, of Hammond, La., with his check for one million dollars during an event at Citi Field, Friday, May 27, 2011 in New York.

“With the Perfect Game Challenge firmly entrenched in the culture of sports gaming, we’re thrilled to introduce several new twists that can only take the contest to the next level of competitive excitement and open it up to more people,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing at 2K Sports. “The contest has been incredibly popular the past two years, but there’s always room for improvement. We listened to user feedback and made participation more fun and accessible than ever before.”

More details on the finalist event will be announced soon. For more on this year’s Perfect Game Challenge, please visit facebook.com/mlb2k.

The event will take place January 19 – 21 and will once again feature some of the world’s top baseball instructors in a range of settings, from small break-outs to general lecture sessions. Last year, more than 1,000 coaches from across the country joined us at the World Baseball Coaches’ Convention.

New Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, New York Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, pitching guru Rick Peterson and softball star Jennie Finch will be part of this year’s Presenters, which include baseball executives and coaches from all over the United States.

Baseball Digest’s online editor Mark Healey will be in attendance, manning BD affiliate Gotham Baseball’s booth with GB Co-Publisher Joseph M. Lara. Gotham Baseball is this year’s official magazine for the event.

For more info visit the official site for the event or call 860.674.1500

“We are excited to partner with Bloomberg Sports and benefit from their world-renowned expertise in Analytics and Information Management” said President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein.  “The management and analysis of data, whether it be scouting reports, statistics, medical information or video, is a critical component of our operation.  We look forward to developing a customized program that utilizes the most advanced and efficient technology available in the marketplace today to facilitate quicker, easier and more accurate access to all the sources of information we use to make baseball decisions.”

“Over the past few years we have helped set a new standard of excellence and efficiency in advanced analytics, whether it has been for MLB teams with our comprehensive, integrated systems, players with our tablet product or fans with our fantasy tools, and this partnership is the next step in that evolution,” said Bill Squadron, head of Bloomberg Sports. “Bloomberg as a company has always been about innovation, and we are very excited to partner with Theo and the Cubs organization.”

Named as One of the Ten Most Innovative Companies in Sports in 2011 by Fast Company Magazine, Bloomberg Sports has quickly become one of the industry leaders in providing cutting edge analytic products for fans, MLB teams and professional players. Their fantasy baseball product, “MLB Front Office,” is the fastest growing and most in-depth tool for both the casual and the die-hard baseball fan.  The professional analytic tools are now being used by 21 Major League clubs for player evaluation, and their tablet products are being used by over 200 MLB players to evaluate performance almost in real time.

MLB Network surveyed all 30 Clubs, MLB.com and the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum for the best and brightest trivia minds in their organizations to represent them in Baseball IQ, and thirty-two participants will be matched up in a bracket-style tournament across 31 episodes. Two new episodes will air every Tuesday through Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET from January 24 through February 23, leading up to the start of Spring Training.

“Baseball fans are passionate about the sport’s statistics and launching Baseball IQ is a way for us to expand our offseason programming lineup to let viewers test their baseball knowledge,” said MLB Network President and CEO Tony Petitti. “The premise of Baseball IQ is a natural extension of how fans talk about baseball at home or during a game by putting a current story, player or moment into historical context.”

Baseball IQ features participants from front office personnel, equipment managers, scoreboard operators and museum curators. When possible, Baseball IQ participants will be matched up in a bracket opposite their clubs’ rivals, pitting the St. Louis Cardinals against the Chicago Cubs, the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim against the Texas Rangers. The winning player of each episode will win $5,000 for the organization’s charity they represent. The championship episode will award $25,000 for the winner’s charity and $15,000 to the runner-up’s charity.

The complete Baseball IQ bracket with participants scheduled to appear is below and more information, including rules, participant and charity information can be found here. Show information and programming updates will be posted to MLB Network’s Facebook page and Twitter feed via #BaseballIQ.

Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. will give the keynote address at the Hutch Award Luncheon and presentation on Feb. 1 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Fred Hutchinson’s hometown. The event raises funds to benefit early cancer detection research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Butler, a 25-year-old native of Orange Park , Fla., made his major league debut with the team in 2007, having been selected by the Royals right out of high school in the first round of the 2004 draft.  In his rookie season Butler batted .292 with eight home runs and 52 RBIs; two years later he achieved a .301 batting average while surpassing 500 at bats.

Despite his desire to play on the field, Butler was given full-time duty as the Royals’ designated hitter in 2011; he turned the assignment into an opportunity to become one of the best, most consistent hitters in the American League, finishing the season with a .291 batting average, 44 doubles, 95 RBIs and 19 home runs.

Off the field, Butler is known for his selfless attitude and desire to help others. In 2008, Butler and his wife, Katie, started the Hit-It-A-Ton campaign to help feed disadvantaged families in the Kansas City area. Through the program, $250 is donated for each home run Butler hits (and $125 for each double). In its first three years, the campaign raised more than $200,000, providing more than 960 tons of food through two food banks and a community kitchen run by Kansas City ’s Bishop Sullivan Center .

When Butler comes to Seattle to receive his Hutch Award, he will visit cancer research labs at the Hutchinson Center as well as the Hutch School, a unique K – 12 accredited education program that serves young cancer patients and school-age family members of patients.

The Hutch Award recipient is selected annually through a vote of all surviving former awardees. A total of 46 players have been honored since 1965, when Mickey Mantle accepted the inaugural award. Baseball Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie McCovey and Lou Brock all received the Hutch Award; in more recent years Jamie Moyer, Craig Biggio, Jon Lester, Mark Teahen and Tim Hudson have joined their ranks.

The Olympic legend oversees the Jennie Finch Softball Academy at Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ, in what is believed to be the largest amateur baseball/softball domed facility in the world.

“I tell young players to be the best you can be.  Find your strengths, focus on one thing at a time — sports, the classroom, anything — and strive to be the best you can be,” said Finch, who shared personal experiences, as well as pitching, hitting and fielding tips with 350 aspiring young softball players from all over the nation.

Finch began her academy two years ago and always wanted to share the game she loves on the East Coast, where winter weather cuts into players ability to hone their skills.  At her December clinic, she also hosted a coaches clinic for 90 area softball coaches that doubled as a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps injured veterans acclimate to life back at home.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to have my own softball academy.  Softball has always been my passion and an enormous part of my life.  My vision is to help improve softball in the Northeast to another level through the proper player development, education, evaluation, competition, and exposure that we know how to produce,” said Finch, who is married and has two children with former Diamondback and Astro Casey Daigle.  “Our training programs and curriculum incorporate the same teaching methods that we use at the Olympic level.”

Among her accomplishments, the 6 ft. 1 inch pitcher and first baseman is a two-time Pan American Gold Medalist (2003 & 2007), World Cup Champion (2006 & 2007), Olympic Gold medalist (2004) and  Olympic Silver medalist (2008).

Finch is one of several big name instructors at Diamond Nation, along with Jack Cust, Barry Larkin, Tom Glavine, and New York Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long.  The 65-acre complex is the largest turf baseball and softball complex in the country, and a hotbed for the development of talent from the Northeast.

Diamond Nation was created in 2009, and grew from a 1997 hitting school opened by Jack Cust, Sr. and his son, former Oakland slugger Jack Cust Jr., who was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft that year.  Its mission is to provide education, evaluation, development, competition, and exposure to young athletes under the supervision, experiences, knowledge and direction of professional staff utilizing the finest state-of-the-art facility in the country.

Uecker will earn the honor during the NAB Show Radio Luncheon, held Tuesday, April 17 in Las Vegas and sponsored by ASCAP.

Affectionately known as “Mr. Baseball,” Uecker is entering his 42nd year calling play-by-play on the Brewers Radio Network and Journal Broadcasting Group’s WTMJ in Milwaukee. The former-player-turned-broadcaster has completed 30 seasons as the club’s lead announcer, and he will celebrate his 57th year associated with professional baseball in 2012.

Bob Uecker (image: BusinessWire)

“Bob Uecker is a cultural icon whose remarkable talent and love for baseball have touched generations of fans,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David. “We are excited to have him join the many esteemed broadcasters in the NAB’s Hall of Fame.”

The five-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year was also inducted into the Wisconsin Sports Hall of Fame. Uecker was also a member of the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals World Series Championship team.

Previous NAB Radio Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees include: Gerry House, Ron Chapman, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Harry Carey, Larry Lujack, Rick Dees, Dick Purtan and Dick Orkin.

For information and reservations call 914.668.9580 or log onto www.bgcmvny.com.

Singleton is in his 10th season as a New York Yankees analyst for the YES Network alongside Michael Kay, and also handles play-by-play duties for the network.

“We are delighted to honor Ken Singleton at our 100th Anniversary Gala,” said Boys & Girls Club President Danny Sawh, and Executive Director Lowes Moore in a joint statement. “His outstanding career on the baseball diamond and in the broadcast booth have distinguished him as a true champion. The Boys & Girls Club of Mt. Vernon has been a bulwark against delinquency and a recreational outlet for youngsters for a century, and we hope today’s youngsters will follow in his giant footsteps.”

Raised in Mount Vernon, Singleton played both baseball and basketball in high school, and also played baseball in the Bronx Federation League at Macombs Dam Park, across the street from Yankee Stadium. After receiving a basketball scholarship to Hofstra University and playing baseball as well for one year, Singleton was drafted by the Mets in 1967.

Denzel Washington

In April 1972, he was traded to the Expos and, in 1974, was traded to the Orioles. His .438 on base percentage (in 1977), 118 walks (in 1975) and 35 switch-hit home runs (in 1979) are all still Orioles single season records.

Singleton is one of only six players in Major League Baseball history to hit 35 or more switch-hit homers in a season. During his career, Singleton was named to the American League All- Star Team in 1977, ’79 and ’81. He was named Most Valuable Oriole in 1975, ’77 and ’79.

Singleton received the Roberto Clemente Award from Major League Baseball — the highest off-the-field honor in baseball — in 1982. The award recognizes the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.

He retired after the 1984 season as a three-time All-Star with a 1983 World Championship ring.

Before joining YES, Singleton divided his time calling play-by-play and providing commentary on Yankees telecasts on the MSG Network. In 1998, he was part of MSG’s production team that won four New York Emmys for its Yankees coverage.

Singleton joined the MSG Network in 1997 from The Sports Network (TSN), where he served as analyst for the Montreal Expos from 1985 to 1996. From 1991-96, he also called play-by-play and served as analyst for CIQC Radio, the Expos’ flagship radio network. In 1996 and 1997, he was named by FOX Sports as a lead analyst for Saturday afternoon baseball broadcasts. In 1997 and 1998, he worked as an analyst for Major League Baseball International.

Diana Munson, Thurman’s widow, will attend her 32nd straight benefit, having been involved since its inception, raising nearly $10 million to assist children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Thurman Munson Awards are presented for success on the fields of play and philanthropic works off the field

The AHRC New York City Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City.  AHRC New York City is one of the largest organizations of its kind, serving 11,000 children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.

photo courtesy Yogi Berra Museum

The  list of notable athletes to previously receive the Munson Award reads like a sports “Who’s Who,” and includes: Yankees – Yogi Berra, Don Mattingly, Mariano Rivera, Willie Randolph, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Robbie Cano, Bernie Williams, Bobby Murcer, Joe Torre, Joe Girardi and Nick Swisher; Mets – Tom Seaver, John Franco, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Ron Darling, David Wright, Carlos Beltran,  Keith Hernandez, Rusty Staub and Gary Carter;  Basketball – Willis Reed, Oscar Robertson, Dave DeBusschere,  Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, “Dr. J”  Julius Erving, Sen. Bill Bradley, Mark Jackson, Charles Oakley, Allan Houston and John Starks.

The Legend Award has been presented periodically and its previous recipients have included: Ralph Branca and Bobby Thomson (2001) in celebration of the 50th anniversary of “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”; former Mets ace relief pitcher and native New Yorker John Franco (2004) in recognition of his community service in his hometown; and former Yankee and Thurman teammate Lou Piniella (2010) upon the 30th Anniversary of the Munson Dinner.

But as the cleanup effort continues and attention moves away, the things that bound the community — like youth baseball — may take years to be reborn.

“Pitch In For Baseball” has for years been helping to fix that.  The charity’s efforts, with the support of heavy hitters like MLB, Little League Baseball, the IBAF, USA Baseball and others, have helped thousands of kids get back on the field or, in many cases, experience the game for the first time.

“In these situations, kids tend to feel no one cares about them,” said David Rhode, PIFB Executive Director.  “We have the opportunity to say there are people who care about what has happened, and who are ready to help.”

PIFB is the central organization for collecting and redistributing new and “gently used” youth baseball and softball equipment to needy communities both in the United States and around the world. The goal is to spread the game by providing kids with the proper equipment to learn and pay the game.

The recently-completed Japan effort, supported by the Major League Baseball Players Trust, included a delivery of equipment, including bats, baseballs, gloves, catcher’s gear, batting tees, helmets and equipment bags, and a visit by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher and Ishinomaki native Takashi Saito.

Takashi Saito meets the Kazuma team

“I am honored to represent my fellow Major Leaguers in presenting the equipment to the youth of Ishinomaki,” Saito said in a statement.  “I am truly grateful for the support the players have pledged to my native land, and on behalf of all players I can say we look forward to doing more in the future to help recovery efforts and to ensure that people around the world don’t forget that so much more needs to be done before life returns to normal.”

Closer to home, the PIFB team was able to move even more quickly in Joplin.  Former major leaguer Dan Smith, who pitched for for organizations in a 12-year pro career, including stints with the Red Sox and Expos, and lives in Joplin, contacted PIBF for help.  Rhode’s team worked with the Joplin Little League and within two weeks, the shipment was on its way.

A former major leaguer making an even bigger impact with PIFB is Roy Smalley III, who serves as president.  The All-Star member of the Twins and later the Yankees has utilized his substantial connections in the game as well as those of his father Roy Smalley Jr., who died in October and was also a former big leaguer, to the charity’s great benefit.

“Adding Roy Smalley III to ‘Pitch In,’ it’s like night and day,” said Rhode.  “He adds an incredible stamp of credibility.  Probably, a lot of athletes lend their name to something and don’t have much involvement.  I’m on the phone with him constantly; he is as passionate as can be about what we are doing, and has been a huge part of our success the past two years.  He connects us to the baseball industry in ways we couldn’t without him.”

While the distribution side and the success stories in outfitting kids across the world with equipment get most of the attention, the biggest surprise for Rhode has been on the collection part of the equation.

“The people who collect the equipment are the backbone of what we are trying to accomplish,” he added.  “There has been a tremendous impact that young kids have had, which we hoped for but it has exceeded anything we could have dreamed.  From Eagle Scout projects to Mitzvahs to community service, they are doing awesome work every day.  If we don’t have equipment in the warehouse, there’s nothing for us to talk about and do.”

Some of that equipment ended up in Iraq, dubbed “Operation Homerun: Baseball in Bagdad,” which presented an additional challenge.  It’s not as simple as filling out a FedEx form and shipping it off.  But it did show PIFB’s creativity in finding new ways to move the equipment — in this case via the military.

“We don’t always have the opportunity to go through normal channels,” explained Rhode.  “Sometimes it’s embassies, local post offices, transportation ‘off the grid,’ to ensure it gets there.”

People interested in helping with equipment or monetary donations, as well as those who want to alert PIFB to a need in their area, can contact the organization through its Website or Facebook page.

“New York baseball is feeling a swirl of emotions as Jose Reyes heads south this winter,  We’re giving Mets fans a chance to drown their sorrows — or celebrate — and bid adios to Jose, one of the best and most popular Mets players ever,” said Shaun Clancy, owner of Foley’s, which features 2,500 autographed balls, bats and other baseball memorabilia.  “By doing this, we can have a little fun and donate to clothing drives for people who are less fortunate.”

Bloomberg Sports, which unveiled its separate analytics products for fans and professional teams in 2010, made great strides in improving both in 2011.  Bill Squadron, head of Bloomberg Sports, recently spoke to Baseball Digest about how both consumers and executives have taken to the products and even helped shape them with intensive feedback.

BBD: What was the reaction to the tools the second year?
BS: Really, we looked at 2010 as a “beta year.”  On the professional side, we gave it to all the clubs as a trial, looking to get feedback.  On the consumer side we wanted to get the actual product in the hands of people.  We did a great deal of market research, waht they liked, what they didn’t like, what would be most useful.  The response was well beyond what we expected on both fronts in 2011, with 19 of the 30 clubs — and counting — using the system.

Bill Squadron

BBD: What are some things you learned from that initial feedback?
BS: We learned to make the site more user friendly, putting the most useful functions front and center, things like that.  On the consumer product, The two things we heard most were that the interface was a little busy and that they wanted more customization. So we streamlined it, putting features like the free agent finder and recommendations for trades, trade analyzers, up front.  And, we added integration with top Fantasy sites like Yahoo, ESPN, CBS, so that those recommendations fit that exact league’s rosters and rules.  We plan to add more sites.  It’s an ongoing process; we keep listening to the customer.

BBD: Can you give an approximate number of users?
BS: We cn’t give exact numbers, but we can say that we increased our customer base nearly tenfold [in 2011], with mobile as well as online users.  In fact, we have more mobile than online users now, and we can expect tremendous growth there as it continues to outpace online.

BBD: Are those mobile offerings online the same as online?
BS: You can get everything on mobile that you can get online, but you have to purchase separate modules.  All of the info is there, it is just available in separate chunks.

BBD: What was the most-asked-for function that you have been considering for 2012?
BS: The single biggest is the ability to address AL Only and NL Only leagues.  That’s the most significant one.  We are also doing some changes in daily projections and lineup recommendations for a more fine-tuned system, improving the algorithms to be as sharp as possible.  We’re even adding the ability to handle a weekly update league, rather than daily.

BBD: Has the word spread among the teams for the Pro product and do you anticipate more teams signing on?
BS: As I mentioned, we definitely saw a real momentum building towards using the system.  In some cases people were, understandably, waiting to see how it unfolded, what support would be proviced, whether it could do what was claimed.  I think clearly the system is a level above anything out there, and we will be out in Dallas at the Winter meetings talking to the other clubs to see about getting them on board as well.

BBD: What is the next big innovation at Bloomberg Sports?
BS: We are working on a pitch review iPad product for players. It’s a video system that is tailored for each player, with the ability to call up every at bat against a certain pitcher or batter.  If you are Roy Halliday, for example, it knows you are Halliday, knows you are facing the Mets, loads up pictures of the Mets lineup and can instantly access every at bat against those players. Very exciting.

However, if you are John Genzale, you can’t afford to kick back that much.  You see, Genzale is excited about a new venture — an expansion franchise in a city and region steeped in tradition, in a league showcasing an exciting new star and playing in a baseb-ball specific stadium named for an American president.  What could be more exciting about the national pastime than that?

Actually — everything.  Genzale’s new team is not in Queens, or Iowa or California or Texas.  It’s not in Mexico or Canada.  It is in Italy.

The veteran journalist now expatriate is taking his first real stab at team ownership with Milano United, a trailblazing expansion team in the Italian Baseball League, the oldest professional baseball league outside of Japan or the United States.

Now while it may seem quaint to try and run a team with all the details of baseball in a country which knows the game, Genzale’s approach is different from any professional sports venture on the continent.  Milano United will be the first-ever all commercial venture tried for sport in Europe, very much along the lines of what Americans understand as a professional sports franchise.

But how can this be, when there are such marketing powerhouses in soccer like Manchester United or Real Madrid in soccer, or the Springboks or All Blacks in Rugby, or even Maccabi Tel Aviv or Betteton Treviso in basketball?

“It’s different,” Genzale explains. “Yes, those are powerhouse marketing brands, but the business of sport side is run by a separate corporation away from the day to day in field running of the club.  The clubs of Europe are essentially that.  They are usually multisport local athletic organizations that feed a system from youth through the professional side. They are subsidized by the corporation to grow the game, but those two elements are separate in the way they do business.  We are going to try and be the first to unify what happens on the field with what happens in the business, just like American teams are run.”

To try and undertake such a venture, Genzale, who has a passion for both baseball and all things Italian, had to get the buy-in from the IBL, CONI (the governing body for sport in Italy which funds club-based development), the clubs that will feed into Milano United (there are four, including the oldest baseball club in Italy, Milano 1946), and the City of Milan, which owns the stadium where the team will play, aptly named John F. Kennedy Stadium in western Milan.

“It was and will be an education for all, but the IBL and those responsible for sport see the opportunity to change the model of clubs to help bring in more revenue, and baseball in Italy seems like the right place to give it a try,” he added. Genzale’s positive relationship with Major League Baseball, which helps run and grow the game around the globe, also helped make the vision of Milano United a reality.

Even with all the go-aheads, the launch this spring will not be an easy one, much like the launch of any expansion franchise Americans would understand. There are players to be found, rules to be followed, sponsorships to be sold and seats to be filled (JFK has about 2,500 seats in an all-baseball stadium for a season that will run from April to July). Educating brands on the value of sponsorship and promotion is not an easy thing in Italy either.

“Companies here know baseball and know sponsorship, but they don’t yet fully understand how we can use sponsorship to promote and grow their business,” Genzale added. “So with no track record for ROI, it is slow going to get brands to spend money with us, but it is coming along.”

John Genzale

The promotions Genzale envisions will be very American, like those you see in the minors and the majors in North America, and ones he feels will be readily accepted.

“It is a culture thing, but yes I see the day where the fun promotions that enhance the game experience here for fans will be accepted, because they are fun and give people a reason to come back time and again. We want it to be fun and educational, as well as it being good baseball.”

The baseball side will also have its challenges, but those will be ones Genzale will have some solid help with.  He has enlisted ex Major League outfielder Mike Marshall as his manager, and is looking at a number of former MLB players as a coach, including former Indians and Rays pitcher Albie Lopez. Marshall, who spent 11 years in MLB with the Dodgers, Mets, and Red Sox and helped LA win the 1988 World Championship, had left baseball after his retirement, but returned to manage Indy League franchises in Albany, El Paso and most recently Yuma of the Golden League last year. He was recommended to Genzale by baseball officials in the United States, and will make the trek to Italy with his wife in early 2012 as the start of a new adventure in a sport he loves.

“Pete Caliendo (a fellow Illinois native who has run baseball development programs all over the globe) worked with me with Schaumburg (Ill.) Flyers and knew John and what he was trying to do, and thought we would be a good fit,” Marshall added. “We talked and found our passions and interests were similar, so now we are excited to see how we can make this work.”

“We are now empty nesters with our kids in college, and I love the chance to experience and grow baseball in a place like Italy,” Marshall added. “I know it’s going to be a challenge dealing with the rule nuances and who we can have on the field at a certain time, but the level of play is what I have seen in the Independent leagues and it is what I love doing, working with a mix of veterans and young guys to grow and be successful as a team. That’s no different in Italy as it is in the states, and it will be a worthwhile and fun cultural challenge.”

Baseball has been part of Italian culture for decades, since the mark of the game was implanted by American GI’s during World War II. The game has been played professionally by a mix of home-grown club talent and Americans for about the same amount of time, with elite clubs in places like Nettuno, Bologna and Parma achieving success on the field and followings off the field for years.  Milan was a hotbed of baseball for a time, with one of the oldest clubs in the country, Milano 1946, leading the way. Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi owned the club at one point, according to Genzale, although his sport passion was much more tied to “calcio” (soccer) and AC Milan than what went on between the foul lines in baseball.  Milano United will actually unify four area clubs as one, giving Marshall and company a larger pool to pick from when selecting his team for the inaugural season.

That depth, along with the support of Italian rocker and baseball fan Nicola Fasano, known as “Faso” to music fans, will help get MU off to a good start come opening day. Faso, according to Genzale, has agreed to play a series of concerts during the season around home games, which will help boost attendance and promotion.

“Our goals for year one are modest,” he added. “We want to draw about 800 a night and 1,200 for bigger games, and let people and our sponsors have a good time. Faso will help us fill some other dates and bring people back, which will show even more how much fun baseball as entertainment can be.”

The attempt by Milano United to run a true commercial sports venture comes at an interesting time not just for baseball, but for the club system in Italy and all of Europe. On the baseball side, the growth of the World Baseball Classic and increased interest at the elite level by Major league Baseball has helped forge a higher level of home grown talent, most notably infielder Alex Liddi, who became the first native Italian to reach the Major leagues with the Seattle Mariners this past season.  However the downturn in the economy, and the fact that baseball is no longer on the Olympic programme, has seen a drastic downturn in funding at the club level. Effective commercial dollars and promotion could help ease the burden and keep baseball growing at a strong pace not just in Italy, but in other countries like The Netherlands and Germany, where the sport  also has deep roots.

“This is a long term plan with great potential, but we have to show value to brands and not look at their dollars like it’s a charity,” Genzale added. “It will be a big learning curve for all, but one that I think we can be successful at over time. It is exciting and daunting, which I guess makes it very worthwhile.”

Marshall, who also spent part of his professional career playing in Japan, agreed that the effort to grow the game in a foreign land, but one not foreign to baseball, will be an exciting next step.

“I think we will get that mix of players, veteran Italians, some Americans (although league rules limit the number of non-Italians on both field and roster), some young, some vets, who think they can and will be part of something special,” he said. “Sure there is an unknown, but John’s enthusiasm and the potential of helping grow the game will make it pretty worthwhile. It is a great game, Italy is an amazing culture, and we are proud to be a part of where it will lead us.”

Exactly where that will be will start to come together early in 2012, when Genzale, who already spends most of his year in Italy when he is not handling duties as co-director of Columbia University’s Graduate Sports Management Program, makes the full-time move to the Milan area to run the team. His wife Jenny will be a key part of the business success, as she has launched a company called Sports Marketing Italy, representing not just Milano United, but the IBL and other properties in sponsorship as well.

In the meantime, there are players to look at business conversations to be had, work visa to be worked out and a new business to be forged, which if it works, may make many give thanks for Milano United and its trailblazing and passionate owner.

Mr. Franklin was a true visionary, both in producing the prototype of the batting glove that is still used today, as well as in establishing product lines for superstar athletes including Phillies star third baseman Mike Schmidt and New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath.

Born on August 2, 1918 in Brockton, Massachusetts, from modest beginnings, Irving Franklin launched the company to manufacture a line of youth sporting goods, which grew into a major brand in the global market of sporting goods.

Mr. Franklin and Franklin Sports became best known for innovating the design and make of the first batting glove in the 1980s, and became manufacturer of the “Official Batting Glove of Major League Baseball” soon after.  Franklin today is the industry leader as the premier batting glove company, and custom fits batting gloves for over 150 MLB players.

In the late 60’s, Irving signed New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath, and became the first in the industry to market a complete line of products around an athlete. A model Franklin has used successfully for many superstar athletes including, Terry Bradshaw, Dan Marino, Herschel Walker, Sugar Ray Leonard, David Robinson, Mike Schmidt, Don Mattingly, Bo Jackson, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Barry Bonds.

Irving Franklin

The breakthrough for Franklin and the batting gloves came when Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt and Irving Franklin teamed up to create the basic design that is still the preferred glove of most major league hitters. Irving Franklin went to Clearwater, Florida, to meet with Schmidt during spring training in 1983. Together, they worked tirelessly to make sure that the materials and design were perfected, so collaboratively the two were the first authors. At that time, most players wore no gloves. A few wore a single golf style glove, but no company offered a product specifically designed for the needs of professional players. Franklin today is the industry leader as the premier batting glove company, and custom fits batting gloves for over 150 MLB players.

Mr. Franklin was first employed at a shoe factory in Brockton, and later joined his grandfather in the scrap leather business, which he took over when his grandfather passed away.

When the Korean War began, Mr. Franklin obtained a variety of government contracts, and produced gloves, trigger-finger mittens, and a variety of other products.

In the early 50’s, he opened a factory in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where he lived for three years, making baseball gloves for Spaulding, Sears and other large chain retailers and distributors. In 1960, the Puerto Rico factory was sold to MacGregor, a division of Brunswick Corp.

The first Franklin product was a stuffed football because of rubber restrictions due to the war. After the war, when his brother Sydney joined with him, the company began to manufacture footballs, shoulder pads, other sports equipment.

Irving Franklin was in charge of sales and marketing, while Sydney ran the factory.

In 1962, Irving Franklin went to Japan and began to import baseball gloves. He was a pioneer in importing many sporting goods products from Asia, beginning in Japan and also from Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia, and China. It became a seal of approval for a factory if Franklin was purchasing from it.

Irving Franklin was the first to order kids ball gloves, laminated soccer balls, hockey gloves, hockey pads, and many other products.

After developing many factories in Taiwan, he was honored by the Taiwanese government for promoting the development of sporting goods in what was then called the Republic of China and later became Taiwan.

He considered his Asian enterprises an adventure, never really knowing what new products or factories he would develop on his many trips.

The turning point for the company was the design and development of batting gloves. Irving was a “leather” man at heart, and became an expert on leather manufacturing. He worked with Pittards to create the first batting glove leather. He then partnered with a start-up Korean factory to produce the gloves with a unique tri-curve design for superior fit and feel. 30 years later, the same factory is still manufacturing the gloves.

In 1982, when Franklin signed Mike Schmidt, Irving Franklin asked:
“How can I get the name Franklin on field at the Major League level?”  Schmidt suggested putting the name on the back, and then helped to design the glove for lasting success at the Major League level.

Throughout his life, Irving was involved with many charities.  Beginning in the 50’s in Puerto Rico, he started the first United Jewish Appeal fund-raising campaign on the island.  He has been active with many charities during his years in Brockton, including the New England Sinai Hospital in Stoughton, Mass., Israeli Bonds, the Striar Jewish Community Center in Stoughton, Mass, Temple Beth Emunah in Brockton, Mass. where he was a past president and driving force in the congregation. He was a big supporter of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, where he established the Franklin Fellow Rabbinical School Scholarship Fund in 1998, to train new generations of scholars and leaders who will shape the Jewish traditions for tomorrow.

Larry Franklin took over the reigns as President in 1986. His son Adam works in the company as well.