Rating: 
Summary: Good ideas to level the playing field...
Review: I checked this book out of the library after seeing Bob Costas on the YES Network's "Center Stage." I've always admired Costas for both his intelligence and his love of baseball; he seems able to throw around facts and statistics from regular season games played thirty years ago. I also like Costas's seemingly "romantic" view of the game, although he denies that he has that attitude.As baseball is played now, the Braves and Yankees (and probably a few other clubs) have a decided advantage over most other clubs based solely on their wealth. The rich teams buy the best players, win the World Series, make more money, and buy the best players, and win again, and make more money, etc. etc. Teams like the Devil Rays and the Expos really don't have a chance in hell of ever winning a pennant unless things change (or unless they do what Florida did in 1997 - spend tons of cash on outstanding players, win the Series, and then have a firesale). This book has some totally valid ideas on how to make the game better... specifically, how to level the playing field so that every team has a chance. The ideas that Costas offers in this book are WORKABLE, and would appeal (for different reasons) to everybody involved in the game - from wealthy owners to poor owners, and wealthy baseball stars to rookies. And these ideas would accomplish what Costas and the rest of baseball fans want... they would LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. After implementing these ideas, the World Series winner wouldn't be the one with the most money, rather the one with the best farm system, the one that made the best managerial choices, and the one whose players played the best. That's how the game should be. Some of Costas's other ideas seem to be a matter of his personal preference; ideas that he feels would make the game more exciting. Such as no DH, no Wild Card (which he argues would make pennant races more exciting in September), leagues with only three divisions, etc. I don't necessarily agree or disagree with his ideas on these matters, but he may be correct - it might make the game more exciting. I'd love to see Costas's ideas implemented. And I say this as a Yankee fan! If anybody is benefitting from the current model of business in the game, it's my beloved team... but still, I'd like to see other teams get a fair shake. Dominating the other teams year after year gets a little boring after awhile!
Rating:
Summary: Considering the fan
Review: Bob Costas understands what makes baseball unique and appealing to its followers. He has provided a vision and plan that would return a semblance of competitive balance to the game. He is less concerned with whether owners or players are the primary blame for the decline in baseballs' public following, than to what can be done to return it to predominance in our national psyche. I agree completely that most fans do not begrudge the players the millions they make or the owner's right to make a profit. What we hate is that 25 teams serve as a minor league development system for the 5 or so elite teams that snatch up their stars just as they attain peak abilities. He is also right on target when it comes to the dilution of pennant races with wild card teams and balanced schedules, the dh and even Pete Rose. I would like to add a plea to spare us from the 200 dB musical assault we must endure at the ballpark, not only between each half inning, but now before each home team batter. Just give us good baseball and a chance for all well managed teams to compete.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Start
Review: I read Mr. Costas' book becuase the labor landscape in baseball hasn't changed much since the beginning ot the 2002 season, so I figured it was still valid. This book educated me on the state of the baseball economy. I am looking at the current labor negotiations with a different perspective now. I feel it is a more informed prosepective. I think that some of the proposals in this book are a bit altruistic for the money grabbing players and owners to try. For example, the players have already said that they will not accept any form of salary cap or floor. They are acting as if they are in a free economy. Considering the United States doesn't have a completely unregulated economy, I find this very arrogant. While I can see the merits of Bob Costas' plan, I just don't think I will live to see the day the players will accept it. After all, it is 2002 and 25 Million doesn't go quite as far as it did in the 90's.
I love his "3-0" plan to eliminate the wild card. I believe that it would restore the feel to the pennant races that fans remember. I liked his idea of moving the Houstan franchise to the American League (although eliminating the two Florida based teams would be acceptable) to create balance leagues makes sense. I also enjoy the concept of an unbalanced schedule.
While this plan is very altruistic, it does serve as a starting point. I am not so naive as to believe that the owners and players haven't seen it, nor understand it. I just think that the almighty dollar is king of baseball and will continue to be until some sort of comprehensive plan is developed, whether it be Mr. Costas' or someone elses.
This book is straight forward, educational and easy to read. I recommend it highly to any baseball fan that wishes to make some sense of the chaos in baseball today.
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