MLB Franchise Notes: Mets Defend Shifting Prospects To Dominican

Mets Exec VP/Business Operations Dave Howard yesterday said that "moving 75 prospects from the team's program in the Florida instructional league to the Dominican Republic was being done to raise the players' level of competition, not to save money" as some had suggested. Howard: "What's happening on the east coast of Florida is that teams are leaving. ... We've been playing mostly intramural games in Florida, and we have a beautiful complex in the Dominican Republic." Howard noted "four or five other major league teams" have complexes in the Dominican near the Mets' campus (N.Y. TIMES, 9/1).

Royals Reward Dayton Moore With Extension

MY BLUE HEAVEN: In K.C., Sam Mellinger notes the Royals yesterday extended GM Dayton Moore's contract through 2014 in part because of the "vast improvement that's been made to the organization's infrastructure with increased resources" during his three-year tenure. But these moves "haven't helped the big-league team yet" (K.C. STAR, 9/1). Royals President Dan Glass: "Although it has been a disappointing season, I believe we are heading in the right direction and Dayton is an important part of the process" (MLB.com, 8/31).

TAKE A BITE OUT OF THE APPLE: The Yankees yesterday released pricing for playoff tickets this season, the majority of which will cost less than tickets for equivalent seating during the '07 MLB postseason at the former Yankee Stadium. This year's regular-season ticket prices for full-season, non-suite licensees will carry over to the ALDS (Yankees). ESPN Radio's Mike Greenberg said of some Yankees’ playoff tickets being cheaper than regular-season tickets, “I don’t know everything, but I do know … if your playoff tickets are cheaper than your regular season tickets, you have overpriced your tickets” ("Mike & Mike in the Morning," ESPN2, 9/1).

MILWAUKEE'S BEST: The Brewers through 62 home games at Miller Park are averaging 38,111 fans per game, up from 37,714 at the same point last season, and the team is "expected to announce soon that they have sold 3 million tickets this season." The Brewers, despite playing in MLB's smallest market, rank 8th in attendance among MLB's 30 teams (JSONLINE.com, 8/28).