Brewers Owner Mark Attanasio during Saturday's annual address to the players said, "This year, we decided to invest in the team because we decided we had talent. We'll have the highest payroll in team history." In Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt reported Attanasio "takes each year on a case-by-case basis," as opposed to "setting a budget and then signing players until reaching that level." Attanasio said, "We do try not to set a budget. There's nothing quite like the business of baseball. ... We're at the point now where we're well into the top half of payrolls in the major leagues" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 2/23).
SHIFTING GEARS: In Detroit, Tony Paul reported the Tigers this season "will introduce dynamic ticket pricing." The team will start adjusting prices March 3 and "will continue to do so right through the first pitch for each of their 81 home games." Prices are "expected to go up much more than they go down this season." The Tigers "will rely on" Qcue for their pricing software (DETROIT NEWS, 2/22). The Tigers also are "planning to announce 33 giveaways" for the '14 season, "in addition to 17 postgame fireworks extravaganzas" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 2/23).
HAIL TO THE CHIEF: In Atlanta, Mark Bradley writes while there "has been no significant acquisition to stoke the proverbial hot stoves," the Braves have "had a great offseason." By signing longterm extensions for four of "their splendid youngsters" -- 1B Freddie Freeman, SS Andrelton Simmons and Ps Julio Teheran and Craig Kimbrel -- the Braves "should be able to go core-to-core with anybody for a good long while." Bradley: "Some of this core-keeping has to do with the revenue stream that will flow from the move to Cobb County, and some surely is due to the influence of adviser John Hart. ... But most of the credit must go to the man who has seldom gotten credit for anything -- Frank Wren" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 2/25).
MONEY AIN'T A THING: MLB player agent Scott Boras said of Blue Jays Owner Rogers Communications, "There is no one who has the asset base of Rogers. It's a premium city. It's a premium owner with equity. And it's a very, very good team that with additional premium talent could become a contending team." Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulous responded, "Our ownership has been outstanding and given us all the resources we need" (FOXSPORTS.com, 2/23).
