Major League Baseball investigating source of Angels’ leaked financial documents
Major League Baseball is investigating the source of leaked documents from the Angels and four other teams posted on sports blog Deadspin.com that reveal detailed financial information from 2007-09.
Angels officials confirmed the authenticity of the 16 pages pertaining to their organization, which cover a range of financial figures including net income, revenue-sharing payments and postseason revenue from 2008 and 2009. Deadspin also posted financial documents from the Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marlins.
“It’s a breach of confidential information,” said Tim Mead, the Angels’ vice president of communications. “We’re going to let it run its course and the appropriate people are looking into it.”
Angels President John Carpino said he wanted to speak with officials from Major League Baseball before commenting on the matter.
According to the documents, the Angels generated a net income of $10.7 million last year and $7.08 million in 2008. The Angels also paid $16.4 million in 2009 as part of baseball’s revenue-sharing agreement and $14.7 million the previous year.
Their net playoff revenue was $9.4 million last year, when they advanced to the American League Championship Series and hosted five playoff games at Angel Stadium. That figure was $3.23 million in 2008, when they hosted two playoff games.
The documents also identify a third minority owner of the team as the “Pope Family,” which purchased a limited partnership interest of 2% for $3.45 million in January 2006. Mead said the Popes were associates of owner Arte Moreno.
Bill Beverage, the Angels’ chief financial officer, and Bill Levine had previously bought limited partnerships in the team.
Who’s on first?
Even Juan Rivera acknowledged some surprise at making his first career start at first base Monday, only a day after he started taking ground balls in the infield.
“I thought it was going to be a little bit more time working out taking ground balls, but I’m ready,” Rivera said through an interpreter.
Rivera did work out at the position extensively last season and during spring training 2008 in the wake of a broken left leg. He had appeared at first base only once in a major league game before Monday, however, as an emergency fill-in for two innings in April 2008.
Manager Mike Scioscia said he didn’t expect “a lot of action on the first-base side” of the infield with left-hander Scott Kazmir pitching, presenting Rivera with an ideal opportunity to get comfortable.
Rivera said he liked the move, which will allow him to get more playing time after mostly being stuck on the bench since the Angels promoted outfielder Peter Bourjos from the minor leagues earlier this month.
“It’s an opportunity to get some more at-bats, that’s the way I see it,” said Rivera, who used Howie Kendrick’s first baseman’s glove Monday. “I’m happy that they at least presented that option.”
Rivera became the eighth Angel to start at first base since Kendry Morales suffered a season-ending leg injury in May, joining Kendrick, Mike Napoli, Robb Quinlan, Paul McAnulty, Michael Ryan, Kevin Frandsen and Brandon Wood.
“You could run through 15 first basemen when you lose a guy like Kendry,” Scioscia said.
ben.bolch@latimes.com
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