MLB Power Rankings: Ranking Every MLB Owner on Their Sports Smarts

Most baseball fans know the names of their team's managers and general managers; the men they see running their team on a daily basis.  However, some of the most important men in baseball, the owners, remain unknown to their team's fans.  

While it may look like the manager and GM run the team, every decision first has to be run by the men who financially support the team.  In reality, it is the owners who call the shots, so it is important to the success of a team for its owner to understand what they are doing baseball-wise.  

Obviously, these men are intelligent and very well-educated.  They know how the business aspect of owning a team works, but if they don't have some prior sports knowledge or an understanding of what it takes to make an MLB team win, then their team will be unsuccessful.  Unsuccessful teams do not please fans, and the fans are the most important part of any team.  Without the fans, there is no revenue—without revenue, there will cease to be a team.

So who are the current owners with the best "sports smarts?"  I have ranked every owner of every team in MLB, from worst to first, with that aspect in mind.  Now keep in mind that I am not trying to say which owners are good and which are bad, I am simply stating which owners seem most...qualified for the job.

Business for the Sake of Business

Even though none of us want to accept this, it is a fact that baseball is a business.  With that being said, there are many owners who have no past sports knowledge other than being a fan, if that.  Ten teams are either owned by companies or have owners with no "sports smarts."

Toronto Blue Jays - Rogers Communications

Kansas City Royals - David Glass

Seattle Mariners - Nintendo 

Atlanta Braves - Liberty Media

Milwaukee Brewers - Mark Attanasio

Pittsburgh Pirates - Robert Nutting

Chicago Cubs - Ricketts Family

Houston Astros - Jim Crane (owner of Minute Maid)

Colorado Rockies - Charlie and Dick Monfort

Arizona Diamondbacks - Ken Kendrick

20. Frank McCourt: Los Angeles Dodgers

No MLB owner, since George Steinbrenner, has made the news as often as Frank McCourt has this season.  Unfortunately, McCourt has had his name in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.  He and his wife went through a pretty ugly divorce and, just this past Monday, McCourt and the Dodgers were forced to file bankruptcy.  

Not focusing on what is happening with McCourt right now, he still has little-to-no sports knowledge whatsoever.  The only experience he had before purchasing the Dodgers was a failed attempt to purchase the Boston Red Sox.  McCourt actually had plans to construct a new ballpark for the Red Sox on land that he owned and used for parking lots on the South Boston waterfront.  But with the way things have turned out, the Red Sox have to be thankful that McCourt’s bid for them eventually failed.

19. Stuart Sternberg: Tampa Bay Rays

Stuart Sternberg purchased the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in May 2004 and took over as Managing General Partner in October 2005.  His past experience with baseball includes playing in leagues throughout the course of his life, as well as coaching his children's little league teams.  It's not much but it's something, right?

An extra tidbit here: Sternberg has been rumored to be a potential suitor for the New York Mets.  Reports cite his displeasure with the fan base and location of the Rays as a possible reason for his desire to attempt to acquire a big-market team like the Mets.

18. Fred Wilpon: New York Mets

We have heard our fair share of controversial stories about Fred Wilpon lately.  From the never-ending tale of the Madoff scheme to his derivative comments regarding David Wright and Jose Reyes, Wilpon is making the news for all the wrong reasons.  Maybe it would be easier to accept if the Mets were winning, but, sadly, they are not.  

As for his sports experience, Wilpon played on the same high school baseball team as the great Sandy Koufax, and the two have been close friends ever since.  Again it's not much, but knowing a Hall of Famer before he made the big leagues has to count for something.

17. Jim Pohlad: Minnesota Twins

Jim Pohlad inherited the Twins from his father Carl Pohlad, upon his death on January 5th, 2009.  Other than growing up as the child of an owner, Jim has no other experience or sports knowledge. 

That being said, you can’t take for granted the experience of a child growing up around baseball.  He no doubt attended many Twins games, most likely including those of the 1991 World Series, and met hundreds of players, managers and other baseball personnel.  If he didn’t learn anything from any of them, I would be thoroughly surprised.

16. Bill Neukom: San Francisco Giants

Bill Neukom, owner of the reigning World Series champion San Francisco Giants, was a long-time investor before finally being named Managing General Partner on May 16, 2008.  He became the lead active investor following the retirements and deaths of multiple other investors in the organization.  He spent his fair share of time with the organization before becoming an outright owner though, so by the time he took the reigns he had had a chance to learn the ins and outs of baseball.

15. David Montgomery: Philadelphia Phillies

Now, with the recent success of the Phillies, many of you are probably wondering how on Earth I could rank David Montgomery, the Phils’ owner, as low as No. 15.  Well, remember that this is based on sports knowledge, not success—besides, the credit should really go to Ruben Amaro Jr. for the current juggernaut that is the Phillies. 

Montgomery, nonetheless, does have some decent baseball smarts.  He grew up an avid Phillies fan right there in Philadelphia, and eventually landed a job with the organization through former Philly ace Robin Roberts.  He became a member of the sales department in 1971 and even operated the scoreboard during the early '70s.  Eventually, Montgomery, along with associate Bill Giles, purchased the club and since then the club has transformed into a perennial World Series favorite.

14. Larry Dolan: Cleveland Indians

Larry Dolan, the owner of the Cleveland Indians, does not have much of his own in terms of “sports smarts,” but what he does have is a nephew who knows plenty.  His nephew, James Dolan, owns the New York Knicks of the NBA and the New York Rangers of the NHL.  It may not be baseball, but having a nephew who owns two major sports franchises in the nation’s biggest sports venue, New York, has to help increase a person’s sports smarts.

13. Peter Angelos: Baltimore Orioles

Peter Angelos was the leader of a group of investors who purchased the Baltimore Orioles in 1993.  Angelos’ sports smarts originate from his love of horse racing.  He owns a 237-acre horse farm at which he breeds and races thoroughbred horses.  Owners who have ties to other sports, such as horse racing, have more experience, better equipping them for their jobs owning baseball clubs.

12. Bill DeWitt, Jr.: St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of baseball’s most prestigious franchises, right up there with the Yankees and Red Sox.  They also have a fairly new owner in Bill DeWitt, Jr., who purchased the club in 1995 from its longtime owners, the Busch family.  DeWitt has a fair share of baseball smarts, as he grew up as the son of a MLB executive.

Bill DeWitt, Sr. was a one-time General Manager for the St. Louis Browns, leading them to an AL pennant in 1944.  He then served as assistant GM of the Yankees from 1954-58, president and GM of the Tigers from 1959-60 and GM of the Reds from 1960-66.  Bill Jr. grew up and was a young adult during these stints, so it’s safe to assume he spent a great deal of time around baseball.

11. Jeff Moorad: San Diego Padres

Jeff Moorad started out in baseball as a player agent.  His most prominent player was then-Indians slugger Manny Ramirez.  In 2000, he helped broker the $160 million deal that brought Manny to Boston.  Manny eventually switched agents, with Scott Boras representing him during his move to the Dodgers.

Moorad also became a part-owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005, and still owns 12 percent of the organization, making him at least part-owner of two of the five teams in the NL West.  Having already been a part-owner of another baseball team, gave Moorad the baseball smarts that has helped him as owner of the Padres.

10. Ted Lerner: Washington Nationals

Ted Lerner purchased the Washington Nationals from Major League Baseball in 2006, two years after their move to D.C. from Montreal.  Lerner's wealth (an estimated $3.5 billion) is from his real estate business, but his sports smarts come from his minority stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Washington Mystics of the WNBA, the Washington Wizards of the NBA, the Washington Capitals of the NHL and Verizon Center.

9. Arte Moreno: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Arte Moreno is one of the best owners in baseball.  I truly believe he actually tries to create a great experience for the fans of his team, both at and outside of the ballpark. 

As for his baseball smarts, Moreno and a group of investors purchased a minor league team back in 1986—a move which turned out to be a huge success, giving Moreno experience in the field of ownership and fueling his hunger to own a MLB franchise.  He purchased the Angels from the Walt Disney Company in 2003 following their 2002 World Series championship and the Angels have taken off under his leadership.

8. Jerry Reinsdorf: Chicago White Sox

Jerry Reinsdorf purchased the White Sox for a measly $19 million in 1981 and has since transformed the club into a regular contender in the American League.  He led his team to their first World Series championship in 91 years in 2005, ending the second longest drought in baseball history to date. 

Reinsdorf’s sports smarts are not secluded to baseball, however, as he is also the principal owner of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.  He has proven that he has a great understanding of the operation of sports franchises.  He has turned the Bulls into the NBA’s most profitable team, as they now earn $49 million annually and are worth an estimated $356 million, while the White Sox are also worth over $300 million.

7. Robert Castellini: Cincinnati Reds

Robert Castellini, owner of the Cincinnati Reds, has been involved in baseball for over 30 years.  Before actually owning the team, he once had a minority stake in the organization until 1984.  In 1989, he became a partner in the Texas Rangers organization and in 1993 he became a partner in the Baltimore Orioles organization.  He had also been a part of the St. Louis Cardinals ownership group prior to 2006, when he officially purchased the Reds. 

Holding different levels of ownership over the years prior to his purchase of the Reds most definitely gave him the baseball smarts necessary to be a successful owner, which he proved by leading his club to the postseason for the first time in 15 years in 2010.

6. Mike Ilitch: Detroit Tigers

Mike Ilitch was no stranger to sports when he purchased the Detroit Tigers in 1992.  Ilitch had previously revived the Detroit Red Wings, transforming the NHL club from a perennial loser to one of the NHL’s elite teams.  He purchased the club in 1982 and they have since won four Stanley Cup championships in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008. 

Ilitch’s ability to revive a previous sports franchise shows that he has the kind of sports smarts that will no doubt turn the Tigers into a championship winner in no time.

5. Lew Wolff: Oakland Athletics

Lew Wolff is a well-known owner among many different North American sports.  Apart from owning the AL’s Oakland Athletics, he also owns the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer.  In the past, Wolff has also owned the St. Louis Blues of the NHL and the Golden State Warriors of the NBA. 

On a side note, when attending the University of Wisconsin, Wolff was a member of the fraternity Pi Lambda Phi and was a fraternity brother of now-Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig.  Owning franchises in four different major sports and having a longtime relationship with the MLB Commissioner has to have an impact on a person’s sports smarts.

4. Jeffrey Loria: Florida Marlins

Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria first entered the realm of sports when he purchased the Oklahoma City 86ers, a triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.  After finding success with the minor league team, Loria sold the club in 1993 and began shopping around for a Major League Baseball team. 

After losing out to Peter Angelos on a bid for the Orioles, Loria purchased a 24-percent share of the Montreal Expos.  Loria eventually ended up with 94 percent of the club, but the Expos were a doomed team from the start, with stadium concerns and radio issues costing the team a much-needed fan base. 

Eventually, in 2002, Loria sold the Expos to Major League Baseball in a move coinciding with Commissioner Bud Selig’s and then-Marlins owner John Henry’s plan.  Henry sold Loria the Marlins, and Henry was allowed to purchase the Boston Red Sox, while MLB held onto the Expos (eventually moving them to Washington D.C. and turning them into the Nationals).  Being a part of one of the biggest ownership moves in baseball history greatly enhanced Loria’s credibility, as well as his baseball smarts.

3. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner: New York Yankees

Had this been a few years ago, the name “Steinbrenner” would not have appeared until the final slide, as it would have been an easy decision ranking the great George Steinbrenner as the owner with the most sports smarts.  But, unfortunately, the Boss passed away almost a year ago, and even before that he had ceded control of the Yankees to his sons, Hank and Hal. 

Now, I might come off as a little biased as a Yankees fan by ranking them third on this list but, trust me, once you see the top two, you will understand that I am actually being quite fair in my rankings.

The Steinbrenners are one of the most prestigious sports families in history, and George Steinbrenner was arguably the most influential owner of all time.  This leads me to believe that he would not have felt comfortable handing the Yankees over to his sons had he not taught them everything he knew and thought that they could handle it.  

One more thing: What did the Yankees do in their first year under the control of Hank and Hal Steinbrenner?  They won the 2009 World Series. 

2. Nolan Ryan: Texas Rangers

How many owners can say they have even a fraction of the baseball smarts that Nolan Ryan has?  Nolan Ryan is the only current owner who has played for the team he now owns—not only did he play for them, he even had his number retired by them and entered the Hall of Fame with their insignia on his cap.  Ryan was part of a group that purchased the Texas Rangers amidst their AL-pennant-winning 2010 season, just last year. 

Ryan was one of the best pitchers to ever play the game of baseball.  He won 324 games, set a MLB record with 5,714 strikeouts and pitched a remarkable seven no-hitters, all across 27 major league seasons with the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and, of course, the Texas Rangers. 

With that much experience as an actual player, you must be wondering who I could have possibly ranked ahead of Nolan Ryan at the No. 1 spot on this list....

1. John Henry, Larry Lucchino and Tom Werner: Boston Red Sox

The trio of John Henry, Larry Lucchino and Tom Werner collectively has the most sports smarts of all the owners in MLB.  Let’s look at each of them individually.

Tom Werner first got involved with sports when he purchased the San Diego Padres in 1990.  Werner actually initiated the trade that brought iconic closer Trevor Hoffman to San Diego.  In 1994, Werner sold his share of the Padres and, in 2002, he and John Henry formed New England Sports Ventures.

Larry Lucchino practiced law with the Washington, D.C. law firm Williams & Connolly, whose owner, Edward Williams, had ownership interest in the Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Orioles.  Through his work, Lucchino eventually became President and CEO of the Baltimore Orioles, and later the San Diego Padres.  Both teams built new ballparks during his tenures with the organizations.

John Henry made repeated attempts to purchase a professional sports franchise after owning multiple minor league baseball teams.  He entered MLB with a purchase of a small interest in the New York Yankees—yes, I said the Yankees—in 1991.  In 1999, he purchased the Florida Marlins, and in 2002 he sold them to Jeffrey Loria in order to purchase the Boston Red Sox.

Together, these three men have worked across countless sports franchises—together, they have sparked the most successful era in the history of the Boston Red Sox.