Major League Baseball 2016: The State of the Sport by the Numbers – The Fiscal Times

Even casual baseball fans can spit numbers at you like major leaguers fire out sunflower seed shells: Babe Ruth’s 714, Pete Rose’s 4,256, Ted Williams’ .406. But the average fan’s perspective of the game is influenced by a slew of other numbers, from advanced modern statistics like Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) to more everyday — though still sometimes shocking — figures, like the cost of the average ticket or the price of a beer at the ballpark. Here are some of those key numbers that shine a light on the business of baseball in 2016: 

Slideshow: The 27 Highest-Paid Players in MLB in 2016 

About $9.5 billion: Reported revenue generated by Major League Baseball last year, according to Forbes. The annual total has grown for 13 straight years. 

$230 million: The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day payroll, some $40 million below last year’s level but still the highest in baseball according to the Associated Press. 

Under $60 million: The Milwaukee Brewers’ opening day payroll, the lowest in the league. 

$1.3 billion: The average value of a Major League Baseball club as of 2015, according to Forbes. 

$3.4 billion: Value of the New York Yankees, 6 percent higher than last year and the highest of any baseball team for the 19^th straight year. 

$516 million: Revenue generated by the Yankees in 2015, also the highest of any team, according to Forbes. 

$72.6 millon: Operating income generated by the San Francisco Giants last year — the highest in baseball, according to Forbes. By comparison, the Yankees had operating income of $13 million and the Los Angeles Dodgers posted an operating loss of about $73 million. 

$4.4 million: Estimated average Major League player’s salary in 2016, according to the Associated Press. 

$28.94: Average MLB price for a “non-premium” ticket in 2015, according to Team Marketing Report. 

$52.34: Average price of a “non-premium” ticket to see the Boston Red Sox play at Fenway Park, the highest in the league. 

$5.98: Average price of a small beer at a Major League ballpark in 2015, according to Team Marketing Report. 

$7.75: Average beer price charged by the Red Sox, the highest in the league. 

$4.39: Average price of a hot dog at a Major League ballpark in 2015. 

$6.25: Average hot dog price charged by the Mets, tops in the league. 

13 Percent: Increase in the average price of a ticket to see the Mets at Citi Field this season over last, according to TicketNetwork.com. 

4-to1: Betting odds on the Chicago Cubs to win the 2016 World Series, making the team the pre-season favorite. 

108: Years since the Cubs last won the World Series. 

Millie Dent contributed to this article. 

Slideshow: The 27 Highest-Paid Players in MLB in 2016