On joining the boys of summer: What it means to have your very own baseball team.

Wouldn't owning a baseball team be all fun?  Not so fast.

If you didn't know better, it'd be easy to think that being the owner of a baseball franchise would be a kick-in-the-pants.  And why wouldn't you think that--isn't it just a big game played outdoors in the summer with plenty of good-but-bad-for-you-food-and-drink to boot?  Well, think twice.  Actually, it can be complicated.  Sometimes it can hurt!

If you think it's all boys'play, think again.  

It didn't get much coverage about 10 days ago, but the Washington, DC National's owner Mark Lerner was badly injured while--yes, in full team uniform--shagging fly balls during a pre-game batting practice.  Living the dream that many have [can you say Jerry Jones?]--to not just be in the stands eating hot dogs and drinking beer--but to actually be playing on the field, Mark missed catching a fly ball and was hit in the face instead.  According to a short piece by Adam Kilgore in the Washington Post: 

Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner received stitches this evening after an unfortunate moment during today's batting practice.

Lerner, as he occasionally does, was shagging fly balls in full Nationals uniform alongside his team. Standing in right field, where the sun made it difficult to see, Lerner settled under a fly ball. The ball barely glanced off his glove and drilled Lerner, 56, on the bridge of his nose, right between the eyes.

"I've never seen blood gush that fast out of someone," said one Nationals player.

Most owners, in truth, actually have better judgment than to dawn a uniform and try to play with the professionals--but what's it really like to actually own a baseball franchise?  It's safe to say that owning and running a franchise is harder than it looks.  Several years have passed since I had the opportunity to see this up-close and first-hand as an MBA professor who advised a team of bright MBAs consulting for the Pawtucket Red Sox.  It was a successful, well-run team then--and now.  

In yesterday's Wall Street Journal, there was coverage of exactly that issue and that very team for all to view: "Red Sox Farm Team:  Investing in Baseball."  It features Ben Mondor and the PawSox and I thought you'd like to catch the story of his success--just in case you still wanted to be with the boys of summer in a serious way!  

 Maybe fantasy baseball will fill the need after all for most of us to own a team of our very own.  
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