What happened: Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein publicly acknowledged that Major League Baseball owners make significant money, per CBS Sports MLB. The comments occurred during a discussion with fellow owners about how leadership communicates organizational values to players and fanbases.

Why it matters: Candid admissions of franchise profitability from inside the ownership ranks rarely surface ahead of collective bargaining disputes and a potential league lockout. For an Orioles organization that completed its first franchise trade with Washington in July, the remarks hand union negotiators a public quote on league economics.

What to watch: League officials and the MLB Players Association will enter upcoming labor negotiations with franchise valuations and owner revenue claims central to the talks.