MLB Insiders Club Magazine: A Product Review

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Reading a name that proclaims something to be an “Insider’s Club,” one would tend to believe that they would receive information through this publication that others would not be able to receive. In some ways, this is true of the MLB Insiders Club Magazine, which is sent out monthly to its members and costs $24 a year.

The magazine features writers that many well versed baseball fans are already familiar with such as ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian and Jerry Crasnick. The articles that are featured from these writers inside of this magazine cannot be found anywhere else, as these specific articles have been given exclusive permission to be published in this publication.

Since they do only come out once every month, their covers often seem to have story lines that could not be considered news breakers. The previous issue features the Philadelphia Phillies on the cover and states, “Champs! The 2008 Phillies ended years of heartbreak in a thrilling fall classic.” While the issue before that remarked on how Francisco Rodriguez was closing in on the all time saves mark even though he had clinched it well in advance of the members actually receiving the publication.

One of the most interesting parts of the magazine is that they give their readers an opportunity to get their own letters, articles and pictures published in the magazine. The publication greatly encourages this act as at the end of nearly every article, there is a question posed to readers about their own experiences in relation to the subject matter of the piece. This allows the magazine to become better on a personal level as readers and fans alike have an opportunity to share their personal stories and pictures with others who share their interests.

While some of the major stories featured in the magazine have already been made public before the reader has a chance to get to them (in the most recent issue there are articles on the Athletics’ organization with Billy Beane at the helm and the rise of Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton from drug addict to All Star), they do feature lots of small tidbits about what’s going on in stadiums across the country that would interest the truly tuned in fan. The current issue features small pieces on how the stadiums are attempting to “Go Green” during the recent surge to help better the environment, which has included recycling programs and organic food.

Each issue features a suggested trip to one of the well known Major League ballparks. In their description, they not only tell the reader what to do at the stadium, but they tell them about how to eat like the real fans of that team do as well as how to get a stadium tour and see what else there is to do in that city.

The current issue features two different team compilations with an All Post Season Team and an All Sleeper Team for the 2009 season (including catcher Jeff Clement from the Seattle Mariners and fist baseman Billy Butler from the Kansas City Royals).

Overall, the magazine provides some interesting looks into Major Leagues Baseball that many would not otherwise be privy to and it enables the already plugged in fan to be even more on top of what’s happening across the league.

The Grade: 3.75/5

Bill Jordan is a contributor to BaseballReflections.com. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].