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ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, center, stands on the field while the team warms up before an exhibition baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, March 5, 2014, in Port Charlotte, Fla. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
NEW YORK >> Forbes ranks the New York Yankees as baseball’s most valuable team for the 17th straight year and lists the Tampa Bay Rays with the lowest valuation.
Forbes said Wednesday it estimates the Yankees are worth $2.5 billion, up 9 percent from last year. The Dodgers are next at $2 billion, a 24 percent hike and matching their actual sale price in 2012.
Boston was third at $1.5 billion, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($1.2 billion), San Francisco ($1 billion) and Philadelphia ($975 million).
At the bottom were the Rays ($485 million), Kansas City ($490 million), Oakland ($495 million) and Miami ($500 million).
Major League Baseball’s average team value rose 9 percent to $811 million. Forbes says values rose primarily because of increased media rights fees.
