JIMMIE LEE SOLOMON

Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations

Jimmie Lee Solomon, who has served Major League Baseball in a variety of operational capacities since 1991, is MLB's Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. He was named to the position by Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig on June 1, 2005.

Prior to this assignment, Solomon was MLB’s Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations for five years, overseeing Major League, Minor League and International Baseball Operations, the Major League Scouting Bureau, the Arizona Fall League and numerous special projects.

As Executive VP of Baseball Operations, Solomon is responsible for such additional areas as on-field discipline and security and facility management and is a member of baseball’s Playing Rules Committee. He reports to MLB President and Chief Operating Officer Bob DuPuy.

Solomon has overseen the launches of several important MLB initiatives, including the 2006 opening of the MLB Urban Youth Academy at Compton College in California and such annual events as the MLB Umpire Camps in 2006, the Civil Rights Game in 2007 and the 2008 debut of the annual MLB Urban Invitational, a college baseball tournament that featured UCLA, USC, Bethune-Cookman and Southern University. In 2008, when Commissioner Selig decided to implement limited instant replay for the first time, Solomon oversaw the development of the system prior to its successful launch in August.

Solomon, who has a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College and a law degree from Harvard, joined Major League Baseball in 1991 as Director of Minor League Operations. He subsequently was promoted to Executive Director of Minor League Operations and then to Senior VP of Baseball Operations. As Major League Baseball's principal conduit to the Minor Leagues, Solomon negotiated two landmark agreements with the National Association. The first, a 10-year, $170 million agreement in 1997, revitalized the relationship between the two organizations. In 2005, he negotiated an agreement that replaced the 1997 contract with one that provides MLB an economic benefit that amounts to more than $200 million over 10 years.

Prior to joining Major League Baseball, Solomon was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the Baker & Hostetler law firm. During his 10 years with the firm, he represented and provided counsel to a combination of corporate and sports industry clients.

MIKE PORT

Vice-President, Umpiring

Mike Port was named Major League Baseball’s Vice President of Umpiring by Executive Vice President Jimmie Lee Solomon on August 1, 2005.

Port joined Major League Baseball after being a member of the front office of the Boston Red Sox since February 1993. He joined the Red Sox as assistant general manager and was given the additional title of Vice President of Baseball Operations in October 1996. On February 28, 2002, Port was named the interim general manager of the Red Sox, who posted a 93-69 season that year.

A native of southern California, Port’s baseball career began when he was signed as an undrafted amateur free agent second baseman by the San Diego Padres in August 1968. After sustaining an arm injury in 1969, Port was hired as the general manager of San Diego’s Florida State League club in Key West. He went on to serve

as the GM of Lodi of the California League in 1970-71 before joining the front office of the Padres in 1972, first as promotions director and then, in 1973, as the club’s minor league director. Port joined the California Angels in the same capacity in 1978. He was promoted to Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer in January 1980 and succeeded Buzzie Bavasi as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Angels on September 1, 1984. Port’s club won the 1986 American League West Division. After leaving the Angels in late 1991, Mike became president of the Arizona Fall League before its launch in 1992.

Port was the recipient of the Boston Baseball Writers annual “Good Guy Award” in January 2000 and was saluted by the Arizona Fall League with the 2002 Roland Hemond Award. In 2003, he was honored by Topps at the Major League Farm and Scouting Directors Meeting with its annual “Advancement in Baseball Award.”

Source: Major League Baseball, World Umpires Association