Major League or major league?

[bob]

Help me, please.
Do I write "so-and-so signed a Major League contract?" Or, "so-and-so signed a major league contract?"
Is so-and-so a Major Leaguer? Or a major leaguer?

 

[WolvEagle]

Cap it when referring to the office of Major League Baseball. Otherwise, lowercase.

 

[Ace]

I wouldn't say someone signed a major league contract anyway. I'd say they signed a contract with the Yankees or Marlins or Padres or whatever.

 

[bob]

you do realize I'm simply trying to get the rule on capping "Major League?"

 

[Ace]

you do realize I'm simply trying to get the rule on capping "Major League?"

Yes indeedy. And often the best way to solve a problem like that is to avoid it.

But WolvEagle is correct.

 

[Wes Rucker]

David Keith, a.k.a Jack Parkman, is a huge Tennessee booster who attends basically every football and men's hoops game. He sits near the media. I'll ask him this weekend and get back to you.

 

[ondeadline]

Major-league contract. Major-leaguer.

 

[SnoopyBoy]

Ace,
Well, someone could have signed a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, so it's worth noting this time of year if a player signs a major-league contract.

 

[JackReacher]

David Keith, a.k.a Jack Parkman, is a huge Tennessee booster who attends basically every football and men's hoops game. He sits near the media. I'll ask him this weekend and get back to you.

Nice!

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I would argue the hyphen is not necessary in major league contract. This is an exception to the standard rule on compound modifiers because "major" and "league" are so closely connected in use, especially within the context in question (sports reporting, and specifically, baseball), they do not need the hyphen. No one is going to read the sentence and think the person signed a "league contract," and a major one at that.

It's pretty much the same with high school coach. It's not that he's a school coach, and a high one to boot. He's a high school coach.

 

[Ace]

Ace,
Well, someone could have signed a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, so it's worth noting this time of year if a player signs a major-league contract.

That's true. Agree with JD on the non-hyphens also.

 

[SoCalDude]

We have adopted that style, too. Reduce the use of hyphens.