NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has eliminated an annual tradition: printed copies of the green and red books.

The guides to the National and American leagues started publication in the 1930s and have been an invaluable research tool for media. In the 1980s and perhaps the 1990s, an edition also was sold commercially to fans.

Baseball spokesman Rich Levin said Wednesday that not having printed editions would save the sport about $100,000. A pdf version is being made available to media.