Baseball is skewed, so we’re all skewed.
Mark Teixeira’s new annual average contract with the Yankees is comparable to the entire 2008 payroll of the Florida Marlins. (A-Rod’s is more.)
CC’s & AJ’s combined new annual average contracts with the Yankees are comparable to the entire 2008 payroll of the AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPION Tampa Bay Rays.
Their three combined annual average salaries, so appropriate for the Evil Empire, total $66.6M. Just kidding, it’s actually more than that; and is more than the combined payrolls of 1/3 of all baseball, ten (10) MLB teams.
Add A-Rod’s $28M average and these four players make more than the entire payroll of seventeen (17) teams with $95M payroll or less.
Add A-Rod’s $28M average and these four players make more than the entire payroll of seventeen (17) teams with $95M payroll or less.
That these four players make more than the payrolls of more than half the teams in baseball is stunning.
OK, you can say there is a big difference between the big market teams and the small market teams, and the ballyhooed Luxury Tax compensates. True as far as it goes, but this imbalance also applies to the Yankees vs. “Big Market” teams.
OK, you can say there is a big difference between the big market teams and the small market teams, and the ballyhooed Luxury Tax compensates. True as far as it goes, but this imbalance also applies to the Yankees vs. “Big Market” teams.
Because this is a Red Sox blog, let’s use the home team as an example. Its 2008 payroll ranked #4 at $133.4M, behind the Yankees ($209.1M), Tigers ($138.7M), Mets ($138.3M) and ahead of the White Sox ($121.2M) and Angels ($118.8M). The Sox and other team’s payrolls grew specifically to compete with the free spending Yankees, who have outspent every team now for 9 straight years, with marginal success.
Ten ‘big market’ teams, representing 1/3 of baseball, broke the $100M line. Two from NY, two from LA, two from Chicago, and one each from Detroit, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle. The disparity between the Yankees and the nine (9) nearest teams ranged from about $70M to $100M.
In other words, that DISPARITY between the Yankees and the other top 10 teams would place a brand new franchise in the top ten (10). Added to the Marlins’ payroll would rank them #5 behind Boston.
In other words, that DISPARITY between the Yankees and the other top 10 teams would place a brand new franchise in the top ten (10). Added to the Marlins’ payroll would rank them #5 behind Boston.
The Yanks payroll is the equivalent of TWO top ten payrolls.
So, let’s compare the Yankees and Red Sox. Unlike NYC, Boston is not a big city. However, the Sox are a big market team by virtue of its New England regional fan base, and Red Sox Nation in diaspora which fills baseball parks throughout America; and because after 100 years of baseball, most of it played at Fenway, the last surviving American League historic baseball grounds, the fans are knowledgeable, supportive, fanatic and, after so much recent success, demand a competitive team . . . hence a large payroll, which the fans gladly support.
The Sox FO is not cheap, but like most teams, it has financial boundaries. But Sox players are paid well, at least by the standards of the other 29 teams.
Yet:
MARK TEIXEIRA’S approximate annual average of $23M is greater than that of the entire Red Sox infield, including new contracts to Dustin & Youk. Could there be a reason for this remarkable contract?
Perhaps because of Teixeira’s Gold Glove defense. Nope! Mike, Youk and Pedroia are also Gold Gloves, and Lowrie had a zero error rookie season.
MARK TEIXEIRA’S approximate annual average of $23M is greater than that of the entire Red Sox infield, including new contracts to Dustin & Youk. Could there be a reason for this remarkable contract?
Perhaps because of Teixeira’s Gold Glove defense. Nope! Mike, Youk and Pedroia are also Gold Gloves, and Lowrie had a zero error rookie season.
This Red Sox infield holds so many honors like All-Star, Silver Slugger, Aaron Award, ROY, WS MVP, etc., etc. that Teix does not share.
Perhaps because Teixeira is a great hitter. Nope! He is a very good hitter, but so are Youk, Pedroia, Mike, and Jed was the Sox MiLB Offensive Player of the Year in 2007. I suspect their combined 70-80HR, 350 RBI and R will be difficult for Teix to match, despite his income.
Even More Ridiculous:
CC & AJ’S approximate combined annual average of $46M are greater than that of the entire Red Sox Rotation, Pen and Reserves . . . the combined payroll of 22 pitchers. Red Sox pitchers are not turnips, and they get paid well by the standards of teams not named Yankees.
CC & AJ’S approximate combined annual average of $46M are greater than that of the entire Red Sox Rotation, Pen and Reserves . . . the combined payroll of 22 pitchers. Red Sox pitchers are not turnips, and they get paid well by the standards of teams not named Yankees.
The names and reputations of these starters and many reserves are well established like Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Penny, Wake, Buchholz, Bowden, Zinc, Pauley, Tazawa, Papelbon, RRamirez, Masterson, Oki, Delcarmen, J.Lopez, Hansack , Aardsma, Gronk, Littleton, Jones, Bard. I suspect their 98W and 60S will outshine CC’s and AJ’s combined output for less $$.
That Teix makes more than our infield, and that CC&AJ make more than our entire pitching staff, and that Boston is one of the big money teams, clearly states that something is skewed; and it’s the fans and players of 29 other teams, and baseball itself.
Mr. Selig, the Milwaukee Brewers rightly put the ball in your court some time ago. What are you going to do with it?
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