I have a question for fans of high payroll teams in baseball......

[King Shizzo]

How is that working out for ya 

I fucking love it. Look at the final four teams in the playoffs

Royals, Orioles, Giants, and Cardinals........really?

Moneyball is very real. Screw the 10 year, 200-300 million dollar contracts.

Pitching and bullpen. That is what wins in the post steroid era.

[macgarth]

I couldn't agree more. I'm a Yankees fan and I hate the big contracts that are being passed around. In some ways I'd like to see a cap of some sort in baseball to prevent them from making some of their win now bone headed moves. They spent over $200 mill in total contracts this year to come away with one less win from the year before LOL.

Baseball is a situational game and definitely requires situational players. Not every one can be an all star and not everyone needs to be. You need guys who can do different things in order to produce runs or get batters out.

All the teams left have pitching and bullpen depth and I agree that is huge and will keep you in games longer than no pitching and good hitting. In addition to this, these four teams don't mind playing small ball to produce runs. I watched the giants/cards earlier today and the giants laid a bunt to move runners and when you force a fielder to make a play anything can happen. I can't tell you how many games I watch in a season where a superstar is up in a clear bunting situation and never lays one down. When it comes to free agency, small ball is cheaper than homers and does it matter if you win 10-2 or 5-4? A win is a win in the standings.

I hope these lighter payroll teams keep sticking it to the big money spenders and force them to draft and develop.

I won't lie, I did think the Orioles were going to fold like fresh laundry in September.

[Garbage Man]

Got it.

[Grape Ape]

How is that working out for ya  

I fucking love it. Look at the final four teams in the playoffs

Royals, Orioles, Giants, and Cardinals........really?

Moneyball is very real. Screw the 10 year, 200-300 million dollar contracts.

Pitching and bullpen. That is what wins in the post steroid era.

Moneyball, huh?  Please, go team by team with those mentioned above and enlighten us to what undervalued metrics each one has incorporated that has caught the higher spending teams off guard.

Meanwhile, the Orioles have made playoffs ONCE in the last 17 years, and the Royals have now made  it ONCE in the last 29.  Hardly the model you want to copy.

There is no magic formula.  Obviously a good pitching and bullpen help, but it's scoring more runs than your opponent that matters.  This can be accomplished by having a tremendous offense as well.

[Grape Ape]

I couldn't agree more. I'm a Yankees fan and I hate the big contracts that are being passed around. In some ways I'd like to see a cap of some sort in baseball to prevent them from making some of their win now bone headed moves. They spent over $200 mill in total contracts this year to come away with one less win from the year before LOL.

Baseball is a situational game and definitely requires situational players. Not every one can be an all star and not everyone needs to be. You need guys who can do different things in order to produce runs or get batters out.

All the teams left have pitching and bullpen depth and I agree that is huge and will keep you in games longer than no pitching and good hitting. In addition to this, these four teams don't mind playing small ball to produce runs. I watched the giants/cards earlier today and the giants laid a bunt to move runners and when you force a fielder to make a play anything can happen. I can't tell you how many games I watch in a season where a superstar is up in a clear bunting situation and never lays one down. When it comes to free agency, small ball is cheaper than homers and does it matter if you win 10-2 or 5-4? A win is a win in the standings.

I hope these lighter payroll teams keep sticking it to the big money spenders and force them to draft and develop.

I won't lie, I did think the Orioles were going to fold like fresh laundry in September.

I'm not a fan of some of the Yankees contracts either.  But I'm also not going to ignore the context that 4/5s of their starting rotation missed most of the year either.  Any fan facing reality knew the Yankees were going to pay the price a few seasons for some contracts.  But, ironically, it was their unwillingness to spend even MORE in the international free agent pool that cost them.  They could have made the playoffs the last two years with a few key international signings.

As for small ball, yes there are times and places.  But over the course of the season, sacrificing outs will cost you more than help you.

[2ND COMING]

Giants payroll is $150m - fail

Royals are 1 for their last 29 seasons. This year happened to be a record high for payroll for them at $92m. Guess they should spend more often - fail.

Orioles have been the punching bag of the al east for years - fail

st. louis is st. louis. A great organization. Not exactly tampa of yesteryear as far as payroll is concerned though. They still spend.

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/wells-baseball/2013/feb/1/does-money-really-buy-world-series-titles/

[King Shizzo]

You guys are forgetting that we are in the post steroid era. 40 homers led all of baseball this year.

Look up and down the lineups of the 4 remaining teams. Who are these guys?

Dodgers? Choke
Angels? Choke
Tigers? Choke
Blue Jays? Choke
Yankees?
RedSox?

Whats the point of paying a guy like Kershaw all that money, if he just caughs it up in the playoffs?

Pujols? Hamilton?

Cabrera is clutch, but one guy in the lineup is not going to beat you.

The guys making the huge money have too much pressure on them.

[Grape Ape]

You guys are forgetting that we are in the post steroid era. 40 homers led all of baseball this year.

Look up and down the lineups of the 4 remaining teams. Who are these guys?

Dodgers? Choke
Angels? Choke
Tigers? Choke
Blue Jays? Choke
Yankees?
RedSox?

Whats the point of paying a guy like Kershaw all that money, if he just caughs it up in the playoffs?

Pujols? Hamilton?

Cabrera is clutch, but one guy in the lineup is not going to beat you.

The guys making the huge money have too much pressure on them.

Anything can happen in small samples.  Should you avoid paying what it takes to retain the best pitcher in the game because he might have a bad start?

Doesn't matter what era.  Having the best players on a team gives you the best chance to win, regardless of what they're being paid.

It's also why 3 out of 5 and the one game play in are jokes as well, and ruin the integrity of the 162 game season.

[funk51]

You guys are forgetting that we are in the post steroid era. 40 homers led all of baseball this year.

Look up and down the lineups of the 4 remaining teams. Who are these guys?

Dodgers? Choke
Angels? Choke
Tigers? Choke
Blue Jays? Choke
Yankees?
RedSox?
phillies one of the highest payrolls last 3 years= 81-81,    73-89,     73-89.... nothing more need be said,......................................... except maybe fire ruben amaro......
Whats the point of paying a guy like Kershaw all that money, if he just caughs it up in the playoffs?

Pujols? Hamilton?

Cabrera is clutch, but one guy in the lineup is not going to beat you.

The guys making the huge money have too much pressure on them.