High payroll = WS champ?

[msgkings322]

Not so fast. Payroll helps make it easier to get you there, and you can't (usually) be rock bottom to do well once there, but check out the past WS winners and their payroll rank at the start of the year vs all of MLB:

2011 Cards - 11th in payroll

2010 GIANTS - 10th

2009 Yankees - 1st (well ok yeah sometimes they win...)

2008 Phillies - 12th (only very recently big spenders)

2007 Red Sox - 2nd (ahem...well ok)

2006 Cards - 11th

2005 White Sox - 13th

2004 Red Sox - 2nd

2003 Marlins - 25th (!!)

2002 Fuckers - 15th (we were 10th)

2001 Dbacks - 8th

2000 Yankees - 1st

1999 Yankees - 1st

1998 Yankees - 2nd (Orioles were 1st(!))


So yes we all want to spend more, but my feeling is having young cheap guys doing well for you before they get their big contracts is the key, along with having your pitchers get rolling at the right time is what matters. Plus a ton of luck. The few playoffs games aren't enough sample size for payroll to matter.

Just musing, thought I'd share.

 

[tzill]

I saw this article too. Here's the overlooked point: Take a look at teams who made the playoffs in the last 10-15 years and you will find the overwhelming majority coming from the top 10 spenders. The correlation is off the charts. Spending money won't guarantee you the WS, but being in the top 10 gives you an excellent chance to be in the post season. Being in the bottom 10 is essentially a death sentence.

Baseball needs a salary cap and salary floor.

 

[msgkings322]

I saw this article too. Here's the overlooked point: Take a look at teams who made the playoffs in the last 10-15 years and you will find the overwhelming majority coming from the top 10 spenders. The correlation is off the charts. Spending money won't guarantee you the WS, but being in the top 10 gives you an excellent chance to be in the post season. Being in the bottom 10 is essentially a death sentence.

Baseball needs a salary cap and salary floor.

I agree with this post 100% especially the last part. I'm sure the cap and floor can be designed so the net money the players get won't be any lower, it would just be more spread around.

And I did mention, payroll = playoffs usually, but then once there all bets are off.

 

[tzill]

I agree with this post 100% especially the last part. I'm sure the cap and floor can be designed so the net money the players get won't be any lower, it would just be more spread around.

And I did mention, payroll = playoffs usually, but then once there all bets are off.

Agreed. Payroll is for the 162; after that it's which teams pitchers have the bigger sacks.

Timmy + Cain + Bum + Song = HUGE TESTES. But, we gotta get there first.