MLB 2019

[Facelift]

What the New York nonames and Golden State Warriors illustrate is it's easy to win championships, if a team balloons their payroll well above the cap. The only reason the D-Backs won it all in 2001 is because original owner, Jerry Colangelo mortgaged the entire future of the team. To this day, they're still paying Randy Johnson's salary.

How in the world has the Yankees' history - or recent MLB history - illustrated that?

I'd love to hear it.

[progeezer]

I think it's more about great scouting and a smart GM, than anything. It's not like these are big-time free agents who are carrying the team. Plus, they are not "well above the cap." They were below it last year and just creeped above it this year.

I'm in complete agreement here, Ron. Look what David Stearns (another wunderkind) did with the small market Yeasties, who also are currently the 3rd best rated farm system in MLB.

[Facelift]

I think it's more about great scouting and a smart GM, than anything. It's not like these are big-time free agents who are carrying the team. Plus, they are not "well above the cap." They were below it last year and just creeped above it this year.

It is a true statement that the Yankees have NEVER won a world series when their payroll was above the cap. Not one.

[Lou]

It is a true statement that the Yankees have NEVER won a world series when their payroll was above the cap. Not one.

Which also kills the great scouting and GM logic.

[Lou]

Raise your hand if you knew the Reds had the best team ERA in the NL. Luis Castillo leads all of baseball in ERA with a paltry 1.23 !

They also have the worst batting average in all of baseball with a blistering .212

[progmatist]

It is a true statement that the Yankees have NEVER won a world series when their payroll was above the cap. Not one.

Until very recently, MLB hasn't had anything resembling a cap. Teams used to be able to spend whatever they wanted on player salaries. The Yankees have almost always, if not always had an outsized payroll compared to most other teams.

[ronmac]

Until very recently, MLB hasn't had anything resembling a cap. Teams used to be able to spend whatever they wanted on player salaries. The Yankees have almost always, if not always had an outsized payroll compared to most other teams.

It's called free enterprise. And, it also shows that the highest payroll doesn't necessarily mean the best record. Otherwise, they'd win nearly every year. And they don't.

Of course, if it was truly free enterprise, there's be no anti-trust exemptions. But, still...

So, what's the beef here, again?

[progmatist]

It's called free enterprise. And, it also shows that the highest payroll doesn't necessarily mean the best record. Otherwise, they'd win nearly every year. And they don't.

Of course, if it was truly free enterprise, there's be no anti-trust exemptions. But, still...

So, what's the beef here, again?

Remind me: how many World Series have the Tampa Bay Rays (29 out of 30 payroll), Nationals (#26), Rangers (#21) or Padres (#19) won? Yes it's true payroll isn't the whole story, but it's far from irrelevant.

[ronmac]

Remind me: how many World Series have the Tampa Bay Rays (29 out of 30 payroll), Nationals (#26), Rangers (#21) or Padres (#19) won? Yes it's true payroll isn't the whole story, but it's far from irrelevant.

I never stated it wasn't relevant, now did I?

So, what is the beef? Should baseball be socialized? Oh, wait, it already is.

[progmatist]

I never stated it wasn't relevant, now did I?

So, what is the beef? Should baseball be socialized? Oh, wait, it already is.

I was merely stating a fact, not advocating a course of action. I harken back to the Jerry Seinfeld routine where he points out the business side of sports, with all the trading and what not. When a team wins a championship, the host city basically says, "Yeah, our shirts beat their shirts."

Since you mentioned socialism, the D-Backs are currently demanding the City of Phoenix pay hundreds of millions of dollars to repair Chase Field, under threat of moving to another city. In this case, billionaire Ken Kendrick is the biggest socialist.

[ronmac]

Like any other business, those who invest the most in their baseball teams and do so wisely, tend to succeed.

[Scott Bails]

Like any other business, those who invest the most in their baseball teams and do so wisely, tend to succeed.

This is it, basically.

If you root for a team with a lower payroll, and they're not successful, your beef is with that team's ownership, not with the Yankees, Dodgers or Cubs.

[ronmac]

This is it, basically.

If you root for a team with a lower payroll, and they're not successful, your beef is with that team's ownership, not with the Yankees, Dodgers or Cubs.

too logical.

[ronmac]

Congrats to CC Sabbathia for becoming only the third lefty to record 3000 strikeouts.

[progeezer]

Congrats to CC Sabbathia for becoming only the third lefty to record 3000 strikeouts.

Needless to say, CC will always have a warm place in my heart from his savior-like worth the year he was a Yeastie. Congrats indeed!

[MudShark22]

In the wake of Thor's (ITWOT) excellent outing yesterday, a neat article on the concept of "True Wins"

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...erves-own-name

[Scott Bails]

Very cool.

And all the more reason to ban the DH.

[ronmac]

Very cool.

And all the more reason to ban the DH.

Dream on, Scott.

[Gruno]

Very cool.

And all the more reason to ban the DH.

[MudShark22]

Very cool.

And all the more reason to ban the DH.

[emoji106]

[Lou]

[emoji106]

How DARE you reply with emoji 106!!

[ronmac]

James Paxton walked off the field with a knee injury tonight. MRI tomorrow. Another one bites the dust.

[progeezer]

Last night's Brewers-Mets game took 5 hours & 25 minutes and 18 innings. The Mets tied it in the top of the 9th and then both teams went scoreless through the top of the 18th, when the Mets got a run to go up 3-2. The Brewers came back to score 2 in the bottom of the 18th to win (Braun singled in 2 runs w/the bases loaded). It was the longest game & the most innings ever played at Miller Park.

Every position player and all but 2 starters for both teams played, and they had to come back and play a 1:00pm start day game today (I'm taping & will watch later). There's no way imo that Braun and especially Yasmani Grandal, who caught all 18 innings last night can play today, BUT Yelich will be back in the lineup after a week (he pinch hit last night and crushed the ball but right at someone).

[ronmac]

...BUT Yelich will be back in the lineup after a week (he pinch hit last night and crushed the ball but right at someone).

Has he been hurt? I must have missed that.

[progeezer]

Has he been hurt? I must have missed that.

He came out of last Sunday's game complaining about back soreness. I think they could have brought him back as early as this past Thurs (they were talking about it but decided on caution since they were still winning more than they were losing without him (but barely). Ben Gamel, who they got from Seattle for Domingo Santana, has been hitting close to .500 filling in for Yelich (& the Mariners ain't complaining about Santana's stats either). Good trade for both teams.