Slingshots and Salaries

We all know football season is right around the corner because Brett Farve has decided to changed his “I am retired, or I might be retired” Facebook status and lace up his cleats. As a country, we anxiously await the start of the football season, but take a look at what is going on the fields of what used to be America’s pastime, baseball.


For the first time in recent memory, every division in Major League Baseball has close races between the top two teams. Most years there are a couple of good division races and the wild card races to keep fans interested. Not this year. The 2010 season is playing out like a series of David versus Goliath duels from coast to coast. And, David, with his dollar store slingshot, is beating up on ole Goliath.

Every division leader in MLB has a smaller payroll than the second place team. (The payroll numbers used for this article are from the AP and are pre-trade deadline. Historically, every team in a pennant race will increase their budgets when making trades in July and August). In the National League West, the Padres lead the Giants (hence the appropriate Goliath reference). This is despite the MLB’s second smallest payroll. The Padres are paying their players only slightly more than one third of the Giants combined salaries of at least $97,828,833. Same in the AL East, the Yankees are spending $206,333,389 + on their major league roster. This is the most in the majors. Yet, they trail the Rays (ae least $71,923,471) in the standings by virtue of the results of their head-to-head match-ups.

The list goes on, the Braves are spending the 15th most money but lead the Phillies, fourth in payroll by a couple games. The Rangers just left bankruptcy court room last week but lead the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West. The Reds are leading the Cardinals, and the small market Twins are ahead of the White Sox. This is not saying that parity has arrived in big league cities … it hasn’t. The penurious Pirates, Athletics, Diamondbacks are getting what they pay for in relative terms, not many wins. Some things just don’t change or at least change quickly.

Oddly enough great pennant races are shaping up in the one sport without a salary cap. Remember, the NFL’s “uncapped year” is a Haley’s Comet type situation. Don’t count on seeing it again in your lifetime. So, forgive me for saying this. Don’t get out the pompoms just yet. Buy more peanuts and more Cracker Jack. It’s time to take another look at baseball and cheer for the little guy.