Moneyball takes a spin on capitalism in baseball this year

Baseball’s three richest teams are lined up to miss the playoffs. In terms of salary, nearly $1 billion in one season would be wasted.

With $343 million, the Mets had the largest salary in history. The Yankees follow with $278 million and the Padres 3^H In the amount of 253 million dollars.

Owners think they can buy championships. It can work, but when a team that spends lavishly doesn’t make the playoffs, it’s embarrassing.

Baseball capitalism is having a tough time this year. Just as in the Moneyball era when the Oakland A’s were able to dominate among the rich teams, we’re seeing the same thing this year.

Look at the salaries of a few teams that will likely make the playoffs: Orioles ($71 million), Rays ($79 million), Diamondbacks ($101 million), Brewers ($124 million).

This is not making this up, these four teams combined have salaries similar to the Mets.

In New York, fans and players remain calm. They are happy that their owner is spending endless money to make his club win. But that doesn’t negate the fact that managing not to make the playoffs is almost a greater accomplishment than making it.

Obviously, the Mets, Yankees and Padres have been hit hard by injuries. But when you spend 5 times as much as another team, it takes a lot of injuries for that to be an excuse.

If it was hockey

Imagine if it was the same salary system in the NHL. It’s as if the Senators had a total of $40 million and the Canadiens had a total of $173 million.

If the Canadian doesn’t make the playoffs and Ottawa gets first place, things won’t go well.

Major League team owners denounced earlier this year that teams were trying to buy up the World Series. So this season is sweet revenge. However, we will see next year, because it is rather exceptional.

Over the past 10 years, how many teams in the bottom third of the league on the payroll have won a World Series? no one.

Therefore we should not think that this season is the beginning of the trend and that the small markets are back. The imbalance will continue to push smaller teams to the bottom of the world rankings.

But in the meantime, it’s still among the richest and makes for a stunning end to the season.