Current Standings Are Clear Indication That Team Salary Equals Success In Baseball

In spite of what the executives of Major League Baseball frequently declare about an even playing field for all clubs, money most certainly makes a difference when it comes to determining who wins and who loses. True, the team with the highest team salary does not necessarily win the World Series every year, but nine times out of ten that big-moneyed club is at least in contention.

A quick examination of the current team salaries (according to about.baseball.com) and the standings clearly indicates that a low team salary will bury you at or near the bottom of your division. It is no coincidence that the Giants, Cubs, Nationals, Red Sox, and Rangers are all in first place right now, given that they are five of the teams with the ten highest payrolls in the big leagues.

Four of the other top ten in salary currently rest in second place, including the Dodgers, Cardinals, Tigers, and Yankees. That leaves the Los Angeles Angels as the only club with a top ten payroll that is not in either first or second place in its division.

The situation of the Angels is certainly a rarity, in that they find themselves in last place in the American League West in spite of having the eighth highest team salary. Every other squad at the bottom of the standings ranks at the bottom as well in payroll.

To further illustrate the importance of team salary in determining success, look at the bottom ten in payroll. The only team in first place is Cleveland, who is ranked 26th in salary expenditure. The Indians are right now sitting atop the American League central, just ahead of Detroit. The only other team in this category of ten lowest salaries with a winning record is Miami, and they are just two wins over .500.

Chances are, though, that in order for the Indians to stay on top, or for the Marlins to stay over .500, they will need to be active at next month’s trade deadline. The Indians will have to add offense to complement a quality pitching staff anchored by Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, which in all likelihood means an increase in payroll.

Adding a veteran, middle of the order slugger would probably push Cleveland into the top half in salary. If they choose to stick with their current lineup, they may watch as division rival Detroit increases its already fat payroll by acquiring a veteran starting pitcher to put them on top.

The cold, hard truth for baseball teams is that money does indeed matter. You don’t have to have the highest payroll to win it all, as Kansas City proved last year. You must, however, be among the top ten spenders.

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