I agree the Red Sox can't presently complain about money, but the rest of us can criticize the uneven playing field.
The uneven playing field has been helped immensely by the revenue sharing and luxury tax...if it wasn't for the Yankees, smaller markets like Kansas City wouldn't even be able to operate.
Originally Posted By: klydon1
We just have to wait each year until October when smaller salaried teams with smaller paychecks and egos, but bigger hearts go to NY and and smoke Yanee ass while A-Rod, Giambi, Sheffield and the Unit sit silently in the dugout with a deer in the headlights look.
But the fallacy is that you're saying the smaller paychecks and egos are "smoke Yanee [sic] ass," when in reality, the money teams (I'd say top 15) still make the playoffs, and generally win the World Series.
Code:
2006 MLB Team Payrolls
Based Upon 2006 Season as of April 7, 2006
Rank Team Total Payroll
1 New York Yankees $194,663,079 (Playoffs)
2 Boston Red Sox $120,099,824
3 Los Angeles Angels $103,472,000
4 Chicago White Sox $102,750,667
5 New York Mets $101,084,963 (Playoffs)
6 Los Angeles Dodgers $98,447,187 (Playoffs)
7 Chicago Cubs $94,424,499
8 Houston Astros $92,551,503
9 Atlanta Braves $90,156,876
10 San Francisco Giants $90,056,419
11 St. Louis Cardinals $88,891,371 (Playoffs, WSC)
12 Philadelphia Phillies $88,273,333
13 Seattle Mariners $87,959,833
14 Detroit Tigers $82,612,866 (Playoffs)
15 Baltimore Orioles $72,585,582
16 Toronto Blue Jays $71,915,000
17 San Diego Padres $69,896,141 (Playoffs)
18 Texas Rangers $68,228,662
19 Minnesota Twins $63,396,006 (Playoffs)
20 Washington Nationals $63,143,000
21 Oakland Athletics $62,243,079 (Playoffs)
22 Cincinnati Reds $60,909,519
23 Arizona Diamondbacks $59,684,226
24 Milwaukee Brewers $57,568,333
25 Cleveland Indians $56,031,500
26 Kansas City Royals $47,294,000
27 Pittsburgh Pirates $46,717,750
28 Colorado Rockies $41,233,000
29 Tampa Bay Devil Rays $35,417,967
30 Florida Marlins $14,998,500
Source: USAToday.com
The last 10 World Series winners have been: the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals (#11), the 2005 Chicago White Sox (#13), the 2004 Boston Red Sox (#2), the 2003 Florida Marlins (#25), the 2002 Los Angeles Angels (#15), the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks (#8), the 2000 New York Yankees (#1), the 1999 New York Yankees (#1), the 1998 New York Yankees (#2), and the 1997 Florida Marlins (#7).
With the exception of 2003, all the World Series winners were within the top 15 teams in total payroll, and 60% of them within the top 10.
