For the first time than I can remember… maybe the last 25 years at least, I see the biggest payrolls in baseball (top third)doing worse (4 teams in playoffs) than the smallest third (5 teams). And it is June 8! This is simply amazing to me. Let’s take a look.
The top payrolls: Mets, Yankees, Padres, Phillies…. Out of this group, only one (Yankees) makes the playoffs on June 8. Together their record is one above .500. Each could still be in the playoffs yet with strong finishes but no first place teams here.
If you take the top 10 payrolls….. Mets, Yankees, Padres, Phillies, Dodgers, Angels, Blue Jays, Braves, Rangers, Red Sox (51 games over .500 combined on June 8), only count ‘em 4 teams would be in the playoffs at year’s end (Yankees, Dodgers, Braves, Rangers).
The bottom payrolls: Oakland, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay…. Out of this group, three (Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa) make the playoffs on June 8! Wow!
Looking at bottom 10 payrolls….. Oakland, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Cincy, KC, Cleveland, Miami, Washington, Arizona- a combined 47 games below .500- 5 teams make the playoffs (Balt, Pitts, TB, Miami, Arizona).
Overall, I find this fascinating. That small markets can compete and thrive in a no salary cap, crazy FA contract world says something about the system. Also to note, all of those top ten payroll teams COULD STILL play themselves into the playoffs. The Red Sox are .500 and only 5 games back of the AL WC#3. Every other top ten payroll team is WITHIN 5 games of the playoffs or in the playoffs on June 8. This cannot be said for the bottom 10 payrolls as some are out of contention already (Oakland, KC, Washington).