Gammons on parity

[geschinger]

There are plenty of teams that can win 85-95 games...The difference in those 10 wins are alot of things and some of things include luck and injuries.

There is parity because there are several teams who have a chance every year.

Too much is put on the Yanks and their payroll.

In the grand scheme of things, I'd agree. The Yankees are one team and there is the wild card. However until proven otherwise I don't think a well run Yankee team will fail to win the AL East if they continue fielding a $200m payroll. It would truly take a monumental failure of epic proportions for them to not win the division.

[SteveA]

In the grand scheme of things, I'd agree. The Yankees are one team and there is the wild card. However until proven otherwise I don't think a well run Yankee team will fail to win the AL East if they continue fielding a $200m payroll. It would truly take a monumental failure of epic proportions for them to not win the division.

They tied for the division last year and won it on a tiebreaker. I'm sure that you could find one game decided by one pitch or by one bad ump's call in their 2005 season. Reverse that one pitch or ump call and they would not have won it last year. Hardly a "monumental failure of epic proportions".

What they have is the ability to screw up and still win. Sign a Pavano and get absolutely nothing for your huge expense....and still win. We make a signing like that (Albert Belle, for example) and it cripples us for several years.

What really pisses me off is when another team GIVES away talent, not just for a rent-a-player for 3 months but for beyond that. Getting Abreu for damn near nothing is a joke. Such a deal should not be permitted. If he was a free agent after this year like so many other of their past acquisitions, that's one thing. But a star caliber player, plus a decent starting pitcher (the late Cory Lidle) for a couple mid level prospects...when Abreu's contract is not up after this year. That's just disgraceful.

[oriolediehard]

I feel schedules should be designed like the NFL. I think for example the O's should play the Royals,D Rays etc 18 times and the Yankees 9 games and the Tigers, White Sox Twins play the Yankees 18 times. My feeling is based on last years record the tougher schedule should be to the teams with the best records and teams with the worst records should have the easier schedule, just like they do in the NFL. So even if a weak team gets fat on a weak schedule, the next year they will have a tougher schedule.

[eddie83]

I feel schedules should be designed like the NFL. I think for example the O's should play the Royals,D Rays etc 18 times and the Yankees 9 games and the Tigers, White Sox Twins play the Yankees 18 times. My feeling is based on last years record the tougher schedule should be to the teams with the best records and teams with the worst records should have the easier schedule, just like they do in the NFL. So even if a weak team gets fat on a weak schedule, the next year they will have a tougher schedule.

Only 2 of 16 games are based off of the last season's records in the NFL. For example the Ravens play 6 division games this year, 4 against AFC West, 4 against NFC South, that is the same for Steelers, Browns and Bengals. The Ravens play this year Tennesee and Buffalo while for example Cincinnati plays New England and Indy. Pittsburgh plays Miami and Jacksonville and Cleveland plays NY Jets and Houston. That is a difference but not as big as some make it out to be.

[geschinger]

They tied for the division last year and won it on a tiebreaker. I'm sure that you could find one game decided by one pitch or by one bad ump's call in their 2005 season. Reverse that one pitch or ump call and they would not have won it last year. Hardly a "monumental failure of epic proportions".

What they have is the ability to screw up and still win. Sign a Pavano and get absolutely nothing for your huge expense....and still win. We make a signing like that (Albert Belle, for example) and it cripples us for several years.

What really pisses me off is when another team GIVES away talent, not just for a rent-a-player for 3 months but for beyond that. Getting Abreu for damn near nothing is a joke. Such a deal should not be permitted. If he was a free agent after this year like so many other of their past acquisitions, that's one thing. But a star caliber player, plus a decent starting pitcher (the late Cory Lidle) for a couple mid level prospects...when Abreu's contract is not up after this year. That's just disgraceful.

We should all be thankful that they have Steinbrenner pushing for the Jaret Wrights, Randy Johnsons, and Gary Sheffields of the world. If their baseball people had their way Vladamir Guerrero would be patrolling RF.

The Abreu acquisition is why I don't think they will fail to win the division. Whatever shortcomings they have, whenever bad luck could be the catalyst to prevent them from winning they can just go out and buy what they need.

Why would Abreu being a free agent after the year make any difference when you say it shouldn't be permitted? The Phillies wanted to clear payroll for next year and I don't see it being any different from a team dealing a FA to be to clear payroll for this year. Same principle.

[Sports Guy]

I feel schedules should be designed like the NFL. I think for example the O's should play the Royals,D Rays etc 18 times and the Yankees 9 games and the Tigers, White Sox Twins play the Yankees 18 times. My feeling is based on last years record the tougher schedule should be to the teams with the best records and teams with the worst records should have the easier schedule, just like they do in the NFL. So even if a weak team gets fat on a weak schedule, the next year they will have a tougher schedule.

We SHOULD play our division more times than anyone else.

Gesch...Other teams, besides NY, can win 95-100 games in this division.

[ejf1025]

The NFL's system is ridiculous.

I love the NFL/Ravens because of the event status it has, but it's complete BS. Everything is designed so that every team finishes 8-8. It's mediocre, flawed football teams and the non-controllable factors like injuries, scheduling, officiating play WAY too big a role.

Why do well run organizations have to cut or release players they drafted and groomed because of a salary cap while poorly run ones reap the benefits of "parity" in the draft and free agency and get to be competitive simply because of the system?

The NFL is fun, but it's a huge scam.

The Yankees have a huge payroll, we play in their division. It sucks. It's our lot. But stop using it as a crutch.

Going into this off-season, the Twins, Tigers, White Sox and Indians can all put themselves in the position to win their division. The same can be said of the Angels, A's, Mariners and Rangers. The Red Sox can always challenge for the division and the BlueJays could make a serious WildCard run. The Braves, Phillies and Marlins could all be WildCard contenders and could challenge the Mets for the title. The Cardinals and Astros should be nervously looking over their shoulders at the Reds and Brewers and Cubs. And the NL West is always up for grabs.

By my count, the only fanbases who legitimately have no realistic hope is Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Washington and Pittsburgh. Everyone else could make the playoffs.

[eddie83]

The NFL's system is ridiculous.

I love the NFL/Ravens because of the event status it has, but it's complete BS. Everything is designed so that every team finishes 8-8. It's mediocre, flawed football teams and the non-controllable factors like injuries, scheduling, officiating play WAY too big a role.

Why do well run organizations have to cut or release players they drafted and groomed because of a salary cap while poorly run ones reap the benefits of "parity" in the draft and free agency and get to be competitive simply because of the system?

The NFL is fun, but it's a huge scam.

The Yankees have a huge payroll, we play in their division. It sucks. It's our lot. But stop using it as a crutch.

Going into this off-season, the Twins, Tigers, White Sox and Indians can all put themselves in the position to win their division. The same can be said of the Angels, A's, Mariners and Rangers. The Red Sox can always challenge for the division and the BlueJays could make a serious WildCard run. The Braves, Phillies and Marlins could all be WildCard contenders and could challenge the Mets for the title. The Cardinals and Astros should be nervously looking over their shoulders at the Reds and Brewers and Cubs. And the NL West is always up for grabs.

By my count, the only fanbases who legitimately have no realistic hope is Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Washington and Pittsburgh. Everyone else could make the playoffs.

Great post. I agree 100% except for Baltimore and Pittsburgh believe it or not in 2007.

Your points on the NFL were dead on.

[geschinger]

The NFL's system is ridiculous.

I love the NFL/Ravens because of the event status it has, but it's complete BS. Everything is designed so that every team finishes 8-8. It's mediocre, flawed football teams and the non-controllable factors like injuries, scheduling, officiating play WAY too big a role.

I'd rather have a system where all teams have the equal opportunity to compete than one where one payrolls vary from $14m up to $200m.

The NFL system is designed to give teams a chance to get better in a hurry but I don't think it's designed so every team can finish 8-8. If that is the goal it's a failed system. Just thinking of the AFC, the Colts have lost 6 games since 2004 and the Steelers and Patriots probably no more than 8 or 9 games.

Why do well run organizations have to cut or release players they drafted and groomed because of a salary cap while poorly run ones reap the benefits of "parity" in the draft and free agency and get to be competitive simply because of the system?

The NFL is fun, but it's a huge scam.

In MLB, why do well run organizations have to trade or allow players they drafted and groomed walk because they can't offer salaries equal to that of teams with 200-500% more revenues?

Does that make MLB fun, but a huge scam?

[Sports Guy]

I prefer a combination of the NFl and MLB system.

No way should there be such a huge payroll disparity BUT let's not put that on NY.

Florida and KC and Tampa can and should spend more money they just choose not to.

Just as their should be a cap, there should also be a floor.

I like a 40-50 million dollar floor and a 110-125 million dollar cap.

[geschinger]

I prefer a combination of the NFl and MLB system.

No way should there be such a huge payroll disparity BUT let's not put that on NY.

Florida and KC and Tampa can and should spend more money they just choose not to.

Just as their should be a cap, there should also be a floor.

I like a 40-50 million dollar floor and a 110-125 million dollar cap.

NY deserves no blame, they are taking advantage of a flawed system. And when they get their new stadium (which cancels out revenue sharing payments) they could easily go to a $250 or $300m payroll.

I could live w/a floor if it comes w/a cap. However it shouldn't be a hard floor... It shouldn't prevent teams from doing a complete rebuild when necessary but teams shouldn't be able to sit around collecting revenue sharing checks w/o trying to improve.

[mweb]

I prefer a combination of the NFl and MLB system.

No way should there be such a huge payroll disparity BUT let's not put that on NY.

Florida and KC and Tampa can and should spend more money they just choose not to.

Just as their should be a cap, there should also be a floor.

I like a 40-50 million dollar floor and a 110-125 million dollar cap.

Yeah, I've been saying something similiar for awhile. I would increase revenue sharing and have a 65M floor with a 130M cap with a luxury tax kicking in at 110M. As geschinger said, I would give some wiggle room with the floor though, to do that I would probably make the floor an average over a 5 year intervals.

[KstateBird]

This is exactly right.

Baltimore hasn't been to the playoffs since 1997.

Detroit before this year hadn't been to the playoffs since 1987.

KC hasn't been since 1985.

TB has never had a winning season in their entire history.

Texas hasn't been since 1999 and has only had 3 playoff appearances in entire history as the Rangers.

Toronto hasn't been since 1993.

Cincinnatti hasn't been since 1995.

Colorado went in 1995, the only time in their history.

Milwaukee hasn't been since 1982.

Philadelphia hasn't been since 1993.

Pittsburgh hasn't been since 1992.

Washington hasn't been since 1981 when they were the Expos, the only time in that franchises history.

And most of those teams have been run poorly during that span. Do you want MLB to just GIVE teams postseason births?

I don't think you can really call it parity when the yankees can do whatever they want financially, but we still have to admit that things have gotten better over the past half decade, and probably will continue to do so.

[Sports Guy]

What has always been interesting to me is why the players oppose a systm like that.

I really don't see how their salaries will be effected. I mean, it is only NY who really goes over that threshold, so its not like salaries around the league will really go down and if you make teams spend money and not sit on 15-30 million dollar payrolls, that means more money will be given out, not less.

Players do complain and talk about the unfair advantage of NY as well, so it really just surprises me that they oppose a cap so much.

[KstateBird]

The NFL's system is ridiculous.

I love the NFL/Ravens because of the event status it has, but it's complete BS. Everything is designed so that every team finishes 8-8. It's mediocre, flawed football teams and the non-controllable factors like injuries, scheduling, officiating play WAY too big a role.

Why do well run organizations have to cut or release players they drafted and groomed because of a salary cap while poorly run ones reap the benefits of "parity" in the draft and free agency and get to be competitive simply because of the system?

The NFL is fun, but it's a huge scam.

The Yankees have a huge payroll, we play in their division. It sucks. It's our lot. But stop using it as a crutch.

Going into this off-season, the Twins, Tigers, White Sox and Indians can all put themselves in the position to win their division. The same can be said of the Angels, A's, Mariners and Rangers. The Red Sox can always challenge for the division and the BlueJays could make a serious WildCard run. The Braves, Phillies and Marlins could all be WildCard contenders and could challenge the Mets for the title. The Cardinals and Astros should be nervously looking over their shoulders at the Reds and Brewers and Cubs. And the NL West is always up for grabs.

By my count, the only fanbases who legitimately have no realistic hope is Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Washington and Pittsburgh. Everyone else could make the playoffs.

I disagree somewhat, I think a great portion of the NFL parity comes from the length (or lack there of) of the season. Let's face it, in baseball, anybody can be hot or cold over a 16 game stretch. When the NFL is only 16 games long, a cold streak of just 4 games is enough to knock you out of the playoffs.

For all the talk of parity in the NFL, this decade still saw its dynasty (the pats) and there are still roughly the same number of teams making the playoffs as there were in the 90s.

Personally, I think the NBA system is the best. Salary caps that allow teams to go over the cap for their own players. And teams that lose top free agents do so usually with compensation in a sign & trade.