Gammons on parity

[The Lesser Evil]

Gammons' idea of parity is when someone other than the Yankees wins the World Series.

He is, has been, and always will be a Red Sox homer.

I am a Boston Fan... First of all, I don't think Gammons is quite as big a 'Homer' as you see it... He is very complementary of other organizations when they do good work. He has at times been extremely critical of the Red Sox (especially during the Dan Duquette Era).

ONE THING I DO AGREE WITH MANY ORIOLES FANS ON: That this idea that parity exisits is a joke. The Yankees basically purchase a playoff spot every year. The Red sox try their best to do the same at a slightly reduced cost. The inequities that exist are not fair, and erode fan interest in some cities. The inequity has been there for a long time.

Despite being a fan of one of the financial titans (I'm from Maine -- So I am entitled) I think that serious reform is needed to make the game more interesting for everyone. I am a fan of increased revenue sharing, a salary cap -- accompanied by a salary floor. I also feel there should be a couple of less teams, but that will never happen.

[DrungoHazewood]

And to add to this how about the number of players from outside the US that aren't drafted and just sign with the highest bidder. Shouldn't ALL first time players in MLB be subjected to the draft? The bigtime pitcher from Japan that everyone is clammering over should be part of the draft process.

Then he'll never come here. He'll just stay in Japan rather than subject himself to a draft process that'll severely curtail his negotiating rights. He already makes millions in Japan. No reason to come to the US for a pay cut.

[Fan4Life]

Then he'll never come here. He'll just stay in Japan rather than subject himself to a draft process that'll severely curtail his negotiating rights. He already makes millions in Japan. No reason to come to the US for a pay cut.

Have other ideas?

[DrungoHazewood]

Doesn't the drafting flaw I pointed out affect your opinion here in that any draftee can choose the team they are going to sign with, without much if any penalty? If draftees only want to sign with contenders, how will the O's ever sign the best guys in the slot they pick from?

I think you're overstating this problem. The Rays have often had the top pick lately, and they've signed almost all of them.

[Fan4Life]

I think you're overstating this problem. The Rays have often had the top pick lately, and they've signed almost all of them.

Ok, tell me they selected the no brainer best guy on the board and were able to sign him all those years, and I'll be surprised and admit that while I think the opportunity for a problem to exist is there, it isn't currently a problem.

[TonySoprano]

But they've also been losing partially because they have a budget that's a fraction of their competitors. The Yanks can win operating at 60% efficiency. They O's have to be near 100%. If both the Yanks and Sox are really smart about what they do, the O's have nearly an impossible hill to climb.

I've made the point, maybe until I am blue (jays) in the face, look at Toronto. Lower payroll seven out of nine years, better results eight out of nine years. Some people here dismiss what they've done, saying, "they still didn't reach the playoffs." They're a lot closer than we are. We finished seventeen games behind them this year despite spending a nominal amount more in payroll.

[Fan4Life]

I've made the point, maybe until I am blue (jays) in the face, look at Toronto. Lower payroll seven out of nine years, better results eight out of nine years. Some people here dismiss what they've done, saying, "they still didn't reach the playoffs." They're a lot closer than we are. We finished seventeen games behind them this year despite spending a nominal amount more in payroll.

I think the Blue Jays team payroll this past season isn't a fair comparison as some of the higher contracts are back loaded and won't increase until the upcoming season... but that doesn't bely your point.

[TonySoprano]

I think the Blue Jays team payroll this past season is a fair comparison as some of the higher contracts are back loaded and won't increase until the upcoming season... but that doesn't bely your point.

BJ Ryan's deal is backloaded. Halladay actually has a cut in pay for 2008, but then it goes back up fo the final two years. Burnett's deal ramps up in '07 but then flatlines at $12 million. On our ledger, Mora gets a big pay increase, Hernandez' deal was backloaded, Tejada and Gibbons get increases. We are considering long-term deals for Roberts and Bedard which should see them both getting large increases in pay.

Toronto

Orioles

[DrungoHazewood]

I've made the point, maybe until I am blue (jays) in the face, look at Toronto. Lower payroll seven out of nine years, better results eight out of nine years. Some people here dismiss what they've done, saying, "they still didn't reach the playoffs." They're a lot closer than we are. We finished seventeen games behind them this year despite spending a nominal amount more in payroll.

I've said many times that the O's are not anywhere close to maxing out their performance/payroll ratio. They're not anywhere close. But even if they hired the next Theo Epstein, the whole BP payroll, and the best scouts in the world they'd still lose to the Yanks a lot of the time because of the payroll disparity.

[RichMGH]

This isn't hockey, this isn't the NBA or the NFL where a good chunk of the entire league gets into the playoffs.

I realize that there are a lot of teams in MLB that make the playoffs year in, year out but the same goes for the NFL. The Colts, Broncos and Steelers are in the playoffs damn near every year. The Eagles were in it for a few years in a row and appear to be headed back after an off year.

To think that playoff participants are going to be different every year is an extreme case of being naive.

Look at the last World Series matchups...

Chicago Sox vs Houston

Boston Sox vs STL

Florida vs Yankees

Angels vs Giants

Arizona vs Yankees

Only repeat appearance was by the Yankees.

A lot to read in this thread, and I'm getting tired...there are a lot of smart posters on this board so I'm sure someone has mentioned it...but look at all the great races for the pennant and the WC that happen every year. THATS parity.

Well put. There IS parity in baseball. Not as much as the NFL, but it's definitely there. Even in the AL East.