Who will buy the World Series this year?

[fabiani12333]

You didn't actually think the Indians -- uh, I mean, the Guardians -- or the Royals had a chance, did you? I'm looking at you, Skip.

MLB's two biggest powerhouses -- the Dodgers and Yankees -- are officially facing off in the World Series. It's been over four decades
since they last did so. It was during the strike-shortened 1981 season, which at the time had been the third instance in a five year span both teams had played each other for the championship. The Yankees had stars like Reggie Jackson and Dave Winfield. The Dodgers had stars like Steve Garvey and rookie phenom Fernando Valenzuela. The Dodgers, of course, also had manager Tommy Lasorda. Who could forget good, old Tommy Lasorda? If you're a Giants fan, you can't.

This year's Yankees and Dodgers also have star power: the Yankees have stars like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. The Dodgers have stars like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. Even the managers are noteworthy: Aaron Boone for the Yankees and Dave Roberts for Dodgers. As a Yankees player, Boone hit a clutch game-7 walk-off home run against the Red Sox in the 2003 LCS, and Roberts, as a Red Sox player, stole perhaps the most memorable base in MLB history while his team faced postseason elimination against the Yankees in the 9th inning of game 4 of the 2004 LCS.

But this World Series isn't about star power, really. It isn't about historic rivalries either. No, it's about money. It's always about money. And the Yankees and Dodgers have spent just about the most in MLB this season, as MLB writer Barry Bloom points out for
Sportico:

The New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees spent just over $1 billion combined on their 40-man rosters, as per Spotrac, and are now a step away from the World Series. That dream Dodgers-Yankees matchup of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani remains very much alive.

According to Spotrac's 2024 MLB team payroll amounts for competitive balance tax purposes, the Dodgers have the second-highest payroll at over $339 million, with the Yankees third at over $314 million. Only the Mets, owned by wealthy investor Steve Cohen, has a higher payroll amount at over $350 million. That's three of the four highest payroll teams that were in the LCS, as Bloom pointed out in his article.

While there isn't historically a direct relationship between team payroll amounts and championship wins, there has been a fairly strong correlation between them in recent years:

MLB payroll rankings for World Series winners (according to Spotrac):
2024: Dodgers or Yankees -- 2nd or 3rd
2023: Rangers -- 8th
2022: Astros -- 9th
2021: Braves -- 13th
2020: Dodgers -- 5th
2019: Nationals -- 6th
2018: Red Sox -- 1st
2017: Astros -- 19th
2016: Cubs -- 4th
Average: 7.5

So as you can see, going back the last nine seasons, it pays to spend money. Only the 2017 Astros -- who were caught systematically cheating and subsequently punished -- bucked the trend.

Whatever happened to the promise of Moneyball for small market teams like the A's and Rays? It was co-opted by the big market and big spending teams like the Dodgers and Yankees. It was two decades ago when the Yankees were perennial championship contenders, having made the World Series six times between 1996 and 2003 and winning it four times. They had some of the biggest stars in the game at the time, players like Derek Jeter and Roger Clemens. They also were consistently on top of payroll rankings:

Yankees payroll rankings during their World Series appearances:
1996: 1st
1998: 2nd
1999: 1st
2000: 1st
2001: 1st
2003: 1st

Take it away, Darren Rovell (link):

The Yankees are fighting the Rays for the American League East title. The Twins are trying to hold off the surging Royals and win their fourth straight division championship. The Marlins and Phillies are neck and neck with the Braves and Mets for the NL East crown. Owners say the new collective bargaining agreement, with increased revenue sharing and a luxury tax, will hopefully improve the competitive balance of the sport, making the above scenario a possibility. "We've made clear all along that the issue here was competitive balance and I feel this deal clearly deals with that," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said at Friday's news conference announcing the new labor deal. Fans might be eager to find out how the new deal will dictate the spending behavior of clubs, and if it will do anything to remedy the perception of competitive balance problems
in the sport.

That article was published in 2002. I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Is MLB heading back to a league dominated by only a few big market and big spending teams? Are the Yankees and Dodgers those teams? Will they face off in the World Series several times in the coming years, just like they did in the late 70s and early 80s? The dying TV networks certainly hope so.

When Juan Soto re-signs with the Yankees this offseason, remember that he isn't doing it for the love of the game or because he wears pinstriped pajamas to bed. It's for the gobs of money. His agent, Scott Boras, is all about the dolla bills, y'all. And getting as much to rain down on him and his clients as possible.

So remember -- in this US election year -- when your child asks you what it takes to be win a championship, tell them the truth: it takes a lot of money. Thinking underdogs like the Guardians or the Royals have a chance is for suckers.

[carlo16]

You’re just the worst. Your league average goes 9 years. Odd number considering 10 years ago the Royals won. What does that do to your league average?
That said, this isn’t ground breaking stuff to say the more you spend the better chance at success you have. Did Barry Bloom also tell you water is wet? I find it interesting that in the last 10 years the team with the highest payroll only won once. I guess it’s more than just money.

[Twalk1975]

I thought you'd checked out til next year because of the helmet ads.

[ScooterD]

What does this being an election year have to do with telling children that baseball is (and has always been) a business?

[ironfireman]

Kind of a tired take.
The Dodgers have 1 ring since 1988.
The Yanks 1 ring since 2000.
2 rings in 60 seasons.
The two "juggernauts" haven't met in the World Series in 43 years.

[fulltritty]

Yeah, because all of that money spent in the last 15 years sure guaranteed a lot of World Series victories for the Yankees.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by carlo16

You’re just the worst.

I think we can all agree with this.

I like how people wait for the perfect timing to make their case on stupid stuff. They just happen to overlook seasons like last year which had the Diamondbacks in the World Series and the Mets not even making the playoffs. Of course money improves your odds. What a ground breaking announcement. But all of these big spenders have shown that you can't buy a championship. So much effort was put into his post too.

So remember -- in this US election year -- when your child asks you what it takes to be one of the worst posters on blowout, it takes things like this.

[Tastybrisket10]

What is wrong with Juan Soto wanting to earn the highest contract he possibly could? And who is stopping other owners from matching a Yankees or Dodgers-type offer?

[carlo16]

Payrolls are such a huge talking point with fans that The Mets, with the highest payroll, somehow were a feel good underdog story.

[theshowandme]

Did ChatGPT write this?

[DMACcollector]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

When Juan Soto re-signs with the Yankees this offseason, remember that he isn't doing it for the love of the game or because he wears pinstriped pajamas to bed. It's for the gobs of money. His agent, Scott Boras, is all about the dolla bills, y'all. And getting as much to rain down on him and his clients as possible.

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[Mister2Bits]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

When Juan Soto re-signs with the Yankees this offseason, remember that he isn't doing it for the love of the game or because he wears pinstriped pajamas to bed. It's for the gobs of money. His agent, Scott Boras, is all about the dolla bills, y'all. And getting as much to rain down on him and his clients as possible.

I bet your boss LOVES you.

"Fabiani, you've been working great and I want to give you a raise"

"No thanks Boss, I'm just here for the love of the game. I'm not about the dolla bills, y'all. Stop making it rain on me"

[JRX]

If the Dodgers lose, they'll sign the entire NPB for $1 and defer $100B for a thousand years.

[Jaysabz]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

When Juan Soto re-signs with the Yankees this offseason, remember that he isn't doing it for the love of the game or because he wears pinstriped pajamas to bed. It's for the gobs of money. His agent, Scott Boras, is all about the dolla bills, y'all. And getting as much to rain down on him and his clients as possible.

So if the company across town offers me a $20k more a year to work for them than my current employer offers for doing the same job, I'm a bad guy if I take the higher paying job because I'm not doing it for the "love of the work" and just chasing the dolla dolla bills?

Guilty, I guess. My current employer will certainly be informed and if they value me the same and match the offer, I'll stay where I'm at.

[Jaysabz]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

Thinking underdogs like the Guardians or the Royals have a chance is for suckers.

The Royals won the World Series in 2015 (4-1) over the New York Mets in 2015, one year after losing the 2014 World Series to the San Francisco Giants in a thrilling seven game series.

[bub838]

How do we know what pajamas Juan Soto wears?

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by bub838

How do we know what pajamas Juan Soto wears?

Either way, you’re only a True Baseball Player unless you wear a team’s pajamas as a kid, and then sign with that team as a Free Agent even if it means taking a massive pay cut… or something. I don’t know. I have no idea what Fabiani is on about. He’s talking about basic adult human actions, like taking the best offer in your line of work, and making it sound like he’s making shocking revelations.

[DMACcollector]

Scott Boras likes money.


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[cspaced25]

WHAT IS THE POINT OF AN IGNORE LIST IF I STILL SEE THE POST BY THE PERSON!!!! /end rant.

[awz50]

I truly get what this post was trying to say I do, but saying in that It was not needed.

[Braswell10]

Who watches baseball?? There’s football and basketball on…

[Scottish Punk]

wasn't it just a few years ago where all the big money teams got ousted early in the playoffs? I get that was an anomaly. It is no secret, that you need better players to win. Better players often cost more money. It isn't a coincidence that when the Tigers were competitive with Miggy, their payroll was 3 times it is now.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by Braswell10

Who watches baseball?? There’s football and basketball on…

Lots of people here watch baseball, and the rating for this will be pretty big (by recent baseball standards).

Also, basketball is dumb and a terrible sport to watch. Especially in the regular season.

[ThoseBackPages]

Topps

[Mandy1320]

That's a lot of words to say that teams who consistently invest in their roster are more successful than ones that don't. This is not news.

Also, that last sentence is weird.