In recent weeks, we have gone through the future payroll obligations of every American League team. These contract commitments were locked in before the terms “coronavirus” and “covid” were permanently embedded in the general public’s lexicon. You can find every individual team’s player-by-player breakdown at this link.
We’ll soon begin marching through the N.L. sides and then undertake some further examination of the overall numbers. First, let’s pause to put the A.L. numbers in context. The chart below orders the American League teams by total post-2020 salary obligations.
(Click here to view the chart at full size.)
And Lindor can’t be re-signed WHY? Kluber was traded for WHAT, again?????
Cheap owners that don’t understand the value of having a face of the franchise.
It also takes the player willing to sign a deal. May not be really a cheap owner rather a player really wanting to hit the market to gauge worth before resigning. The Indians may have offered a pretty good deal. A deal takes 2 sides willing to sign.
I agree. The Royals offered Eric Hosmer a huge contract to stay with the Royals 2 years ago. It was a 7 year, $147M contract. But Hosmer wouldn’t sign it. So the Royals ownership wasn’t being cheap, they just couldn’t get him to sign. For the record, I’m glad he didn’t sign it because he isn’t worth that much money!!!
A lot of it is on the player as well. They know that big market teams will offer more. Plus big market teams offer other marketing incentives such as commercials that you won’t get with a Cleveland or a Cincinnati or a Kansas City even if the salary offers are close. It’s just an unfortunate side effect of player branding.
Other than Trout, who are these players getting anything but local tv commercials? Local commercials are available in every market.
I get your point but local tv money in NYC is likely higher than in KC
Would have preferred to see this by year as they’ve done the team ones, so that this is a summary table. It makes a huge difference whether $200M is owed the next two years or the next five.
chech cot’s baseball contracts. it’s all there.
similarly, I would suggest another column to this table for number of years under contract in the money represented. It’s one thing to suggest how much a team is spending per player, but I’d like to see also how many dollars/ season under contract so I can further judge just how cheap or extravagant each team is.
I’ll mix and match more of the numbers once we get through all the teams. Appreciate the thoughts.
The White Sox surprisingly 4th among AL teams along with being the most efficient with their guaranteed dollars spread among 12 players, many of whom are the team’s top young core.
I’m happy with it. They overpaid a little on Abreu if you’re talking on-the-field contributions, but the message it sends to young guys, the fact they can include him in their recruiting pitches to international (particularly Cuban) talent, and his leadership make it worthwhile. Keuchel is the only other overpay I’m aware of. Meanwhile, the deals for Robert, Eloy, Moncada, TA, and Bummer are all looking pretty good at the moment.
Key words “at the moment.” When Houston signed Singleton, it looked good at the moment.
We’re number 1!
Even the Rays make the A’s look cheap. Sad!
The A’s are cheap. I kind of wish they’d move to another market. They put a pretty good product on the field given their constraints, but I highly doubt they’ll be able to afford any of their stars once they hit FA.
I have to say, growing up in the 70’s, I couldn’t stand the A’s…especially when they beat-up on my Reds. Now…I love the A’s!
Any team that can put together a team that is always in the mix, on a budget that they have, will always get my respect.
And yet the Angels fired all of their scouts and skimp on analytics and development costs. Crazy spending priorities Arte has.
At least we have the greatest player in several generations locked up for life.
Ask Texas of the early 00’s hope having a mega contract for the best player in baseball works
I know Betts never signed an extension because he was betting on himself, but what are the chances he can get the big contact he was expecting this winter?
Lindor rejected $100mil+ offers from the Indians (his right)
But signing a player to $200mil+ deals for players mostly works out better for the player than the team. The Indians do not have as much revenue coming in than larger market teams.