The Cleveland Indians are getting attacked for cutting salary.
According to Sportrac, their approx. salary last year was 135 million.
This year it's 124 m. (We got 5 mill, plus Jake Bauers for our star rookie, Yandy Diaz. So we are also milking the minors.)
They got rid of their All Star catcher, Yan Gomes, dumping his 7 million salary. I was appalled.
For a team whose quality is it's starting rotation, that seemed indefensible.
Brantley left in free agency. He would have more highly paid - but a free agent in a buyer's market. Others like Encarnacion were basically replaced at the same level.
They also did not re-sign more than half of their quality relievers
The reason that I am posting here is that I looked up a few other team salaries to get an idea for comparison.
Figures vary whether you include reserve salaries, bonuses or whatever. But the trend is clear.
Sportrac lists Baltimore @ 62 mill.
Red Sox @ 223 mill.(They're still paying Manny Ramirez 2 mill/yr. grin)
The White Sox 80 mill.
The MF Yankees, 207 mill. (They're still paying 6 mill to retirees.)
The Twins, 116 mill.
Among other successful teams,
Dodgers were at 191 mill.
Braves @ 109 mill.
The team that I would pick out as the most successful small market team, the Brewers, is at 120 mill for this year.
Compare that to the sad Pirates @ 59 mill.
I know that the MFY and Boston each have substantial non-attendance revenues. I would think that would be true of LA & Atlanta.
But according to the Sheehan newsletter and others, the cheap teams have huge distributed revenue from the league - and are taking a lot of it as profit.
So I am not as pissed at the Indians as previously. But am pissed at the system. Cleveland is lucky in developing cheap rookies - and not having to compete with the $$$ of the ilk of the MFY etc.
A depressing post, but anyone want to comment?
-Also posted on the O's Board
Last edited by pogo; 17/03/2019 12:25.
