Does money buy championships in baseball? Well, last season, the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series with the 11th-highest payroll in the Major Leagues. The year before, the San Francisco Giants won it all with MLB’s ninth-highest payroll. Teams with deep pockets may have an advantage over smaller-market teams, but they’re not guaranteed anything.
Take this year’s five highest-payroll teams, according to USA Today’s MLB Salaries Database. Many baseball fans predicted great things for them, but so far they’re not living up to expectations. Check out the list, then see the standings on MLB on Yahoo! Sports to see what I mean.
Detroit Tigers ($132,300,000) — The Tigers moved up to the fifth-highest payroll in 2012 from tenth a year ago mainly due to the signing of prized free agent Prince Fielder, who will pocket $23 million this season. Although the Tigers’ payroll is bloated, at least they are paying top dollar to their top players, unlike the other teams on this list. Fielder, Miguel Cabrera ($21 million) and Justin Verlander ($20.1 million) are the three highest-paid Tigers this year, respectively.
Los Angeles Angels ($154,485,166) — The Angels are shelling out big bucks to contend in 2012, but don’t blame Albert Pujols for the team’s big budget. The biggest free agent of the offseason is “only making” $12 million this season. Pujols has a back-loaded deal that will pay him at least $22 million from 2014-19. Most of L.A.’s money this year is tied up in underproductive outfielders Vernon Wells and Tori Hunter, who are scheduled to make about $24 million and $18.5 million, respectively.
Boston Red Sox ($173,186,617) — In trying to keep up with division rival New York over the last few years, Boston’s payroll has skyrocketed. However, it hasn’t exactly been money spent wisely. The Red Sox signed Carl Crawford to a long-term deal before last season. Crawford, who is scheduled to make $19.5 million in 2012, started the season on the disabled list. Then there is John Lackey, who is on the books for a shade more than $15 million and may miss the entire season with a bum elbow.
Philadelphia Phillies ($174,538,938) — Great pitching doesn’t come cheap. The Phillies have invested heavily in their starting rotation, paying Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay a combined $41.5 million in 2012. Furthermore, lefty Cole Hamels is scheduled to make $15 million. But at least the Phillies are getting a return on their pitching investment. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard nearly are making a combined $36 million and both of them are on the disabled list and haven’t taken the field yet in 2012.
New York Yankees ($197,962,289) — Did you expect anyone else? The Yankees, who for years have led the Major Leagues in team payroll, this year have three of the top six highest-paid players in Alex Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. They are making a combined $74.5 million, give or take a few mortgage payments. That’s about the combined payroll of American League East rival Toronto and more than seven other teams in baseball. The average Yankee’s salary is $6.1 million.
Adam Martini is a freelance sports writer who roots for the New York Mets (and any team that is playing the New York Yankees ). An avid fantasy baseball player and fan of Major League Baseball, his games of choice growing up were Strat-O-Matic and MicroLeague Baseball.
