OK I lied.
2007 MLB Payrolls -
http://blog.sportscolumn.com/story/2007/4/9/1367/60158
What about the
50 million dollars the Red Sox paid just for the rights to
negotiate with Matsusaka hmm???? That amount exceeds the payrolls of four different major league teams! And that amount isn't even factored into the Red Sox' #2 payroll of $143.5 million.
Many teams are able to spend a decent amount of money to secure 1-2 top notch players. Very few can throw ungodly sums at most of their entire roster.
Like I said before, the Indians are the best team for the money in baseball (the Rockies are also right there, but the Indians' team has had more prolonged success - 93 wins in 2005, when the payroll was even lower). Find out how much a team spends per regular season win and the Indians blow the Yankees and Red Sox OUT OF THE WATER:
Indians: $642,430 per win (96)
Rockies: $604,711 per win (90)
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Yankees: $2,076,905 per win (94)
Red Sox: $1,495,065 per win (96) - add in the negotiating fee for Matsusaka and they're in Yankees territory
As you can clearly see, the Yankees and Red Sox spent 2-3 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY the Indians and Rockies did to achieve their special brand of "success" - just deal with it and enjoy the fruits of your "labor". Don't try to burn the candle at both ends. If you want to be a Red Sox or Yankees fan, you better be prepared to deal with the very justifiable criticisms regarding payrolls from those who aren't part of your collective. Your teams may also develop their own talent, but BY FAR, they throw more monetary resources at the free agents and foreign players in order to hoard enough talent to ensure victory (well maybe not the Yankees - maybe $500 million will do it next year, eh, George? How about a billion?).
I'm perfectly happy with the fact the Indians do it efficiently, purely. They used to spend far more money (around $100 million) when John Hart was around, and it never got them anywhere except to destroy the farm system which started their 90's run, which Mark Shapiro has since rebuilt with great success. It's far more enjoyable to watch the kids play. There's no shiny award for this type of team victory, but much like in FIRST, the pursuit isn't always about winning worthless pieces of metal. Often, teams and fans must take pleasure in and celebrate accomplishments less recognized by those greedy, arrogant, misguided types in the media and elsewhere. This is one such accomplishment. Congratulations, Indians. Don't change a thing (except to find a non heart attack inducing closer, and a better defensive shortstop, and....
).
And one final thing - goooooooooooooooo Rockies. You represent the same ideals as the Indians. Go get 'em.