MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

[Kalkano]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

Actually digging into this seems pointless to me, since we all already know it's ridiculously unbalanced. It's obvious.


But if I must...AI to the rescue...



Over the last 29 years (1995-2023), 48% of World Series champions had one of the top 5 payrolls, and 93% were in the top half of league payrolls (Brewer Fanatic). This suggests a strong link between high budgets and playoff success, but not universally so for the top 5.

Given the variable nature of playoff success among top-budget teams, a precise percentage for the last 20 years isn't directly available from the sources. However, we can infer from the data that teams with top 5 budgets might reach the playoffs around 60-70% of the time, considering fluctuations and exceptions.

The exact percentage of teams with the lowest 5 budgets reaching the playoffs in the last 20 years isn't explicitly provided. However, from the trends and specific years' data:
Small-budget teams have made the playoffs around 20-30% of the time, with some years showing better representation or even success stories like the 2014 Royals or 2020 Rays.

Please note, these percentages are estimates based on the interpretation of the data from the sources provided, as exact figures for the last 20 years across all seasons are not directly stated.

[Feros Ferio 7]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

Ridiculous. When was the last time one of the biggest budget MLB teams missed the playoffs? What percentage of the time do they miss the playoffs, compared to low budget teams?


PARITY!? IN MLB!? Give me a break...

The Mets. 2 years ago when running the highest payroll in baseball.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[LegendKillerOne]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

If anyone should be upset it should be Yankee fans. The Yankees made more money last year than any other team in baseball. Then to have their owner Hal come out and say "Teams can not keep up with the Dodgers spending" That has to be some sort of joke. I mean seriously.


The Dodgers, Mets and Phils are all above the Yankees in payroll. Yet the Yankees led all MLB in profit from 2024 with 679 million. I have no sympathy for any Yankee fan but still. That comment would have pissed me off.

[bronxbombers21325]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

FANTASTIC article, and right in my wheelhouse, since i love to do small market team rebuilds. A glutton for punishment, I want the rebuild to really feel like a challenge. So I have to employ a lot of "house rules".

If you sim one season in '24, Soto ends up on many different teams. I've seen him signing huge contracts in Pittsburgh and Baltimore, Colorado and Cincinnati. Doesn't seem very realistic.

I got bored one day and simmed a bunch of seasons just to see who all he would sign with because I had noticed in some of my test franchises what you were talking about. He signed with the Reds several times. Signed back with the Nationals once, signed with the Cubs once. Those are really the only ones I remember. But those were teams that were never going to sign him in real life.

[jcar0725]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

I got bored one day and simmed a bunch of seasons just to see who all he would sign with because I had noticed in some of my test franchises what you were talking about. He signed with the Reds several times. Signed back with the Nationals once, signed with the Cubs once. Those are really the only ones I remember. But those were teams that were never going to sign him in real life.

Right. And I'm not the kind of player that has to have my franchise play out exactly like real life. But that's kinda crazy.

[jcar0725]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

Actually digging into this seems pointless to me, since we all already know it's ridiculously unbalanced. It's obvious.


But if I must...AI to the rescue...



Over the last 29 years (1995-2023), 48% of World Series champions had one of the top 5 payrolls, and 93% were in the top half of league payrolls (Brewer Fanatic). This suggests a strong link between high budgets and playoff success, but not universally so for the top 5.

Given the variable nature of playoff success among top-budget teams, a precise percentage for the last 20 years isn't directly available from the sources. However, we can infer from the data that teams with top 5 budgets might reach the playoffs around 60-70% of the time, considering fluctuations and exceptions.

The exact percentage of teams with the lowest 5 budgets reaching the playoffs in the last 20 years isn't explicitly provided. However, from the trends and specific years' data:
Small-budget teams have made the playoffs around 20-30% of the time, with some years showing better representation or even success stories like the 2014 Royals or 2020 Rays.

Please note, these percentages are estimates based on the interpretation of the data from the sources provided, as exact figures for the last 20 years across all seasons are not directly stated.

It wouldn't be so annoying if some of the mid to small market teams would seem like they're actually TRYING. There are some teams that don't even seem like they have a plan at all.

[bronxbombers21325]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

If anyone should be upset it should be Yankee fans. The Yankees made more money last year than any other team in baseball. Then to have their owner Hal come out and say "Teams can not keep up with the Dodgers spending" That has to be some sort of joke. I mean seriously.


The Dodgers, Mets and Phils are all above the Yankees in payroll. Yet the Yankees led all MLB in profit from 2024 with 679 million. I have no sympathy for any Yankee fan but still. That comment would have pissed me off.

We're used to it by now. They haven't been serious about winning since George Steinbrenner passed. If they were, Cashman would have been gone years ago, and Boone would have never been hired.

Cashman is always just signing over the hill "temporary" players because some prospect is coming 3 years down the road, or there is someone hitting free agency in two years that they're definitely going to sign. Then, the prospect never pans out and they get outbid for whoever in free agency.

An example is they passed on so many players because Anthony Volpe was the next big thing. Volpe at this point shouldn't even be an everyday starter, but we're stuck with him because Cashman built him up so much that it'd be embarrassing to admit that he's a mediocre player at best.

Now this season, they're going to roll with a cooked DJ Lemahieu or Oswaldo Cabrera at third instead of going after a better option for reasons unknown. DJ has been done for a while, but they keep pretending he has something left. I like Oswaldo but he's a utility player, not an everyday starter. They tried him as a starter a few years ago and ended up being embarrassed. They opted let cooked Anthony Rizzo walk, and signed cooked Paul Goldschmidt for 1st. Said Ohtani wasn't really needed when he was in free agency. The head scratchers are numerous with this front office.

[LegendKillerOne]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

We're used to it by now. They haven't been serious about winning since George Steinbrenner passed. If they were, Cashman would have been gone years ago, and Boone would have never been hired.

Cashman is always just signing over the hill "temporary" players because some prospect is coming 3 years down the road, or there is someone hitting free agency in two years that they're definitely going to sign. Then, the prospect never pans out and they get outbid for whoever in free agency.

An example is they passed on so many players because Anthony Volpe was the next big thing. Volpe at this point shouldn't even be an everyday starter, but we're stuck with him because Cashman built him up so much that it'd be embarrassing to admit that he's a mediocre player at best.

Now this season, they're going to roll with a cooked DJ Lemahieu or Oswaldo Cabrera at third instead of going after a better option for reasons unknown. DJ has been done for a while, but they keep pretending he has something left. I like Oswaldo but he's a utility player, not an everyday starter. They tried him as a starter a few years ago and ended up being embarrassed. They opted let cooked Anthony Rizzo walk, and signed cooked Paul Goldschmidt for 1st. Said Ohtani wasn't really needed when he was in free agency. The head scratchers are numerous with this front office.

One thing with Ohtani he told people up front he did not want New York. Even told the Mets that so they did not bother trying

[bronxbombers21325]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

One thing with Ohtani he told people up front he did not want New York. Even told the Mets that so they did not bother trying

True. But still, Cashman could have just said that instead of having to stick that jab in there about him not being needed. He's still taking jabs at Gleyber Torres and he's already signed elsewhere. He even had beef with Derek Jeter who was the face of the franchise. Jeter wanted negotiations over his new contract kept private, and then Cashman of course goes and runs his mouth to the media with Hal's blessing. The guy's a clown and should have been gone years ago.

[Kalkano]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

It wouldn't be so annoying if some of the mid to small market teams would seem like they're actually TRYING. There are some teams that don't even seem like they have a plan at all.

It's been about 5 years since I stopped watching baseball, but I check in from time to time, and the Rockies are still saying the same thing every offseason that they always have: "We need the players we already have to get better."


Of course, if they DO get better, it's not long before they're traded to a "Major League" club, because they're too expensive.

[jcar0725]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

It's been about 5 years since I stopped watching baseball, but I check in from time to time, and the Rockies are still saying the same thing every offseason that they always have: "We need the players we already have to get better."


Of course, if they DO get better, it's not long before they're traded to a "Major League" club, because they're too expensive.

They're not going anywhere until they really focus on pitching, and they never seem to have any pitching. I feel that frustration from their fans.

[jrp1918]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

There are no small markets, just small owners.

Can't afford to compete? Sell the team to someone who can.

They treat the teams like businesses and want growing profits every year.

Btw the Dodgers aren't even outspending the league nearly to the degree the Yankees used to. They were running 150 million when no one was even close to that.

The current Yankees spend a smaller percentage of their revenue on the roster than "small market teams" do.

The A's had the highest payroll in the bash brothers era.

You need owners who care about winning more than lining their pockets.

A cap won't happen without two things: a salary floor and season long lockout.

The cheap teams don't want a floor because they'd almost certainly have to increase spending to reach it. And a season long lockout would set the league to second tier status like the NHL lockout did. And it won't ever recover when the aging fan base does off.

Also, the cap structure in the NHL/NBA made trades difficult for GMs to pull off and impossible to understand for the casual fan. The NFL's cap structure screwed players.

[CBoller1331]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

A Salary Cap would kill baseball. If the owners push for it in the next CBA it will almost certainly lead to another lengthy, ugly work stoppage.

What baseball needs is more owners who care about constructing a winning team - or at least better financial incentives to promote everyone trying to be competitive

EDIT: I didn't see jrp's post above - basically the same point

[mpklub]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

As a long time Cleveland fan I have many beefs with the ownership for a number of reasons.

But in my mind they just aren't serious about winning. They are serious about convincing the fans they are good enough to win the division, but not serious about going the extra step for a 3 year period to get over the hump and legit contend for a World Series. After 2016 they did that a little, but dumped payroll much quicker than they should have IMO.

I know some folks are quick to defend the moves the front office made this off-season, but in my opinion they were smoke and mirrors moves that don't actually make the team that went to the ALCS better. In my view they're maybe slightly better (if that), but they didn't do anything to really get over the hump. Why couldn't they trade for a guy who's big salary and a bit overpriced with a few years left on his deal, but could help with that next step?

A post above talked about building teams the right away is what wins and I think there is truth to that. But so many fan bases know that guys are going to be jettisoned for more prospects (and starting over) when many of them hit their primes. Does anyone believe that Paul Skenes will spend his best years in Pittsburgh?

Too many teams in the bottom rung of the league take this penny pinching approach. Some are better at talent scouting and development than others. But without ownership willing to truly invest in home grown guys and keep them around long term it's hard to get invested as a fan in a lot of these franchises.

Sorry for the rant.

Sent from my SM-S928U1 using Tapatalk

[jcar0725]

Re: MLB The Show Franchise Mode Can't Handle the Dodgers (And Neither Can the MLB)

As a long time Cleveland fan I have many beefs with the ownership for a number of reasons.

But in my mind they just aren't serious about winning. They are serious about convincing the fans they are good enough to win the division, but not serious about going the extra step for a 3 year period to get over the hump and legit contend for a World Series. After 2016 they did that a little, but dumped payroll much quicker than they should have IMO.

I know some folks are quick to defend the moves the front office made this off-season, but in my opinion they were smoke and mirrors moves that don't actually make the team that went to the ALCS better. In my view they're maybe slightly better (if that), but they didn't do anything to really get over the hump. Why couldn't they trade for a guy who's big salary and a bit overpriced with a few years left on his deal, but could help with that next step?

A post above talked about building teams the right away is what wins and I think there is truth to that. But so many fan bases know that guys are going to be jettisoned for more prospects (and starting over) when many of them hit their primes. Does anyone believe that Paul Skenes will spend his best years in Pittsburgh?

Too many teams in the bottom rung of the league take this penny pinching approach. Some are better at talent scouting and development than others. But without ownership willing to truly invest in home grown guys and keep them around long term it's hard to get invested as a fan in a lot of these franchises.

Sorry for the rant.

Sent from my SM-S928U1 using Tapatalk

I like how the Guards do business.

They tend to underspend, which gets frustrating, but they scout well, and they tend to find diamonds in the rough that nobody was expecting. And they put a premium on finding and developing young pitchers so they never have to end up giving a starter a big time contract .

The front office has been top-notch. They've been on the cusp of a championship a few times and it's been heartbreaking.

Frivolously spending doesn't guarantee a championship.

As much as people get annoyed by the Dodgers, they have a good farm system and have drafted well. The Astros tore it all down and drafted well and built their farm system up before they became a winner.

I'm having a hard time making my point, but I get why teams don't just all spend a ton. It's just too bad that some front offices seem very clueless and can't seem to figure it out. But it's not always about money spending.