Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

[ManiacMatt1782]

And by the way I can't stand the Yankees, but I do respect their ownership for having a passion and willingness to actually invest to win.

[dingleberryfinn]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

... And there needs to be a set amount you have to spend. There should be no reason all teams cant afford 100 million minimum.

I'm 100% capitalist but I'd love to see a 100 million dollar minimum.

[Perfect Zero]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

Money wins Championships? I don't own a 2002 Texas Rangers World Champion pennant. I guess they sold out...

I wouldn't mind a price floor, but if owners want to go out of their way to spend money, it should be their right.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

I think it's crazy. It's like DrJones said, the teams have the money, their owners just don't want to spend it. Yankees fans shouldn't be penalized for having owners who are willing to put their entire worth behind the team if need be. I think a floor makes much more sense. Owners should be able to spend as much money as they want to put a good team on the field, and they should also be held to a certain standard payroll minimum so they can't just rake in the profits.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

Let them spend as much as they want. It makes those teams look bad for missing the playoffs or not winning the World Series.

Implementing a salary cap will not prevent the Jeff Moorad's of the world from screwing over other teams by holding the fan base accountable for how high said teams' payroll will be.

[DrJones]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

The Yankees have done that (steal young talent from other teams) throughout the better part of the last 2 decades, and they did win multiple series over that time frame as a result.

Who are you referring to here? Tino and Knoblauch? I hate the Yankees as much as anyone else, but their 1996-2000 titles weren't "bought" IMO. Most of the Yankees FA acquisitions have been older players whose gigantic contracts have bitten the Yanks in the ***.

[Sportsforever]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

Baseball does not need a salary cap, it needs a salary floor. Now, whether that is a hard number or a certain % of revenue I don't know, but teams should be required to spend money ON THEIR TEAM.

It is criminal IMO that teams like the Pirates, Marlins, Rays, etc make money and pocket it (especially revenue sharing money). Don't be mad at the Yankees for spending their money…be mad at your team for not spending theirs.

[Majingir]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

It doesn't really need a hard cap, but at least have a bigger penalty for exceeding the luxury tax. The current penalty is too light. It's just a percentage that you're over by. I believe NBA is $1+ penalty for every dollar you're over. MLB should be same thing. Every dollar you're over the luxury tax, you pay something like $1.10(so a team 10M over would pay 11M in tax. Instead of the current penalty where 10M over would only be anywhere from 1.5M-5M in tax)

[pietasterp]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

Who are you referring to here? Tino and Knoblauch? I hate the Yankees as much as anyone else, but their 1996-2000 titles weren't "bought" IMO. Most of the Yankees FA acquisitions have been older players whose gigantic contracts have bitten the Yanks in the ***.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your larger point, but while I agree the early part of the dynasty years (i.e. '96-2000) were not necessarily acquired, the next 10 years of their history were largely characterized by picking off a lot of high profile talent from other teams at or near the peaks of their careers (and inflating the FA market in the process); Giambi, Clemens, A-Rod, Curtis Granderson, Teixeira, Sabathia....

Now they didn't all lead directly to titles, but it did lead to consistent post-season appearances. And if you subscribe to the theory that once you get in the post-season, the small sample sizes allow for chance to play a greater role (i.e. making it to the post season is skill, winning it all requires luck as well), the real measure of the result of big spending is post-season appearances, which the Yankees did pretty much every year of the 2000's.

I'm not saying baseball does or doesn't "need" a cap - I frankly don't care one way or the other. But if I were the czar of baseball or something, and I cared about cultivating as many of the fanbases as possible (which theoretically leads to a healthier overall interest in the game), I would strongly consider it. The issue is of course no one really cares or has that as their primary goal (at least, no one involved in baseball does). Since the goal is to maximize the value of the franchises, much like a CEO's job is to maximize shareholder value, the current system seems to be working just fine. If baseball teams were publicly traded entities and I had an equity stake in one or more franchises (or an MLB Index!), I would certainly be pleased with the last several decades. Although I would be shorting the living sh*t out of Tampa...

[DrJones]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your larger point, but while I agree the early part of the dynasty years (i.e. '96-2000) were not necessarily acquired, the next 10 years of their history were largely characterized by picking off a lot of high profile talent from other teams at or near the peaks of their careers (and inflating the FA market in the process); Giambi, Clemens, A-Rod, Curtis Granderson, Teixeira, Sabathia....

Now they didn't all lead directly to titles, but it did lead to consistent post-season appearances. And if you subscribe to the theory that once you get in the post-season, the small sample sizes allow for chance to play a greater role (i.e. making it to the post season is skill, winning it all requires luck as well), the real measure of the result of big spending is post-season appearances, which the Yankees did pretty much every year of the 2000's.

To me, Giambi is the only one of those that fits the profile you first suggested (small or mid market team develops young star, only to lose him to Yankee megabucks). Clemens was 36. The Rangers stupidly overbid for A-Rod in the first place and received Soriano in the deal. The Tigers received decent value for Granderson in Austin Jackson. Texas received tremendous value for Teixeira (the Yankees signed him off the Angels, who aren't exactly poor). The Indians haven't received much so far for Sabathia (Brantley?), but the Brewers got a playoff appearance out of him.

Personally, I don't mind the Yankees appearing in the playoffs most of the time (unless they consistently win titles) for the same reason I don't mind seeing the Patriots around. Every sport needs a villain, and nothing's more satisfying than watching the Yanks or Pats get booted from the postseason.

[NYJets]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

Also, I don't think it's fair to go back to the early 2000s to make examples of why things need to change, as things already have changed. Rules have changed regarding revenue sharing and luxury tax, among other things. Teams are doing a much better job of locking up their young talent, and more teams are spending money.

2005
<table class="auto-style2" cellpadding="2"><tbody><tr class="style6"><td>1.</td> <td>New York Yankees</td> <td>$205,938,439</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>2.</td> <td>Boston Red Sox</td> <td>$121,311,945</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>3.</td> <td>New York Mets</td> <td>$104,770,139</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>4.</td> <td>Philadelphia Phillies</td> <td>$95,337,908</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>5.</td> <td>Los Angeles Angels</td> <td>$95,017,822</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>6.</td> <td>St. Louis Cardinals</td> <td>$93,319,842</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>7.</td> <td>San Francisco Giants</td> <td>$89,487,842</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>8.</td> <td>Chicago Cubs</td> <td>$87,210,933</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>9.</td> <td>Seattle Mariners</td> <td>$85,883,333</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>10.</td> <td>Atlanta Braves</td> <td>$85,148,582</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>11.</td> <td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td> <td>$81,029,500</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>12.</td> <td>Houston Astros</td> <td>$76,779,022</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>13.</td> <td>Chicago White Sox</td> <td>$75,228,000</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>14.</td> <td>Baltimore Orioles</td> <td>$74,570,539</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>15.</td> <td>Detroit Tigers</td> <td>$68,998,183</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>16.</td> <td>Arizona Diamondbacks</td> <td>$63,015,834</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>17.</td> <td>San Diego Padres</td> <td>$62,888,192</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>18.</td> <td>Florida Marlins</td> <td>$60,375,961</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>19.</td> <td>Cincinnati Reds</td> <td>$59,658,275</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>20.</td> <td>Minnesota Twins</td> <td>$56,615,000</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>21.</td> <td>Oakland Athletics</td> <td>$55,869,262</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>22.</td> <td>Texas Rangers</td> <td>$55,307,258</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>23.</td> <td>Washington Nationals</td> <td>$48,581,500</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>24.</td> <td>Colorado Rockies</td> <td>$47,789,000</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>25.</td> <td>Toronto Blue Jays</td> <td>$45,336,500</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>26.</td> <td>Cleveland Indians</td> <td>$41,830,400</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>27.</td> <td>Milwaukee Brewers</td> <td>$40,234,833</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>28.</td> <td>Pittsburgh Pirates</td> <td>$38,138,000</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>29.</td> <td>Kansas City Royals</td> <td>$36,881,000</td></tr> <tr class="style6"> <td>30.</td> <td>Tampa Bay Devil Rays</td> <td>$29,893,567</td></tr></tbody></table>
2013
<table class="style1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr class="style6" align="right"><td align="left">1.</td> <td align="left"> New York Yankees</td> <td align="right">$228,835,490</td> <td align="right">$7,151,109</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">2.</td> <td align="left"> Los Angeles Dodgers</td> <td align="right">$216,597,577</td> <td align="right">$7,468,882</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">3.</td> <td align="left"> Philadelphia Phillies</td> <td align="right">$165,385,714 </td> <td align="right">$6,125,397 </td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">4.</td> <td align="left"> Boston Red Sox</td> <td align="right">$150,655,500 </td> <td align="right">$5,021,850 </td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">5.</td> <td align="left"> Detroit Tigers</td> <td align="right">$148,414,500 </td> <td align="right">$5,708,250 </td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">6.</td> <td align="left"> San Francisco Giants</td> <td align="right">$140,264,334</td> <td align="right">$5,009,441 </td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">7.</td> <td align="left"> Los Angeles Angels</td> <td align="right">$127,896,250 </td> <td align="right">$4,736,898 </td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">8.</td> <td align="left"> Chicago White Sox</td> <td align="right">$119,073,277 </td> <td align="right">$4,410,121</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">9.</td> <td align="left"> Toronto Blue Jays</td> <td align="right">$117,527,800</td> <td align="right">$3,791,219</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">10.</td> <td align="left"> St. Louis Cardinals</td> <td align="right">$115,222,086</td> <td align="right">$3,973,175</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">11.</td> <td align="left"> Texas Rangers</td> <td align="right">$114,090,100</td> <td align="right">$4,074,646</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">12.</td> <td align="left"> Washington Nationals</td> <td align="right">$114,056,769</td> <td align="right">$4,386,799</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">13.</td> <td align="left"> Cincinnati Reds</td> <td align="right">$107,491,305</td> <td align="right">$4,134,281</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">14.</td> <td align="left"> Chicago Cubs</td> <td align="right">$104,304,676</td> <td align="right">$3,596,713</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">15.</td> <td align="left"> Baltimore Orioles</td> <td align="right">$90,993,333</td> <td align="right">$3,137,701</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">16.</td> <td align="left"> Atlanta Braves</td> <td align="right">$89,778,192</td> <td align="right">$3,095,800</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">17.</td> <td align="left"> Arizona Diamondbacks</td> <td align="right">$89,100,500</td> <td align="right">$2,970,017</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">18.</td> <td align="left"> Milwaukee Brewers</td> <td align="right">$82,976,944</td> <td align="right">$2,765,898</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">19.</td> <td align="left"> Kansas City Royals</td> <td align="right">$81,491,725</td> <td align="right">$3,018,212</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">20.</td> <td align="left"> Pittsburgh Pirates</td> <td align="right">$79,555,000</td> <td align="right">$2,651,833</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">21.</td> <td align="left"> Cleveland Indians</td> <td align="right">$77,772,800</td> <td align="right">$2,592,427</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">22.</td> <td align="left"> Minnesota Twins</td> <td align="right">$75,802,500</td> <td align="right">$2,707,232</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">23.</td> <td align="left"> New York Mets </td> <td align="right">$73,396,649</td> <td align="right">$2,530,919</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">24.</td> <td align="left"> Seattle Mariners</td> <td align="right">$72,031,143</td> <td align="right">$2,770,429</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">25.</td> <td align="left"> Colorado Rockies</td> <td align="right">$71,924,071</td> <td align="right">$2,766,310</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">26.</td> <td align="left"> San Diego Padres</td> <td align="right">$67,143,600</td> <td align="right">$2,165,923</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">27.</td> <td align="left"> Oakland Athletics</td> <td align="right">$60,664,500</td> <td align="right">$2,091,879</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">28.</td> <td align="left"> Tampa Bay Rays</td> <td align="right">$57,895,272</td> <td align="right">$2,144,269</td> </tr> <tr class="style6" align="right"> <td align="left">29.</td> <td align="left"> Miami Marlins</td> <td align="right">$36,341,900</td> <td align="right">$1,135,684</td> </tr> <tr class="style10" align="right"> <td align="left">30.</td> <td align="left"> Houston Astros </td> <td align="right">$22,062,600</td> <td align="right">$817,133</td></tr></tbody></table>

[DrJones]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

Houston Astros $22,062,600

10char

[Picci]

Re: Sports Daily: Yanks land Tanaka, Revisiting the Idea of a Salary Cap

I don't want a salary cap, nor do I believe its needed in the game. For one, it at least gives the young athlete the perspective that baseball can give him the freedom to pursue greater riches than any other sport if he's gifted. This is one way of "showering" the athlete to play baseball instead of the other sports.

However, I do have a problem with how the Yankees can conduct business that other clubs are not able to compete against. In 2013, the Yankees have already stated that they will go "above and beyond", when it comes to international spending. They already have a leg up with Japan's Yomiuri Giants (hence the Hideki Matsui signing with no competition) and now have readied themselves to pillage South America. There, lies the problem.

[feztonio]

Seattle can't afford it? Last I checked, Nintendo was worth $85 billion US.

for 2014 the yankees are barely touching $200 million - they were under 189m prior to tanaka. between 65% and 70% of revenue is shared equally between the 30 clubs; therefore if NY can pay 200, then every other team can afford a minimum of $130m.

the problem isn't the evil Yankees as most teams love to blame.. it's the greed of your owners who put 22m on the field in the case of Houston, then keep the other 118m in their tight-wad ownership pockets.

that revenue sharing isn't the only money a team gets however.. on top of that 118m from revenue sharing, the owners get to pocket the profits from ticket sales, food, parking, foam fingers, jerseys, caps, video game licensing, and all the other little gotchyas and fees associated with selling seats to 82 home games a season. for example if each ticket costs $20 dollars, and the stadium seats 20,000 fans (very low end values for this example but it makes the math easier - then each game a team earns $400,000 dollars; for 82 regular season games that's earnings of $32,800,000 dollars which is $10m more than Houston is putting into their MLB roster.

but wait the money isn't done yet. each team gets their regional and local television and network revenues, advertising revenues and possibly local radio deals which all bring in tens-of-millions of dollars a season or more depending on market size and team popularity.

with all this money each team is making every year.. who is the problem? the Yankees who spend the money on their roster, or the 24 or 25 teams who's owners keep all that money for themselves and put a AA-AAA roster on the field??

[feztonio]

in 2014 the yankees are barely touching $200 million - they were under 189m prior to tanaka. the larger issue is the what each owner does with the hundreds of millions of dollars per season that comes into his greedy fingers...

first, between 65% and 70% of revenue is shared equally between the 30 clubs; therefore if NY can pay 200, then every other team can afford a minimum of $130m.

the problem isn't the evil Yankees as most teams love to blame.. it's the greed of your owners who put 22m on the field in the case of Houston, then keep the other 118m in their tight-wad ownership pockets.

it's also a laugh when Miami, Denver, Baltimore/DC metroplex, SanFransico/Oakland metroplex, Dallas/Ft Worth metro, Minneapolis/St Paul metro... plead poverty and small market status. these are some of the largest and most affluent cities and regions not only in the United States but in the entire world and history of human existence. that these owners get away with bold-faced lying about market size and no one in the media calls them on it is disgusting

that revenue sharing isn't the only money a team gets however.. on top of that 118m from revenue sharing, the owners get to pocket the profits from ticket sales, food, parking, foam fingers, jerseys, caps, video game licensing, and all the other little gotchyas and fees associated with selling seats to 82 home games a season. for example if each ticket costs $20 dollars, and the stadium seats 20,000 fans (very low end values for this example but it makes the math easier - then each game a team earns $400,000 dollars; for 82 regular season games that's earnings of $32,800,000 dollars which is $10m more than Houston is putting into their MLB roster.

but wait the money isn't done yet. each team gets their regional and local television and network revenues, advertising revenues and possibly local radio deals which all bring in tens-of-millions of dollars a season or more depending on market size and team popularity.

with all this money each team is making every year.. who is the problem? the Yankees who spend the money on their roster, or the 24 or 25 teams who's owners keep all that money for themselves and put a AA-AAA roster on the field??