Team Salary vs. Performance Chart

by AndrewJStone on Jul 6, 2009 6:44 PM CDT

Found this via twitter, incredibly interesting. Compares a team's salary to its W/L record, updated daily. Because its a flash program, i could only take a screenshot of what is showing for 5th of July, so i would recommend clicking through to check out the day to day changes, as well as years past final results back to '05.

This year, so far:

The two obvious "slackers" here are our Cubs and the Yankees. Doing well, the Marlins, Rays and Rangers.

From the site:

This sketch looks at all 30 Major League Baseball Teams and ranks them on the left according to their day-to-day standings. The lines connect each team to their 2009 salary, listed on the right.

A steep blue line means that the team is doing well for its money, which reflects well on the team's General Manager. A steep red line implies that the team is throwing away money. The thickness of the line is proportional to the team's salary relative to the others.

Drag the date at the top to move through the season. The first few days of the season are omitted because the rankings to (at least) that point are statistically silly. You can also use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move forward or backward one day.

Salary lists are taken from the USA Today Salaries Database. Win/loss scores are calculated from MLB.com.

Obviously we can all hope that with the recent success and ARam's return, we'll start trending up.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

Hooray for mediocrity!!!

Oh wait that’s bad?

Get Peavy already! I want my #44 jersey!

by Cub Style on Jul 6, 2009 6:53 PM CDT reply actions

I'd say the Mets are bigger slackers than the Yankees, actually

by madcow256 on Jul 6, 2009 7:11 PM CDT reply actions

Agree

Wrong NY team…very intersting – salary isnt everything.

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Jul 6, 2009 7:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Damn!

Thats what i get for posting while trying to keep track of a game thread as well!

"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end"

by AndrewJStone on Jul 6, 2009 9:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Also

For the fun of it…
Yankees over $4 Million per win – Spending as much as the Marlins would net them 10 wins…
Mets around $3.82 Million
Cubs at $3.35 Million
Red Sox under $2.5 Million
Nationals at $2.5 Million (exactly)
Pirates arrrr at $1.3 Million
Padres a hair under $1.25 Million
Marlins are penny pinching at $855,000 per win – in theory spending as much as the yankees they would win 235 games a year.

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Jul 6, 2009 7:57 PM CDT reply actions

Pirates arrrr at $1.3 Million

Well played.

by AndrewJStone on Jul 6, 2009 9:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Very interesting post

thanks!!!

"Yes, dear. You're right. I'm sorry." -Bob Brenly

by ambrosiadreams on Jul 6, 2009 8:22 PM CDT reply actions

Wow, look at the Reds.

Cincinnati, you got what you paid for. As for our Cubs, ahem, guys, that is the mountain you must climb.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Jul 6, 2009 9:57 PM CDT reply actions

I have said...

…for a long time, I would love to know what Hendry’s wins are per dollars spent compared to other teams in the NL.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 6, 2009 10:07 PM CDT reply actions

I contend

that the high-payroll teams should manage things differently, just like the chip leader at poker will play differently. The high chip leader will even make moves that look foolish and wasteful, but are good strategy given his position. There are times, I believe, that Hendry has overpaid, but by overpaying he has set the market in a way that has made it harder for division rivals to do what they want with their lesser budgets.

Randy Wells - You continue to astound me.

by DGU on Jul 6, 2009 10:30 PM CDT up reply actions

There is some merit...

…to what you say, but I am looking over the entire tenure Hendry has been GM to determine how much “bang” he has gotten for his buck.

And again, the main reason he has had to overspend, is because there hasn’t been enouph home grown talent to fill those spots, or to use as legit trade bait.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 6, 2009 11:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Except

that Hendry has managed to find some very good bargains in his time, too.

One of the worst overpaid contracts was Soriano’s, but it inspired a host of other bad contracts for other teams, several of them worse contracts (V. Wells, GMJr.).

Randy Wells - You continue to astound me.

by DGU on Jul 6, 2009 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions

He has indeed...

…and I have no problem with most of his trades and even several of his FA signings.

The trouble comes in when you have to rely on a shopping spree every offseason to get to where you need to go. Even at a payroll of 200 mil, this has failed to deliver a championship for the Yanks, as their WS championships came when several of their own home grown talent was in it’s prime. Since that time, the FA route just hasn’t panned out for them.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 7, 2009 1:14 AM CDT up reply actions

I agree with that.

It will be interesting to see where Hendry goes if the new ownership gives him different direction.

Randy Wells - You continue to astound me.

by DGU on Jul 7, 2009 8:09 AM CDT up reply actions

If Hendry survives...

…any initial changes, I am going to guess he will be taking direction from a new President of the club.

That new President will probably take a little time to evaluate the baseball operations and then make any changes he deems necessary. A lot of this will depend on the timing of when Ricketts has “official” control of the club.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 7, 2009 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions