The AL East

[yrtb]

There is seriously something wrong with this division. It is so stacked that it currently has the top 3 teams in baseball recordwise (Rays, Yankees, Sox) and the Jays are close behind

 

The possibility of a team with the 3rd or 4th record in baseball not making the playoffs is ridiculous. A possible splitting of the division of trading of teams between the AL and NL East would make sense if the Rays weren't going to lose most of their team this offseason (and over the next couple of years) due to no market

[Palodios]

If Galarraga taught us anything, its that the MLB doesn't like to fix problems-- especially if they're profitable problems, ie no salary cap.

 

The Rays have a ton of impact players who will be around for years to come, and more prospects coming to replace those who won't be. In the east, teams will be fighting for the division and wild card, but in the rest of the AL, other teams need to win their own division year after year to get in and that's just as unfair.

[yrtb]

Yeah, I don't expect it to change

 

I think that the Rays will be less of a force after this year, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, James Shields, Matt Garza, Rafael Soriano, Jeff Niemann, and BJ Upton are all FA this year, I really doubt that they can resign the majority of them as most will probably want to make more than they did this year

 

And the AL Central and West divisions are a joke, the Twins are the only impact team in the central and the records in the West are never impressive

 

As the salary cap goes, that would be hard to institute because market sizes are a huge factor. Teams like the Marlins, Rays, Padres, Guardians, A's, Nationals don't have large markets and will never have high payrolls, and cities like New York, Philly, LA, Boston will continue to have huge markets. If a salary cap is introduced payrolls will come down most likely unless the salary cap is a high one

[Palodios]

Maybe I'm looking at a different list than you, but half of those players aren't free agents next year. Pena, Crawford, Soriono are, but I don't think the others are.

[yrtb]

This is the site I was looking at:

 

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/tampa-bay-devil-rays_112131227267025321.html

 

It had Bartlett too I missed him

 

And James Shields is not he's a FA 2011

[Palodios]

Yeah, just because their contracts end at the end of the year doesn't make them free agents-- they go to arbitration. So, many of those players will be sticking around.

 

Cots has better reference here http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tgIp3wMqRUbYKz17SoXACQg&output=html

[yrtb]

Yeah my bad, I misunderstood the link

[DirtDog331724632256]

I dont want to change the format of the AL East just because its the best division in baseball.

[msubulldogs21]

There is seriously something wrong with this division. It is so stacked that it currently has the top 3 teams in baseball recordwise (Rays' date=' Yankees, Sox) and the Jays are close behind[/quote']

 

There's nothing wrong with this division. It just shows that the teams involved (excluding Baltimore) know what to do with the resources they have available. Other divisions - I'm looking at you, NL Central - need to get with the program and figure out how to assemble a major league caliber baseball team. I know teams with smaller markets like Pittsburg for example aren't going to be world beaters every season, but getting to the playoffs and being successful can absolutely be done. Just look at what the Rays have accomplished recently. The 'We don't have enough money!' excuse is a cop-out most of the time. Other than that, some of these teams (especially in the NL) have just had some flat out horrendus front offices over the last decade or so, people who clearly have no idea on how to run a baseball team. The AL (Oakland, Boston especially) have been a lot more progressive in valuing stats like OBP and WHIP instead of the old school approach (BA, wins, etc) as well.

[yrtb]

I'm not saying that there's something wrong with any of the teams, the problem is that at this rate, a top 5 team in the majors will get excluded from the playoffs every year

[Divinity]

Yeah, just because their contracts end at the end of the year doesn't make them free agents-- they go to arbitration. So, many of those players will be sticking around.

 

How will they be able to afford many of those players when the Ray's owner stated their current 70mil payroll will be dropped down to the 40-50mill range next year?

[Palodios]

How will they be able to afford many of those players when the Ray's owner stated their current 70mil payroll will be dropped down to the 40-50mill range next year?

 

Pena, Crawford and Soriano cost 27 million. That puts them at 43. I'm sure they'll figure something out.

[TheMino007]

Problem is the three best teams in the AL are in the AL East and only two get in while two scrub teams from the Central and West get in.

[bsox0407]

The West isn't always that horrid. This year they have but in prior years they have teams in the 95 win range.

[TheMino007]

Well I know that, but who cares about the AL West for the past ten years when this is the only year that affects the playoff race. Seattle has to be one of the biggest disappointments in all of baseball, the Angels suck, the A's aren't that great of a team, and Texas has limited pitching. I doubt any team in that division reaches 90 wins. Mid 80's could win that divison, which is terrible seeing the 3rd place team in the East will have 93 + wins

[Divinity]

the Angels suck

 

How do the Angels suck? They're playing above .500 and they make into the playoffs every year. Were you quick to forget what happened in the playoffs last year when they sent Boston home?

[jacksonianmarch]

The Angels always seem to find a way. I would NEVER count them out, especially when the Rangers are the team in contention. I think LAA takes another ALW crown this yr and they'll be dangerous in the playoffs with Weaver taking the ace crown.

[yrtb]

I hate the Angels because they always find a way to beat the Yankees (except last year), and they find themselves in the playoffs every year no matter what

[jacksonianmarch]

They should dissolve the leagues and take the top 4 teams in the AL and NL