Things have gotten better since then, in almost every way. Except for the Royals and the Pirates and the Orioles, just about every team's been able to put together a playoff run ... Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, San Diego, Florida, and of course Tampa Bay ... market size probably impacts a franchise's ability to build a dynasty .. but then again it's not like the Dodgers or the Cubs have been winning division titles every year.

Thanks to revenue sharing and luxury taxes and relative front-office brain power and the unfathomable vagaries of the sport itself, we're still surprised every season by teams that, if you pay attention to nothing but money, shouldn't have any chance at all.