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Last night, Josh Duggan took a skeptical view of the Royals payroll limitations as he looked over the way Dayton Moore has spent this money this offseason. It is a common complaint and not just from Royals fans. Unless you are a fan of the Dodgers, you probably wish your team would spend just a little more money. Even the Yankees have flirted with the idea of a budget recently and even though they have scrapped plan-189 in dramatic fashion this winter, even fans in the Bronx have had to grapple with the idea of real spending limits this offseason. At some point, there is just no more money to spend, or at least there is no more money left that ownership is willing to spend.
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And there is the rub. Winning is the best thing for a team's bottom line, but only the most irrational fans would want to see their team go into debt to try to make that happen. You don't need to know the ins and outs of every television deal and market size to understand that the Rays can't spend like the Red Sox, even if it would help them win now. For the most part we except these realities, but, as Mr. Duggan reminds us, there are times when the financial constraints just rub us the wrong way. There are some owners that just won't spend, even if they probably should. Some teams are more tight-fisted than they need to be, passing over substantial improvements within their means.
Whether a club is rich or poor, their spending can be a major source of frustration for fans. So tell us about your club. Are you satisfied with their payroll?
Breakfast Links 2/14
Nationals, Rays complete Karns for Lobaton swap
The Nationals get a backup for porcelain catcher Wilson Ramos and the Rays get a young arm they can turn into a stud, ride to a few more playoff appearances and trade to Kansas City for the next Reggie Jackson.
Original Report: Orioles sign Suk-min Yoon to 3-year, $5.575 million deal
Is it just me or does this seem like the steal of the century? Yoon has some risk, but a ceiling of a number four or five starter for 2014 doesn't seem unreasonable and failing that he should at least be able to land in the bullpen.
Aroldis Chapman: Baseball's Tony Montana, apparently
Apparently, Reds beat reporter Paul Daugherty is upset because Aroldis Chapman- the Reds closer with the 14.7 career K/9 rate- smokes cigarettes and would rather sleep than watch baseball. I don't have the heart to tell him about Joe Dimaggio or Ken Griffey Jr.
Mariners talks with Nelson Cruz "on hold", team prioritizing elsewhere
Other priorities include starting pitching, relief pitching, outfielders who aren't Nelson Cruz, players who don't play in the outfield at all and Nelson Cruz.