Money and Markets Win MLB!

Oh yes, we have all heard it!  Baseball has come down to just money spent and market size!!!! EVIL EVIL EVIL FEAR FEAR FEAR!!!! 

Whatever.......

Ok lets take a peak.

Top Ten Payroll Teams 2011: New York Yankees $202,689,028 Out During ALDS
Philadelphia Phillies $172,976,379 Out During NLDS
Boston Red Sox $161,762,475 Failed to Make Playoffs
Los Angeles Angels $138,543,166 Failed to Make Playoffs
Chicago White Soxs $127,789,000 Failed to Make Playoffs
Chicago Cubs $125,047,329 Failed to Make Playoffs
New York Mets $118,847,309 Failed to Make Playoffs
San Francisco Giants $118,198,333 Failed to Make Playoffs
Minnesota Twins $112,737,000 Failed to Make Playoffs
Detroit Tigers $105,700,231 IN ALCS

So in case you didn't notice three of the top ten made playoffs and two are already out.  Where do the three that are still in fall in......

St. Louis Cardinals 11th Ranked at $ 105,433,572
Texas Rangers 13th Ranked at $ 92,299,264
Milwaukee Brewers 17th Ranked at $ 85,497,333

Ok so it must be market size!  That has to be it right.

Ok how about the top five markets in the MLB:
(1) New York Yankees   OUT IN ALDS

(2) New York Mets         Failed to make playoffs

(3) Boston Red Soxs       Failed to make Playoffs
(4) Chicago Cubs            Failed to make Playoffs
(5) Detroit Tigers            IN ALCS

The market system works like this:
Huge Markets ---  The only team is the New York Yankees.....wow.....yeah their own catagory!
Large Markets ---  

New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.   Two of seven made the playoffs and only one remains.

In case you wanted to know, the St. Louis Cardinals qualify as Above Average Market while the Rangers and the Brewers as just average market.

Well it must be those over paid cry baby bonus babies Right!!!!

Ok how about the top 20 paid players in the MLB:

This table refers to the salary for 2011 alone, not the overall average value of the contract. Salaries listed are according to the USA Today salary database.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees, $32,000,000
Vernon Wells, Los Angeles Angels, $26,187,500
CC Sabathia, New York Yankees, $24,285,714
Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees, $23,125,000
Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins, $23,000,000
Johan Santana, New York Mets, $21,644,707
Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies, $20,275,000
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, $20,000,000
Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies, $20,000,000
Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies, $20,000,000
Carlos Beltran, San Francisco Giants, $19,325,436
Carlos Lee, Houston Astros, $19,000,000
Alfonso Soriano, Chicago Cubs, $19,000,000
Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs, $18,875,000
Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels, $18,500,000
Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants, $18,500,000
Jason Bay, New York Mets, $18,125,000
Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners, $18,000,000
Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox, $17,000,000
A.J. Burnett, New York Yankees, $16,500,000

Ok, of that list of 20, just one, Miguel Cabrera of Detroit is still playing baseball.  Yes all other 19 are sitting on the couch at home cashing checks.

So now wait, is this pointing that good solid players playing as a team, with good coaching and solid owners win games?