The MLB season is right around the corner, and to the surprise of noone, the Los Angeles Dodgers are once again the team to beat.
After winning the World Series over the New York Yankees last season, the LA based team added to their already formidable ranks by signing the likes of Roki Sasaki and Tanner Scott.
As a result their payroll now sits at a whopping $393 million, and when you consider that teams like Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates have payrolls of $43 million and $60 million, it’s clear which teams will be competing for the title this season.
“How are you supposed to compete when the Dodgers have four and five times your payroll?,” asked Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo.
What is really frustrating is that the Dodgers bring in $321 million from TV deals each year, and even though revenue sharing distributes $400 million to smaller-market teams, those teams aren’t putting that money back on the field.
The Pirates have a small payroll even though owner Bob Nutting is worth $1.2 billion, while the A’s left Oakland after securing a $380 million stadium in Las Vegas while having a payroll of $40 million.
Stephen A. Smith hits out at MLB clubs
It’s no surprise then that Stephen A. Smith put a lot of MLB clubs on blast, stating: “Other MLB teams have money as well; they are just choosing not to spend and go for it.”
While the Dodgers are doing what every fan would want their team to do, and teams like the Yankees, Mets and Phillies try to stay competitive, there are clubs like the Pirates, A’s and Marlins all crying poor while getting revenue-sharing checks.
That’s why Chris Rose has called for MBL to have a spending floor, in order to push teams to put the money they make on the field.
“MLB needs a spending floor. Teams with billion-dollar managers acting broke is a way bigger problem than the Dodgers spending money to win,” said Rose.
Time will tell if the MLB changes its rules in the future, but in the meantime, expect the Dodgers to once again be the class of the league in 2025.
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