Baseball Franchise Owners Intentionally Weakening Their Sports Teams
In a nutshell, MLB ownership oughta aim to outdo the other 29 teams by assembling the most lethal lineup. Yet, it's all too common that this ain't how they play the game. They prefer keeping their wallets bulging by skipping on veterans and swapping them with cheaper, less experienced talent.
Take, for example, the Pittsburgh Pirates. They've got one heck of a pitcher in Paul Skenes, coupled with a gaggle of young flamethrowers. They also got a few players that could be replaced by experienced franchise vets. But those titans come with a hefty price tag, more moolah than the Pirates want to shell out.
Take Dennis Santana, the Pirates' closer who's sporting a career 4.58 ERA. When compared to David Robertson, a seasoned pro who boasts a 1.9 win record and a 33.4% strikeout rate in 2024, it's clear who could give the Pirates a leg up. The issue? Robertson's asking price that the Pirates ain't willing to dish out—$11.5 million in 2024.
It's this sort of stinginess that's not just disappointing, but harmful to the competitive balance of the game. A prime example is the Washington Nationals who, in 2025, have the worst bullpen in the league with a 7.41 ERA. Guys like Kirby Yates and David Robertson could've given 'em the edge they needed. Instead, they stuck with journeyman pitchers like Orlando Ribalta and Jose Ferrer.
To make matters worse, teams like the Baltimore Orioles seems to shy away from spending, opting to rely on a handful of talented young players rather than snagging experienced veterans like J.D. Martinez who'd likely bring in some serious firepower.
This focus on frugality becomes even more confounding given the challenges that MLB teams face: escalating revenue disparities, the shifting media landscape, and the need to nurture future stars. In essence, they're trying to keep costs down while planning for the future and maintaining competitiveness. It's a tough balance to strike, and evidently, many are falling short.
The Nitty-Gritty:
Financial pressures are a big part of this picture—from the revenue disparities between small-market and large-market teams to the aim to skirt around the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) threshold to avoid penalties. Some owners even prioritize profitability over competitiveness.
The changing media landscape adds another layer of complexity, with the early termination of ESPN's $550M deal and the fragmentation of broadcast rights among multiple partners. Short-term deals could dent immediate income, prompting teams to cut corners.
Looking towards the future, teams increasingly rely on affordable, young talent under their control instead of saving money on veterans. Shrewd trades help them navigate the volatile, high-stakes world of sports. But all this nifty strategizing comes with a downside: a persistent imbalance between the haves and the have-nots.
Without systemic reforms to address these issues, the short-term focus on profits may continue to outweigh long-term considerations of competitive balance.
- The Pittsburgh Pirates, with their dynamic young pitchers like Paul Skenes and others, could benefit from veteran players like David Robertson, who has a superior career record and strikeout rate, but the Pirates' reluctance to match his salary of $11.5 million in 2024 reveals their fiscal austerity.
- Despite the challenges of revenue disparities, changing media landscape, and the need to balance costs, maintain competitiveness, and nurture future stars, some MLB teams, such as the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles, seem to prioritize frugality over spending on experienced veterans like J.D. Martinez, potentially missing opportunities for significant boosts in performance.
- Financial pressures, including revenue disparities between small-market and large-market teams and the aim to skirt around the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) threshold, play a significant role in shaping the strategies of MLB teams, leading them to focus on affordability and young talent.
- In contrast to the financial conservatism witnessed amongst several teams, it is essential to consider systemic reforms to strike a balance between short-term profits and long-term competitive balance, particularly in light of the persistent imbalance between the haves and the have-nots in MLB.
