NL wild card

[packs]

I don’t know how else to break it down for you. Yankee fans expect to win every year because that’s the culture of being a Yankee fan. I highly doubt Nationals fans go into every season with their eye on a title. Why would they? As soon as they did win their owners blew up the team. Why? No hunger for winning.

Ask an Angels fan if they think Artie Moreno wants to win.

[G1911]

Teams that win are teams that want to win and invest into winning.

The teams are not all playing on an even field. The Pirates cannot compete for free agents like the Yankees can, even if they wanted a World Series win with every fiber of their being. It's a hell of a lot easier for the rich teams to lift themselves up than the poor teams.

[packs]

Between 1998 and 2002 the Yankees doubled their payroll. They took the money they made winning championships and put it into the team. They didn’t disband the team. They did t let their best players sign elsewhere. They didn’t stop trying to get better.

The Marlins didn’t do that. The Cubs didn’t do that. The Nationals didn’t do that. Not many teams do.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by packs

Between 1998 and 2002 the Yankees doubled their payroll. They took the money they made winning championships and put it into the team. They didn’t disband the team. They did t let their best players sign elsewhere. They didn’t stop trying to get better.

The Marlins didn’t do that. The Cubs didn’t do that. The Nationals didn’t do that. Not many teams do.

The difference, of course, it is much, much easier for the richest teams to do this than the poorer teams. There is no realistic scenario where Pittsburgh can compete with a motivated New York or Los Angeles franchise for free agents.

[packs]

Not now but there was a time they appeared in 3 NLCS series in a row. They let Bonds walk. They’ve been on a downward spiral ever since. It’s not like the Yankees weren’t terrible and ignored while they spiraled out of control too. Then came Steinbrenner.

Here’s an article on the Pirates and how it pays for them to lose. The most interesting fact in the story is that the team’s payroll in 2010 was only 2 million dollars more than it was in 1992 (!).

https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5484947

[G1911]

Originally Posted by packs

Not now but there was a time they appeared in 3 NLCS series in a row. They let Bonds walk. They’ve been on a downward spiral ever since. It’s not like the Yankees weren’t terrible and ignored while they spiraled out of control too. Then came Steinbrenner.

Yes, a poor team can manage to win. And a rich team can manage to fail. What I have said it is much easier for a rich team to win; they can buy what they need whereas a poor team cannot compete on the free agent market with rich and also motivated teams, cutting off a hugely important avenue of talent. It is not, at all, an even playing field in which motivation alone is the deciding factor and makes bigger market teams tend to dominate the World Series.

[packs]

Wanting to win isn’t a deciding factor but it is a factor. When there is no desire to win its not surprising a team doesn’t.

[Shoeless Moe]

Originally Posted by packs

Between 1998 and 2002 the Yankees doubled their payroll. They took the money they made winning championships and put it into the team. They didn’t disband the team. They did t let their best players sign elsewhere. They didn’t stop trying to get better.

The Marlins didn’t do that. The Cubs didn’t do that. The Nationals didn’t do that. Not many teams do.

Correct, I agree with you, the Yankees BUY championships. Other franchises like the Cardinals, Giants, etc. earn it on the field.

They might buy a piece or 2, but nowhere close to the Yankees blank checkbook. Thus, so fun watching them fail. Especially 19 of the last 20 years, and about to be 20 of 21. Mets already 21 of 21 failure seasons and counting. Thank you San Diego.

Let's go Astros!

[packs]

Aren’t you supposed to want your best players to stay with your team? Don’t you want your owner to pay them? I don’t know what you’re looking for your own team to do.

[Shoeless Moe]

Originally Posted by packs

Aren’t you supposed to want your best players to stay with your team? Don’t you want your owner to pay them? I don’t know what you’re looking for your own team to do.

Aren't you disappointed your team continues to overpay in the market and doesn't produce results?

[packs]

Results like winning the division? Getting a first round bye in the playoffs? Yeah I’m really disappointed.